14 November 2018
Newsdesk
Indo-jazz percussionist Sarathy Korwar, singer-songwriter Roxanne Tataei and female post-punk heroes ILL are just some of the Unstoppable Voices starring in a new season of hip-hop, jazz, classical, rock, spoken word and art at the Royal Albert Hall from January.
The three-month season – which includes jazz strands curated by Cassie Kinoshi and Moses Boyd – is designed to showcase dynamic voices, original artistic perspectives and up-and-coming performers.
Other artists spotlighted include poet Toby Thompson – bringing one of the year’s most acclaimed Edinburgh shows to the Hall’s Berry Bros. & Rudd No.3 Bar – and Tom Smith’s LGBTQ I+ jazz ensemble, Queertet, who appear as part of Pride in London week. The season climaxes with the Young Producers weekend: two days of events curated by a group of 18-25 year olds mentored by Royal Albert Hall staff during a six-month outreach programme.
Unstoppable Voices programmer, Sara Jane Power, said: “This season is about showcasing the most urgent, vital and exciting voices in London right now. At the Hall, we continually look to push artistic and cultural boundaries by staging cutting-edge events alongside the more conventional shows, and we’re proud to present this fresh, exciting line-up of extraordinary artists.”
Appearing as part of Independent Venue Week, percussionist, producer and composer Sarathy Korwar will headline the Elgar Room with his newly-formed UPAJ Collective, performing music from their new record, ‘My East Is Your West’. Led by Sarathy in a seated circle facing one another, the 10-person ensemble guides audiences through music mixing Indian ragas and talas with smatterings of western harmony and hypnotic jazz.
Cassie Kinoshi’s curated Late Night Jazz strand will include performances by trumpeter and vocalist Ms Maurice – her music “infused with 70s jazz and a touch of West African sonic seasoning” – Neapolitan piano-and-bass duo Ilaria Capalbo & Stefano Falcone, and celebrated saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael.
Meanwhile, Moses Boyd presents South London singer-songwriter Roxanne Tataei, multi-faceted performer, producer and DJ Emmavie, genre-bending alto saxophonist Kevin Haynes, and fusion artist Niji Adeleye, whose work is influenced by jazz and gospel, and spans grime, hip hop and RnB.
Hip hop is also centre-stage in the work of Lyrix Organix, the live events, youth education and social action movement that is celebrated in a special exhibition and accompanying gig
Object/Create, from photographer Owen Davies, charts the past four years of the organisation, from the streets of London to the stage of Glastonbury Festival, and from Ethiopia to Kazakhstan, using still life, portrait photography and audio to tell intensely personal human stories. A live show on 27 February will feature some of the movement’s most distinctive and arresting performers, including classical crossover artist Ayanna Witter-Johnson and influential contemporary performance poet Dean Atta.
Described as “the future” by no less than Kate Tempest, Toby Thompson brings his new show, For the Record, to the Hall. The enigmatic, musical poet interweaves performance with classic tunes – played on vinyl, naturally – in a warm and uplifting show that gently spirals through life’s absurdities. If that all sounds a little cosy, you do have options – as cult Mancunian act ILL pitch up to strip the paint from the Elgar Room with their highly-politicised post-punk stylings.
Family events include Imagine Being a World Leader, which gives primary school children a crash course in leadership and public speaking skills, and climaxes with their own political speeches at the fictional ‘Summit for World Change’, given from a scaled down podium, complete with backdrop, bouquets and flags.
Unstoppable Voices runs from 25 January to 18 April. Tickets are on sale at 9am this Friday from www.royalalberthall.com. An allocation of £5 tickets is available for all shows across the season for student, under-26, unemployed or disabled patrons. Further events in the season will be announced soon.
£5 tickets are available for students, under 26s and unemployed. Please note customers may be asked for proof of eligibility on entry: this includes ES40 cards and photo ID.
Exhibition: Object / Create
Friday 25 January – Thursday 28 February, Amphi Corridor
Free
Sarathy Korwar
Monday 28 January, 8:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
Late Night Jazz – Ms Maurice
Thursday 31 January, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15 (£12 standing)
Ilaria Capalbo and Stefano Falcone
Thursday 7 February, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
Late Night Jazz – Chelsea Carmichael
Thursday 14 February, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
Queertet
Friday 15 February, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
Toby Thompson – For the Record
Monday 25 February, 7:30pm, Berry Brothers Bar
Tickets £12.50
Lyrix Organix
Wednesday 27 February, 8pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
Late Night Jazz – Roxanne Tataei (on sale Mon 3 Dec)
Thursday 14 March, 8:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15
ILL
Sunday 17 March, 8pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £13.50
Late Night Jazz – Niji Adeleye
Thursday 21 March, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15 (£10 standing)
Late Night Jazz – Emmavie
Thursday 4 April, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
Tickets £15 (£10 standing)
Late Night Jazz – Kevin Haynes
Thursday 18 April, 9:30pm, Elgar Room
