RIGHT ON! returns - Saturday 17th February, 2018

RIGHT ON! @ Hanway Social - Saturday 17th February

After more than 10 years' absence, London's much-missed vintage black music club night returns next month for a one-off 15th anniversary dance. Back in the West End where it all started, the night's new venue is an authentic old-school basement club with late-night bar and separate dancefloor. Expect nothing but the best vintage sounds from the all-star DJ line-up, which features some of the UK's top selectors:

JEAN-PAUL SÉCULAIRE (Right On!),
MARK NORTON (Gene Drayton Unit / The Fantastics),
TEXAS RANGER (Unique Radio / Trojan Explosion / Heritage Inn),
NATTY BO (Gaz's Rockin' Blues / Ska Cubano / Top Cats),
and the mighty GLADDY WAX (Notting Hill Carnival / Wax Unlimited).

DOORS: 9pm - 2am
ADMISSION: £10
VENUE: Hanway Social (basement)
ADDRESS: 20 Hanway Street, London, W1T 1UG
NEAREST TUBE: Tottenham Court Road

For more information visit www.right-on.org

Owen Gray live in concert - 19th October

Legendary Jamaican singer Owen Gray performs live on Wednesday 19th October at The Phoenix City Social Club, backed by The Sidewalk Doctors.

Owen Gray is a true veteran of the Jamaican music scene, being one of the country's first home-grown stars. He began his singing career as a teenager in the mid-1950s after attending the Alpha Boys School, which is well known for training many of Jamaica's finest musicians. With his soulful voice, he effortlessly recorded in a variety of styles over the years, from rhythm & blues and soul through to ska, rocksteady and roots reggae. Many of his tracks also became popular in the UK, released on labels such as Starlite, Island, Blue Beat, Dice and Pama. He moved to England in the 1960s, where he still lives to this day.

The Phoenix City Social Club is a new midweek session in a great, 200 capacity, basement venue, promoted by the man behind the London International Ska Festival. Musically, the night promises "ska, rocksteady, soul and 2 Tone" from well-known DJs and live bands. Guest DJ on the 19th October is Cello from the Coast To Coast club.

Advance tickets are available from londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk/tickets

Venue: The Queen of Hoxton (basement)
Address: 1-5 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3JX
Times: 7pm - midnight
Admission: £10
Website: www.facebook.com/PhoenixCityRecCo
Venue website: www.thequeenofhoxton.co.uk

Tea time with Lil' Koko - 25 September

It's tea time! Nestled in the heart of Shoreditch, the Time For Tea vintage tearoom is the setting for a one-off afternoon tea with a difference. Your host for the day is the effervescent Kate Pieroudis (aka Lil' Koko) who promises a fine selection of cakes (including Lavender Cake, Oh-My Chocolate Cake, and scones) while her Italian friend Chiara serves up Crostata and Tiramisù (my favourite Italian dessert).

In between preparing the tea, DJ Lil' Koko (Ronnie Scott's, Nightjar) will also be spinning vinyl to get you dancing. And pianist Dom Pipkin will be stopping by from 6pm to tinkle the ivories too. Open from 2pm - 8pm. Free admission.

Time For Tea,
110 Shoreditch High Street,
London,
E1 6JN

Jean-Paul Séculaire - upcoming DJ sets - Aug-Sept

It's been a frightening and painful time for London and the UK recently, but it looks like things are starting to get back to normal again now. I say it's time to start getting out again!

I'm still working on relaunching the Right On! club night. Unfortunately, the venue I had lined up fell through at the last minute, but I am now researching alternatives. If you haven't already, do join the mailing list via www.right-on.org and "like" the Right On! Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rightonclub

Although there's no date for Right On! yet, I do have upcoming gigs at two other excellent, vintage black music nights in North London over the next couple of weeks. Details as follows:

Saturday 20th August, 2011
Sweet 'n' Dandy @ The Horatia
98-102 Holloway Road, London, N7 8JE
8pm - 2am. FREE before 11pm, then £3
www.thehoratia.co.uk

Friday 2nd September, 2011
Crawdaddy! @ The Wilmington Arms
69 Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4RL
7.30pm - 12.30am. FREE
www.thewilmingtonarms.co.uk

Hope to see some of you out on the dancefloor soon!

Right On! meets Bande À Part - Sat 4 June

After the success of our encounter in 2010, I've been invited back to Shoreditch's premier vintage black music night, Bande À Part, to play another Right On! style set.

