By the way folks, our gig tomorrow at Symphony Hall is not in the usual foyer space. There will be signs to re-direct you to Hall 11. Best have a few extra minutes in hand to reach it comfortably. See you there!
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Dave met the great tabla master (and one of his heroes) Zakir Hussain at the Oleron Jazz Festival in France. Dave says “It was a great display of musicianship last night at the Oloron Jazz festival. Zakir was playing in duo with Oud player and vocalist Dhafer Yousef. He was very nice, I gave him a copy of our album Global as a thank you for all the pleasure his playing has given me over the years. I was embarrassed to say that I played a little tabla on one of the tracks. He joked that he played a little tabla too… I was very struck by how Zakir had integrated extra tablas, little tuned drums and percussion into his playing last night so it was very varied and interesting. Tablas plus. The technique as ever was formidable and impeccable, but his adaptability to the different musical environments ( so many) he plays in always impresses me. I mentioned that I was fortunate to meet and do a few classes with his dad the great Ustad Alla Rakha, best known I suppose for 30 years accompanying Ravi Shankar. It surprised him to meet an aging muso at a concert in Oloron who knew his dad! Alla Rakha flew the flag for the tablas in the west and taught Zakir from a very early age. For this and all his other many achievements I and many others are eternally grateful.” ...
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Jazz critic Ian Mann has given a glowing report of Interplay’s recent performance at Warwick Arts Centre. He endorses the band’s musical approach and individual creativity. Read the whole review here. There aren’t many people writing about jazz like this, who invest time and effort in attending to local and regional artists as well as the big names. Those that do are much sought after, and we appreciate the care and attention of people like Ian in trying to evaluate and promote a wider interest in this great music at all levels. If you want to be sure of knowing about our future gigs please join our mailing list – just put your email address in the box at the bottom of this...
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Tickets for our double-header with Sonrisa on 8th June are going, going… It looks as though the double bill is already a hit with audiences, so the night itself should be a scorcher! Don’t want to miss out? Hit the link now!
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Lovers of globally-inspired world music and jazz are in for a special night at Warwick Arts Centre on June 8th, when two of the region’s best bands join forces. Sonrisa brings its joyous blend of mainly Latin rhythms while Interplay casts its net a little wider, taking in African and Indian sounds as well as expressive modern jazz. Despite their musical common ground this will be the first time the two bands have appeared together. Interplay and Sonrisa are both well established across the Midlands, playing to concert and festival audiences, in clubs and on rural touring circuits for several years. Each band released an album last year too. ‘Global’, on the part of Interplay, was hailed by Gilles Peterson as a ‘beautiful record’, while Sonrisa’s ‘Taste Of Latin’ has resulted in the band being taken up by Tom Robinson for BBC Introducing on 6Music. The gig is presented on the ‘Under The Radar’ strand, through which the Arts Centre gives exposure to artists thought deserving of a wider audience. The evening promises an uplifting musical journey infused with different cultures, with rhythmic excitement and instrumental creativity to the fore. Details and booking link here...
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Can’t make it to Osaka for International Jazz Day? Don’t despair – IJD is also coming to Leamington Spa! Interplay Duo will be on hand at Wagamama on Wednesday evening with a special programme of jazz from around the world. Pianist Neil Hunter and bassist Adrian Litvinoff draw on a huge repertoire to ensure the evening has a genuinely global flavour. Get the details here. Meanwhile click ‘read more’ to see Herbie Hancock’s inspirational message on video, our very own UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Jazz!...
See More We are off to Market Harborough Jazz Club this Sunday for a lunch-time gig. Word has it the crowd there are a bit ‘serious’, but that’s not how I remember our last visit. I think we played plenty of Latin stuff and may even have equipped the audience with shakers and other things to hit! I do know that we sold more albums there than at any gig before or since. Roll on Sunday! Join us?...
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Did we mention that you can now add your favourite tracks from ‘Global’ to your playlist? Head over to Spotify right now (or do it later)!
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