Soho Live Jazz Week
Ollie Hopkins, Jamie Murray, Nathan Britton, Benet Mclean, Eerf Evil, Andy Davies, Asha, Jansen Santana.
“I can see the light - chase it.
It’s all about the journey - pacing.”
Last week, Soho Live Jazz Week welcomed over 100 artists and acts, performing 17 shows across 10 venues. Needless to say, it was a bustling occasion for producers of an engaging 3 day Jazz music festival, highlighting both seasoned performers and rising artists alike.
George Hudson, one of the Jazz Week’s producers, kindly invited us to cover the opening performance by The Soho Live All Stars presented by Nathan Britton, at the exclusive members club Jack Solomons in Soho, London on September 16th.
The former site of a famous boxing gym, Jack Solomons now boasts a subterranean, industrial-style cocktail bar and live performance venue, appropriate for an evening of sophisticated listening, buzzing conversation, food, drinks and warm hospitality. On this particular evening, George Hudson can be seen welcoming regulars, effortlessly working-the-room and easing all to feel welcome. In the same breath, Hudson finds himself briskly moving from one location to another, introducing multiple acts across London’s intimate venues where the festival is also being held.
As attendees filter into the club, tangibly excited to experience a night of Jazz, one does notice the lack of a racially diverse audience. Soho Live’s Musical Director and pianist, Nathan Britton, opens up about the intention for the festival: “Our idea is to take an eclectic approach to London’s vibrant jazz scene and jam culture. We love the new but also appreciate the heritage and those who champion it.” In this way, Jazz music opens up a space of cultural acknowledgement, honouring the legacy of Black inspired expression.
The evening vibrates with joy - nothing says ‘jazz’ like a highly skilled horn player; Andy Davies, award winning trumpeter and resident band leader at the iconic Ronnie Scotts, blesses ears with his talent, fusing some of the musical styles of Miles Davis in the hour and a half long set. It was apparent that the performers were happy to, once again, have the opportunity to express themselves in front of a live and engaged audience.
Sweet sounds of Jazz grooves sweep through every corner and crevasse of the room, transporting listeners into the hushed ambience of an old American speakeasy. As guests sip cocktails, drink beers and dine on gourmet burgers, an air of privacy is shared - a subtle feeling of, ‘What we hear and see in here, stays in here’...
The performance itself was captivating: The Soho Live All Stars played some original music, as well as notable Jazz records’ re-imagined. The band also welcomed rappers Eerf Evil and Asher for a vocal performance. The guest performers were a highlight of the evening, introducing catchy, conscious lyricism, in an experience of ‘Chase’, to an already atmospheric evening: “I can see the light - chase it. It’s all about the journey - pacing.”
Overall, the evening was unforgettable; it welcomed us back into London’s live music scene with an underlying sense of musical rebellion - an underground Jazz event fused with familiar names, capped-off with a rap performance by new wave stars.