You can expect a fantastic mix of jukejoint sounds from the 1950s, 1960s and beyond, aimed firmly at the dancefloor, from myself and resident DJs Cousin Benson and Kimihiro Oue: RHYTHM & BLUES, DOO WOP, BLACK ROCK 'n' ROLL, SOUL, SKA, REGGAE, BOOGALOO and more - all on original vinyl.

Located just off the main Shoreditch strip of Old Street, The Troy Bar is an atmospheric, one-floor venue with tucked-away booths and a separate bar area, leaving dancers all the space they need to shake a leg on the wooden dancefloor.

Right On! meets Bande À Part
@ Troy Bar, 10 Hoxton Street, London, N1 6NG
Saturday 4th June, 2011. 8pm - 2am
FREE before 11pm; £3 afterwards

To find out more about Right On! visit www.right-on.org

If you'd like to RSVP to the event on Facebook visit:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=213982018621214

The London International Ska Festival

The London International Ska Festival starts tomorrow, Thursday 21st April, lasting until Sunday and featuring an array of Ska and Reggae acts from around the world.

Headline acts include Jamaican legends Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths and, reuniting for the first time since the 1970s, Dave & Ansel Collins, who will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of their UK Number One single, 'Double Barrel'.

Also performing is foundation singer and Alpha Boys school graduate, Owen Grey - one of the first vocalists to record for Island Records and Coxson Dodd.

The festival will be held at the Clapham Grand Theatre, St. Johns Hill, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1TT and promises 38 bands and DJs from 11 countries showcasing all Ska has to offer: from it's roots in American Rhythm & Blues, to the Jamaican originators, the progression into Rocksteady, Reggae and Two Tone, to the very latest 21st Century Ska sounds.

As well as the headliners, top names include James Hunter, Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters and DJs Clive Chin (Randy's Records), Mark Lamarr, Gaz Mayall, Jim Cox, Tommy Rock-A-Shacka, Greedy G and many more.

For more information visit:

www.londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk

The Top 5 London Albums of 2010

A little late with this, but here are my favourite five albums from 2010 recorded (partially or fully) by London-based artists:

1) The Filthy Six - The Filthy Six (Acid Jazz)

A near-perfect album in every way: from the excellent cover artwork to the all-important music within. The Filthy Six's blend of Hammond jazz, soul and funk has taken London's club scene by storm, and this album proves that their sound translates equally well onto disc. The match with Acid Jazz records was made in Heaven and kudos must also be given to the label for signing them up.

The long-player is entirely instrumental and the majority of the tracks are self-penned. Their cover version of the "Get Carter" theme, however, was also chosen as the debut 45rpm single from the album. The only track that didn't entirely work for me was their cover of Amy Winehouse's "Rehab", though the solos are good and it proves popular on dancefloors. To be honest, it's hard to pick a favourite track as the whole record is so strong, but I should give a mention to "Knockout". This original number was also released as the B-side of the aforementioned 45rpm. It's a real groove of a track and will definitely be featuring in my DJ sets.

If you like 1960s soul-jazz, Blue Note, the Hammond sound or are merely curious to hear one of the best young bands of the last 10 years, then you quite simply must own this album!

Available on vinyl, CD and download

2) Fire Walker - The Root Source (Freestyle)

A beautiful instrumental album from Andy Fairclough's Root Source - a seven-piece jazz outfit with something of a 1970s sound and a groove aimed firmly at the dancefloor. This is their second album and their best yet. Whilst most of the tracks on the album are originals, the highlight has to be Fairclough's inspired arrangement of the "Oompa Loompa Song" and "Pure Imagination" from the 1971 film version of "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory". So lovely and unexpected did I find the band's atmospheric treatment, that I had to keep playing these numbers over and over again!

The rest of the album is not quite as infectious as the "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Suite", but the last two tracks, "Echoes Of Your Past" and "Streams", certainly keep the quality just as high. The only complaint I can really make about the album as a whole is that there maybe isn't enough variation. However, it is a very strong release and The Root Source prove themselves to be another young group to keep your eyes (and ears) on!

Available on CD and download

3) Super Size - Prince Fatty (Mr Bongo)

This delightful reggae album from Brighton-based producer Prince Fatty features fantastic guest vocals from Jamaican legends Winston Francis and Little Roy (now based in London) as well as Horseman, Natty, Alcapone and Hollie Cook. Much of the material consists of cover versions - from the straightforward, such as Winston Francis's soulful take on Bruce Ruffin's "Dry Up Your Tears" which kicks off the album - to the more unusual, namely the dancehall reggae versions of hip-hop classics "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Insane In The Brain". These two are definitely love-em or hate-em tracks, but Prince Fatty certainly deserves full marks for originality and to my ears these are vast improvements on the originals.

