BRANDON ALLEN - "Some Kinda Mean" - SPICEJAZZ presents at Crazy Coqs Soho.
Thursday 10 April - 9.15 pm
Booking link https://www.brasseriezedel.com/events/spice-jazz-soho-brandon-allen-presents-some-kinda-mean/
A journey into the musical life of David ‘Fathead’ Newman. The project will explore Newman’s work with Ray Charles, straight ahead albums with saxophonists Stanley Turrentine & James Clay, collaborations with Hammond organists, Jimmy McGriff and Lonnie Smith and his soul jazz/funk releases on Atlantic and Prestige.
David “Fathead” Newman (1933-2009) was an American jazz, blues and R&B saxophonist. Although he made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, he is perhaps best known as the saxophonist on the seminal 1950s and early 1960s recordings by Ray Charles. The All Music Guide to Jazz wrote that “there have not been many saxophonists and flutists more naturally soulful than David ‘Fathead’ Newman.” After leaving Ray Charles’ band, Newman worked with Herbie Mann in 1970–71, and subsequently recorded albums for Atlantic, Warner Bros., Prestige and Muse. Newman also did session work with a variety of artists including BB King, Aretha Franklin, Dr John, Lou Rawls and Joe Cocker.
Lineup:
Brandon Allen – saxes/flute
Nick Costley White – guitar
Hamish Balfour – keys
Mirko Scarcia – bass
Rod Youngs – drums
‘…a saxophone heavyweight, at the height of his powers…’ – Blues and Soul Magazine
‘Muscular and robust one moment, warm and soothing another, stretching out with an abrasive edge’ – Jazz Journal
‘Brandon Allen is arguably the most exciting tenor player in Britain today. His phrasing is unashamedly emotional, soaked in the blues tradition.’ –Jazzwise
‘His four-octave range and flawless command of the altissimo register was nicely offset by his full-bodied yet raucous tonal quality offering something for fans of the entire history of the instrument- from Hawkins to Brecker – he’s got them covered.’ – London Jazz News
THE LYDIAN COLLECTIVE - Launch night - SPICEJAZZ presents at The Courtyard Shoreditch.
Friday 18 April - 8 pm
Booking link https://wegottickets.com/event/654148
LAUNCH NIGHT of "SpiceJazz presents at The Courtyard":
The Courtyard studio is a beautiful live music venue with a 216 capacity pwerformance space in London Shoreditch 300m away from Hoxton station.
With over 6 million Spotify streams and more than 2 million YouTube views, London-based instrumental jazz/fusion four-piece Lydian Collective has established itself as a musical tour de force in the UK and beyond.
Their debut album ‘Adventure’ March 2018, within days, reached the top 10 in the iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Bandcamp Jazz charts and had extensive official playlisting on several Spotify editorial favourites, including State of Jazz, Fusion Fest, and Jazz UK. BBC Radio 3’s Nick Luscombe called the album ‘Life-affirming music’.
The band’s second album, ‘Return,’ was released in October 2022. Within two weeks, it had amassed over 500,000 streams on Spotify alone, and their launch show at the legendary Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club sold out.
The Lydian Collective sound is a unique combination of accessible melodies, accomplished musicianship, hypnotic rhythms, and an uplifting vibe, which has already drawn audiences from around the world.
The millions who follow the band’s online channels include fans from as far afield as the USA, China, and Japan—with a healthy following on home ground as well, thanks to early support from the likes of Tom Robinson at BBC6Music.
Lydian Collective are:
Aaron Wheeler (keys)
Sophie Alloway (drums)
Ida Hollis (bass)
Dan Lee (guitar)
‘Lydian Collective make genre-crashing, boundary-smashing music seem effortless’ – CLASH MAGAZINE
‘Life-affirming music’– Nick Luscombe BBC Radio 3