Nu Civilisation Orchestra and special guest, Soweto Kinch perform this weekend at a spectacular concert on Sunday 29 April at 6pm as part of the Concrete Dreams Weekend Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre.
The show marks the culmination of a national tour celebrating the centenary of the birth of six of the greatest and most influential artists in the history of jazz: Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Mongo Santamaría, Tadd Dameron, Buddy Rich, and Thelonious Monk. The concert will juxtapose exclusive archive film portraits of the musical icons of yesteryear with a set of dazzling big band classics played by the Nu Civilisation Orchestra conducted by Peter Edwards and featuring some of today’s leading UK jazz artists. The set includes a performance of an original piece entitled A Journey with the Giants of Jazz commissioned from Peter Edwards by Turner Sims and Tomorrow’s Warriors for the PRS Foundation New Music Biennial/Hull UK City of Culture 2017.
There will be three fiery, award-winning saxophonists: Binker Golding (Binker & Moses), Nathaniel Facey (Empirical) and special guest Soweto Kinch, alongside the renowned Byron Wallen on trumpet and rising stars Rosie Turton (Nérija) and pianist Sarah Tandy under the directorship of acclaimed composer and conductor, Peter Edwards.
Soweto Kinch is a multi-award-winning saxophonist and MC who honed his skills as a participant on the Tomorrow’s Warriors Young Artist Development Programme. He performs jazz and hip-hop and his accolades include a Mercury Music Prize nomination, two UMA Awards and two MOBO awards for Best Jazz Act. Peter Edwards is the musical director for the Nu Civilisation Orchestra and is an alumnus of the Tomorrow’s Warriors and has recorded and toured with Zara McFarlane, Mica Paris.
Talented young musicians
There will also be a concert in the afternoon called The Jazz Ticket National Finale. A culmination of an innovative and inspiring project that nurtured the talents of around 600 students aged 11-18 from 54 schools in Manchester, Humberside, Leicester, Luton, London, Southampton, Bristol and Brighton.
Cherise Adams Burnett who has taken part in the project says ‘It has been a pleasure to travel across the country and find talented young people with immense potential, it will be meaningful to see them all come together for a final performance.’
The concert at 4pm in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer will showcase work developed during last years’ sessions in schools led by members of the Tomorrow’s Warriors Music Faculty. The show will feature young people from around the country performing music inspired by some of the greatest and most influential jazz artists of all time. And best of all… it’s FREE!
Tickets £15 with concessions at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. For more information and tickets telephone 020 3879 9555 or visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk | www.nucivilisation.com