The aforementioned Winston Francis track and Little Roy's "Need Some Lovin" are definitely the best tracks here. Much of the rest of the album consists of dub, which doesn't work quite as well for me as the straight reggae tracks. Prince Fatty is without a doubt an excellent producer and has hired some phenomenal musicians and vocalists for this album, but King Tubby he is not.

The sound of the album is very clean and up-to-date, which at times is all that differentiates it from the music of the 1970s that it draws inspiration from. This is not a bad thing, though it may be something that divides opinion amongst reggae connoisseurs. Overall, however, "Super Size" is a sterling effort and proof that authentic soulful reggae can still be produced in the 21st Century.

NOTE: The album is available on vinyl as well as CD, but with fewer tracks. These "missing" tracks were released as 45rpms.

Available on vinyl, CD and download

4) Skalsa #1 - Skatroniks Jamaica (Skajam)

Whilst "Skalsa #1" was finished in 2009, it wasn't until 2010 that it got its official release - with the band performing the whole album live at the launch party at Camden's Jazz Cafe.

Skatroniks Jamaica were formed in 2003 and I had been waiting eagerly for this, their first album, since hearing them live on a number of occasions. At their early gigs they came across as a reincarnation of The Skatalites. Since then, some changes have occurred to their line-up, most notably with Bigga Morrison taking on the role of vocalist, producer, song writer and keyboard player. Whilst Bigga is not the strongest vocalist, he does prove himself to be a great songwriter and arranger. The 8-piece band is full of other talented musicians however, with mentions going to Jay Phelps on trumpet, Alan Weekes on guitar and Brian Edwards on Sax.

Although the album didn't quite live up to my expectations, it does still contain some amazing ska tunes in a Skatalites vein that make it well worth the money. "Forward Ever", "Flight To Ethiopia" and "Original Nubia" are destined to become floor-fillers and I plan to feature them heavily in my DJ sets. I also like the title track, though it has more of a straight Cuban rhythm than the ska-salsa hybrid that the name and lyrics imply. The sweet "Diurnal & Nocturnal" vocal ska track should also get a mention as a catchy and heartfelt love song.

The album is slightly let down by its production, use of sound effects and unnecessary vocal echo, but that shouldn't put you off. I can only hope that the band continues to play live and that we don't have to wait so long for their next release.

NOTE: It is already near-impossible to find this album on CD (which is a shame as the booklet contains some nice artwork and brief notes by Ernest Ranglin), but it can still be downloaded in MP3 format from Amazon.

Available on CD and download

5) Mambo Ska - Ska Cubano (Casinosounds)

Ska Cubano must surely be one of the most exciting live acts around at the moment. Their performances are full of energy and talent and seem to get better and better. Mambo Ska is the third studio album from the band and is good fun, though not as consistently strong as their previous two albums in my opinion. The production is very clean, but somehow seems to lose a little something. However, it is well worth picking up for "Pachito E Che", "Cumbia Del Monte" and "Mambo Ska" - the title track. That's not to say that the rest is just filler, but these are the stand out tracks for me.

"Pachito E Che" is a ska version of the Cuban song made famous by Beny More with Perez Prado. The vocals are provided by the talented Beny Billy (who no longer performs live with the band) and the group skillfully swing both the Jamaican and Cuban elements of the rhythm. This track was recorded as a straight ska instrumental in the 1960s by The Skatalites as "Latin Goes Ska", but here Ska Cubano give them a run for their money!

"Cumbia Del Monte" again features Beny Billy on vocals and is a pretty straight cover version of the classic cumbia track recorded in the 60s by a number of bands, including Carmen Rivero y su Conjunto. Ska Cubano proved on earlier albums that they can swing their cumbia numbers as well as, if not better than, their ska ones and this one ticks all the boxes.

"Mambo Ska" is an original by group leader Natty Bo, who also provides the vocals (probably his best on the album). It is a joyful sing-a-long number which beautifully sums up the concept behind Ska Cubano and their Jamaican-Cuban fusion (which, though not unique, arguably has no better exponents).

Available on CD and download

The return of Right On!

