Duke Vin & The Birth Of Ska - 7th August

The SERTUC film club presents a private screening and panel discussion of "Duke Vin and the Birth of Ska" on Thursday 7th August.

This documentary covers the arrival in London of pioneering Jamaican soundmen Duke Vin (who DJ'd for me at Right On! back in 2003) and Count Suckle and looks at the effect that Jamaican music and culture had on the UK. These men and the role they played in championing ska music in the UK has often been sadly neglected, so I am very pleased to hear of such an interesting sounding film on the subject. Hopefully this will help give them some of the recognition they deserve from the wider public.

Admission to the screening is free but advance booking is essential.

Location: Congress House, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3LS
Time: 6.30pm - 9.30pm

You can register by emailing sertucevents@tuc.org.uk or by calling (020) 7467 1220

New venue for the London Calypso Tent

The London Calypso Tent run by the Association of British Calypsonians (ABC) is one of the UK's only authentic live calypso venues. It takes place annually during the summer in the run-up to the Notting Hill Carnival. As a visitor in past years I can highly recommend The Tent for its great atmosphere and music. If you are lucky you may even get to hear some "extempo" (extemporaneous improvisation).

This year The Tent is moving from its old home - The Yaa Asantewaa Arts Centre in Maida Vale - to a brand new one: The Tabernacle in Powis Square. This venue is the home of Carnival Village - a new organisation formed to support carnival arts in the UK and comprising the Ebony Steelband Trust, Mangrove Y2K, the Association of British Calypsonians, and Yaa Asantewaa Arts.

The opening night of The Tent is Friday 25th July and it then takes place on Fridays during August (see flyer for dates)

For more information about The Calypso Tent and to book tickets visit the Carnival Village website (where you can also find details of their other events): carnivalvillage.org.uk

Burlesque Social Club launch party - Sat 26 July

Chaz Royale (aka Chaz Royal) - the man behind the excellent annual London Burlesque Festival - is launching a new night called The London Burlesque Social Club which will take place at two locations each month. Taking place on the last Saturday of each month at The Apothecary in King's Cross and the first Thursday of each month at Madame Jojo's in Soho, this new night will showcase the best in Bawdy Burlesque, Cabaret & Vaudeville - locally & from abroad.

Every month the Social Club promises a rotating cast of Burlesque Strip Teasers, Variety & Novelty Acts, Slap Stick Comedians, Hilarious Hosts & Hot DJs playing vintage sounds to rock the dancefloor until the early hours. I have been invited to do a guest DJ spot at the launch party on 26th July at The Apothecary and am really looking forward to it. Especially as visiting American burlesque artiste Sienna Sinclaire will be putting on an exclusive performance. Details as follows:

Date: Saturday July 26th
Venue: The Apothecary
Location: 3 Vale Royal, N7 9AP (next to the Egg Club)
Nearest tube: King's Cross
Doors: 9pm - 3am (show 10pm - 1am)
Price: £15.00

Good news is that I have been offered a '2-4-1' concession for all my readers. This means that two people can go along for just £15 (instead of £15 each).

To take advantage of this great offer, just email your full name to chazroyal@hotmail.com mentioning my name: Jean-Paul Séculaire.

NOTE: Offer expires on 25th July at 12 Noon.

For more info about the Burlesque Social Club (including full line-ups) vist: www.myspace.com/londonburlesque

New London jazz nights

You may have heard that I've stopped running my Home Cookin' nights for now to concentrate on other ventures. But worry not, for London has been blessed with not one but two new monthly jazz nights!

First up is Freedom Sound @ The Three Blind Mice on Ravey Street in Shoreditch. This venue used to be Smersh which was one of my favourite bars (and the first place I ever tried absinthe!)

Freedom Sound runs on the first Wednesday of every month and promises a "twisted look at the many sounds of jazz [...] the unexpected, unpredictable sound of freedom".

Second is an exciting sounding night at The Old Queen's Head in Islington called Jazz On The Road (inspired by Jack Kerouac's famous 1957 novel)

The launch night is Thursday 17th July and it will then take place on the 3rd Thursday of every month. The aim of the club is to:

"reproduce the style and the spirit of the Beat Generation dancing wildly to Be Bop and Mambo, whilst combining with London's Club Jazz Movement that has remained vibrant since the 80s."

Which sounds just like the idea behind Home Cookin'!

Expect live music plus jazz dance from Maki & Kola of The Jazzcotech Dancers as well as DJs Koichi Sakai and Kay Suzuki spinning dancefloor jazz.

Of course I should also mention that Favourite Things is still running every Monday at the new Proud venue in Camden. This night features live jazz plus DJs including the great Hugo Mendez from Soundway Records.

For full details of all these nights check out the Club listings page:
londondossier.info/clubs.htm

Magic Theatre @ The Bloomsbury Ballroom - 19 Jul

I mentioned the launch of the Magic Theatre club back in November 2007. Well, they are about to hold their 4th event on Saturday 19th July and are moving from the Rivoli to the amazing looking Bloomsbury Ballroom in central London. Venues don't come much more exclusive than this!

The idea behind the Magic Theatre is to create a "magical event in London for whoever you are and whoever you want to be". The Bloomsbury Ballroom has been chosen for its "sumptiously exotic interior [...] the perfect place to make a grand entrance [...] in all your finery against the dramatic backdrop of La Belle Epoque".

Of course no ball would be complete without dancing, and to that end there will be vintage sounds from DJ Nick Hollywood (Club Montepulciano) and 60s-influenced live band The She-Creatures.

Tickets are priced at £14 in advance or £16 on the door and the event runs from 8pm-3am.

For more info visit: www.magic-theatre.co.uk

Gladdy Wax @ Chick-A-Boom! - Fri 11 July

Jamaican sound system legend Gladdy Wax joins me and Mistah Brown at Chick-A-Boom! this Friday. Last time I DJ'd alongside Gladdy was at Right On! in September 2006, so I'm thrilled to have him back on the decks with me for some soul, funk, rhythm & blues and of course not forgetting the scorching ska!

Chick-A-Boom! @ The Vibe Bar (upstairs)
The Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, E1
(nearest tube/train: Liverpool Street)
Friday 11th July
8pm - 1am
£4

Lou Donaldson & Lonnie Smith live - 11 July

Hammond jazz fans take note: Blue Note legends Lou Donaldson and Lonnie Smith (not to be confused with Lonnie Liston Smith) are playing live at The Jazz Cafe in Camden on Friday 11th July.

Though I've never seen Lonnie Smith live, I did see Lou Donaldson in Brighton backed by the New Mastersounds and he did not fail to impress. The press release from The Jazz Cafe says that this group is "a unique sax and organ-led quartet pairing two of jazz's elder statesmen in a boiling swing quartet reminiscent of the great 60s Blue Note combos". Sounds great!

Supporting the group are The Root Source - young Freestyle Records recording artists popular on the jazz dance scene. The keyboard player and drummer are Andy Fairclough and Larry Clack who played a duo gig at Home Cookin' back in February.

For advance tickets and more information visit The Jazz Cafe website