London and NYC Club and Concert Listings
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Review: Make It Happen / Jade Fox - Jazz Cafe, London - Friday 24 October 2003
Writer/Photographer: Marcos Moret
Jade Fox is a jazz band to get excited about, representing as they do an essential node on the complex-yet-compact network
that is today’s jazz-influenced music scene. But in case that ‘j’ word is about to send you clickety-clicking away into
the ether, please pause - read on. Because what we’re talking here is very relevant, very much music of the now - this
very second. It’s the pulsating frontline, the evolutionary cusp of that deliriously amorphous sonic movement. That
bloodline that took shape on New World-bound slave ships and manifested itself as a four hundred year old slo-mo creative
starburst rebounding back out across the ocean. Some of those fiery threads landed in multi-ethnic London, grew, and went
on to establish a far-reaching extended sonic family.
Made up of Dave Okumu (guitar), Tom Skinner (drums), Tom Herbert (bass), Nick Ramm (keys), and Volker Strater (percussion),
it was whilst hosting the Tomorrow’s Warriors sessions at the Jazz Café that the guys who would go on to form Jade Fox met
Eska Mtungwazi. She had work underway with broken beat pioneer I.G. Culture, and it wasn’t long before they were
collaborating with a who’s who from across that jazz through broken beat to neo soul spectrum, including the likes of 4
Hero, Bugz In The Attic, Bilal, Terry Walker and Timeline. With a varied check-list of influences (Miles Davis, Steve
Coleman, D’Angelo, James Brown, Prince, Radiohead), it should come as no surprise, then, that their Jazz Cafe performance
was a brilliant exposition of that all-encompassing afro-diasporic triumvirate of the funk, the soul, and the jazz.
They started out with the funky-ass tune that De La Soul so memorably sampled on Me , Myself, and I. It wasn’t long
before the first of many guests made their way on to the stage. First-up was Soweto Kinch, who showed us just why this year
his album Conversations With The Unseen was a Mercury Music Prize album of the year, and why he won ‘Best Jazz Act’
at the MOBOs this year. The guy is an astounding saxophone player. Not only that: he raps and beatboxes with style and
aplomb, and exudes warm and comedic charisma. Next up was the aforementioned Eska, a woman in possession of a truly
beautiful voice, and a radiant smile and joyful countenance that are highly contagious. Her contributions included a
Sting-appropriating song with Zimbabwean call and response lyrics that had the audience joining in with hearty
“yooooo-yo-yo-yo”’s.
Another highlight was the contribution of one Bembe Segue, princess of the broken beat scene, who gave a typically spirited
and uplifting jazz dance-meets-bruk infused performance. The music moved from funk to West African rhythms to hip hop to
be-bop to soul to broken beat. And one after another musicians - a bass guitar player, stand-up bass player Rob Malarkey,
dancer Emma, singer Rasiya - clambered over amps and dodged instrument stands on their way to the front of what was a very
packed stage. No wonder they were a bit short on space, what with two drum kits being played simultaneously for much of
the evening, Tom Skinner and a guest supplying a storming percussive onslaught - an electrifying spectacle and sound, both
stick-wielders evidently enjoying themselves no end.
Their countenances found reflections throughout the onlookers, witnessing as they were the joyous musical coming-together
of driven individuals within a wider family unit. Purveyors of soulful, honest, challenging sonic vibes - reachin’ for
tomorrow whilst paying respect to the past and, most importantly, rejoicing in the now. Taking that bloodline further,
propagating the lineage of that music, that perspective on life some might call jazz.
Note: Make It Happen featuring Jade Fox and guests takes place once a month. Stay tuned for the next date.
PUBLISHED: Tuesday 28 October 2003
Soweto Kinch -
on Dune Jazz Records website
Tomorrow's Warriors
Bembe Segue concert review
Jazz Cafe
The Shrine feat. Soweto Kinch - Saturday 25 October
review
Buy Soweto Kinch's Conversations With The Unseen album at Amazon
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::: RELATED LINKS
PARTIES ALEEEERT! Know The Ledge presents...Bruk Boogie.
July line-up:
Simon Freaked, Yam Who?, Somatik, Hopper, Andy Newcombe, Nick Matthews.
Soweto Kinch -
on Dune Jazz Records website
Tomorrow's Warriors
Bembe Segue concert review
Jazz Cafe
The Shrine feat. Soweto Kinch - Saturday 25 October
review
Buy Soweto Kinch's Conversations With The Unseen album at Amazon
UK
|
US
More Reviews
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