I am planning to relaunch my respected and much-missed vintage black music club night, Right On!, this year and am currently working on the website and online presence. To that end, I have just created a page for the club on popular social networking site, Facebook. If you would like to be kept informed of the club's relaunch via Facebook or would just like to show your support or network online with fellow fans, please join the page by following the link below and then clicking the "Like" button (you will need to be logged into Facebook).

www.facebook.com/pages/Right-On-promotions/148484661874417

Of course the best way to stay informed is to join the mailing list by emailing me at paul@right-on.org

It would also be much appreciated if you could help spread the word to fellow lovers of vintage black music. Let's bring the club back with a bang!

To find out more about Right On! check out www.right-on.org

London Maps from Herb Lester Associates

Back in July 2010, I wrote about the excellent You Are Here map from Herb Lester Associates and mentioned that they were working on other London guides.

Though I've not gotten around to reviewing them until now, they actually brought out two other excellent maps late last year, with each map being even more beautifully designed than the last.

The second in the series is entitled May We Help You? and lives up to its promise of being a guide to "The best specialist suppliers in London". Though it covers such unusual services as bulletproofing, Japanese knife sharpening and taxidermy, this guide is more than a mere curiosity, offering as it does details of far more essential suppliers - from the sartorial (tailoring alterations, invisible mending, buttons, cobbler) to the practical (locksmith, umbrellas, stationery).

The third map in the trilogy, and the largest to date (at twice the size of the others), is an historic guide to London's lost gems of the 1960s. Billed as "a retrospective guide to London's shops, clubs, boutiques and sundry diversions, 1960-66", Wish you were there is a fascinating and extremely well researched insight into the era of Swinging London, when the city was perceived to lead the world in fashion and nightlife.

For more information on these maps, see the following links:

http://herblester.com/may-we-help-you/
http://herblester.com/wish-you-were-there

All three pocket guides are available to buy from select stockists, or online from the Herb Lester Associates website for just £3 (£4 for Wish you were there): http://herblester.com/buy-the-map/

Do yourself a favour and order your copies today!

P. P. Arnold live at The Pigalle - Sat 9 Oct

60s soul legend P. P. Arnold is playing live at The Pigalle Club this Saturday, 9th October.

In this brand new show, P. P. Arnold joins Digby Fairweather and his Half Dozen for a "cocktail of Pat's hits and her favourite songs ranging from soul, jazz/funk and R&B to ballads".

Best known for her hit "The First Cut is the Deepest", P. P.'s beautiful singing voice and soulful interpretation of the song led Cat Stevens to say that hers was the definitive version.

Tickets: £10.00 (without dinner)
Doors: 6:30pm. Show: 9pm.

The Pigalle Club
215-217 Piccadilly
Westminster
London
W1J 9HN

For table reservations contact - 0800 988 5470 | reservations@vpmg.net

For more info check out: www.thepigalleclub.com

Bande À Part club night - Sat 2nd Oct

I'm really pleased to be DJing at the Bande À Part club night on Saturday 2nd October.

This is a fantastic session with a music policy not dissimilar to my Right On! club. Expect some great jukejoint sounds from the 1950s and 1960s aimed at the dancefloor. Think rhythm & blues, black rock 'n' roll, soul, ska, reggae, calypso, mento and Afro-Latin rhythms. I'll be joining resident DJs Cousin Benson and Vinyl Warrior on the decks to showcase some of my latest vinyl finds alongside some old Right On! favourites.

Located just off the main Shoreditch strip of Old Street, The Troy Bar is a cosy, one-floor venue with a great layout. Booths offer tucked-away seating and the bar area is separate from the wooden dancefloor, allowing dancers space to shake a leg. This is a session not to be missed!

Bande À Part @ The Troy Bar
10 Hoxton Street, London, N1 6NG. (020) 7739 6695‎
8pm - 3am
FREE before 10.30pm, then £3

To find out more about the club check out: www.myspace.com/bandeapartlondon

Notting Hill Carnival 2010

Well Carnival is almost upon us once again and it looks like we may even have some sunshine (fingers crossed!)

As they do every year, Time Out London magazine have produced a map of the area showing all the sound systems.

You can view this printable map (without key) online here:

www.timeout.com/img/london/features/2010-Notting-Hill-map.jpg

They have also produced an online Google Map (with key), which may or may not be more useful. Check it out here:

www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=110377225760210522619.00048d9d83dc70d1cf877&ll=51.520867,-0.206337&spn=0.018692,0.04077&z=14

The three must-visit sound systems are:

9 - Gaz's Rockin' Blues
Gaz Mayall has the most colourful sound in town. This year's theme is the Roaring Twenties, featuring a guest set from legendary sound man Duke Vin.

11 - The Gladdy Wax Roadshow
Veteran soundsystem operator Gladdy Wax and guests play old reggae, ska and rocksteady.

20 - The Latin Rave Street Jam
Carnival's only all-Latin soundsystem mixes the new sounds with some fantastic vintage salsa, Latin jazz and mambo.

Free James Hunter concert - Sun 12 Sept

Great news for fans of James Hunter. He is to play a free outdoor gig on Sunday 12th September as part of this year's Thames Festival. Appearing on the Lady Luck Jive Stage (apparently being set up this year on the forecourt of the Tate Modern) from 8pm - 9pm, this is chance to catch London's most soulful singer for free on his home turf.

It's only now James is so (deservedly) famous that one really appreciates how special it was to hear him busking on the streets of Soho a few years back. These days he plays all over the US and UK in some of the countries' most prestigious venues.

Although the festival looks like a great fun weekend, this has to be the highlight. Take a tip from me and don't miss this no matter what the weather!

Find out more from the Thames Festival website: www.thamesfestival.org

Recommended gigs in July & August

Here's a list of some exciting sounding gigs coming up over the next month. Follow the links for more information. I've not seen Manteca or Solomon Burke live in concert before myself, but regular readers of this blog will know that I cannot recommend Mud Morganfield or James Hunter highly enough.

Wednesday 21st July
Mud Morganfield (eldest son of Muddy Waters) live @ The Jazz Cafe
www.jazzcafelive.com

Thursday 22nd - Friday 23rd July
James Hunter live @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
www.ronniescotts.co.uk

Sunday 25th July
Solomon Burke live @ The Jazz Cafe
www.jazzcafelive.com

Friday 20th August
Manteca live @ The 606 Club
www.606club.co.uk

The Black Cat club - Sat 10 July

Promising sounding night coming up on Saturday 10th July at intimate new "pop-up" bar, The Silver Bullet, in Finsbury Park.

DJs Dean Chalkley, Si Cheeba and special guest Snowboy promise a mix of rhythm and blues, soul, ska, boogaloo and "other hipster treats".

Right On! vs Wreck It Up! - Wednesday 16th June

I will be taking part in a "reggae sound clash" style Battle of the DJs on Wednesday16th June, 2010.

This one-off, special, FREE event sees me take on the precocious young WRECK IT UP! crew (Eli and Renata) on their home turf - 93 Feet East's pink bar in Brick Lane (opposite The Vibe Bar where I used to run Chick-A-Boom). Expect some seriously big tunes, rewinds and version galore, with Eli and myself battling on the mic.

Following the established music policy of the Wreck It Up nights, this clash will be covering the best of "Golden Age" Jamaican music:

foundation BLUES and SOUL, shuffling SKA, swinging ROCKSTEADY, and of course, stomping, funky REGGAE.

The winner of this clash will be the "People's Choice", so come on down and make some noise! This will be an event to remember.

Admission is FREE and the night runs from 7pm - 11pm, being a mid-week session, so get there early as the clash will start promptly.

Right On! vs Wreck It Up!
@ 93 Feet East (pink bar)
150 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
Wednesday 16th June. 7pm - 11pm.
Free admission.

Voices of Freedom - 18th-23rd January

Voices of Freedom @ Rich Mix
18th-23rd January 2010
35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA
http://www.richmix.org.uk/

To mark Martin Luther King Day on Monday 18th January and the first anniversary of Barack Obama's inauguration on Tuesday 20th January, East London cultural arts centre Rich Mix is to present a week of special events encompassing theatre, film, spoken word and live music, which will celebrate and question the notions of freedom at the start of the year of the next General Election.

The programme includes award-winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste's 'Let Freedom Ring!'. The show promises a world class line-up of jazz musicians, brand new visuals from VJ collective Yeast reflecting on Obama's first year, and extracts from the epic poem 'Mental Fight', whose author, Ben Okri, will be "In Conversation", looking at his career and inspirations, including readings from his latest work 'Tales of Freedom'.

Film and theatre promise to examine the lives of controversial and influential Black Nationalist leaders on both sides of the Atlantic, with a screening of Spike Lee's 'Malcolm X' and a performance of Eclipse Theatre's one-man show, 'Michael X'.

Spoken word performances will complete the week, with Elizabeth Mansfield sharing stories of refugees and exiles from all over the word in 'The Uninvited' and an All-Star Poetry Olympics Superjam celebrating freedom, with a line-up of poets and writers led by "jazz poetry pioneer" Michael Horovitz.

Full details and press release below.

Film: MALCOLM X
Mon 18 Jan / 7pm / Screen 3 / £5
1993/USA/201mins/cert 15
Dir: Spike Lee
Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall

"Lee's acclaimed biopic of the controversial and influential black activist Malcolm X takes us from his inauspicious beginnings and imprisonment, through to his conversion to the Nation of Islam and his later rejection of their divisive teachings. Born Malcolm Little, he became a gangster, and while in jail discovered the Nation of Islam writings of Elijah Muhammad. He preaches the teachings when let out of jail, but later on goes on a pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, there he converts to the original Islamic religion and becomes a Sunni Muslim. He changes his name to El-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz and stops his anti-white teachings, as he realises the error of his mistakes. He is later on assassinated, and dies a Muslim Martyr."

In Conversation with Ben Okri
Tue 19 January / 7.30pm / Screen 2 / £5

"As a preview to the performance of Let Freedom Ring! which features his poetry, Ben Okri will join us In Conversation to talk about his life, inspirations and work to date. Okri has published 10 novels, including The Famished Road, as well as collections of poetry, short stories and essays. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has been awarded the OBE as well as numerous international prizes, including the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Africa, the Aga Khan Prize for Fiction and the Chianti Rufino-Antico Fattore. His latest book, Tales of Freedom was published in April 2009."

Theatre: THE UNINVITED
Wed 20 Jan / 7.30pm / Venue 1 / £5

"The Uninvited is a performance tour de force telling the extraordinary stories of refugees and exiles, from all over the world, past and present. Poems, writings and testimonies flow into songs – Spanish, Filipino, Farsi, Bosnian – sung both in original language and in English translation. Premiered in the USA, in the wake of 9/11, The Uninvited celebrates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through the words and music, the humour and courage, of those forced to flee their homes, and make a new life in foreign lands. Performed by Elizabeth Mansfield, Olivier Award nominee for 'Best Actress in a Musical'."

Spoken Word: ALL-STAR POETRY OLYMPICS SUPERJAM
Fri 22 Jan / 7.30pm / Bar / £12/ £10 concs

"Michael Horovitz presents a galaxy of scintillating superbards: Francesca Beard, Charlie Dark, Salena Godden, Daljit Nagra, Molly Parkin, Tim Wells, with Pete Lemer's Piano, Annie Whitehead's trombone, vocals and spoken-word settings, the William Blake Klezmatrix Band, plus special guests. Michael Horovitz is best known for his appearance at the International Poetry Incarnation at the Royal Albert Hall on June 11 1965, alongside Allen Ginsberg and Alexander Trocchi. And then came the Poetry Olympics which have taken Horovitz all over the world, his aim being 'to join hands, hearts and heads, to communicate and exchange at the grass roots.' Less appreciative voices of the establishment claim that Horovitz's selections and modes of presentation are 'subversive'. Horovitz hopes that this charge is justified: 'Subversion usually means change', he says, 'and poetry should change people'."

Eclipse Theatre presents MICHAEL X
By Vanessa Walters
Fri 22 Jan / 7.30pm / Venue 1 / £12 / £10 concs
Directed by Dawn Walton. Design by Simon Kenny. Cast: Clint Dyer

"Who was Michael X? Black Power Activist and Political Icon? Liar Pimp, Murderer? A Trini 'bwoy' rolls off a boat into 1950s London. Ten years later he's the most famous black man in Britain, but who was Michael X? The 'authentic voice of black bitterness' [Observer 1965] or the ex Rachman henchman for whom politics was just another hustle? Set at a political rally, Vanessa Walters' new play probes at the heart of politics in 1960s Britain. Michael X tells the tale of one man's experience set against the backdrop of social change. This compelling monologue will be performed by stage and screen star Clint Dyer. Eclipse theatre is a national touring company whose recent work includes The Hounding of David Oluwale (Best Director nomination: TMA awards 2009) and Angel House by Roy Williams."

Music: Denys Baptiste - LET FREEDOM RING!
Sat 23 Jan / 8pm / Bar / £15 / £12

"Stirring contemporary jazz with gospel, blues and Afro-Cuban music from Mercury/MOBO award winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste, inspired by the spirit and rhythms of Dr Martin Luther King's momentous 'I Have A Dream' speech on its 40th anniversary, and featuring an explosive 11-piece international line-up including Abram Wilson, Andrew McCormack and Gary Crosby (Jazz Jamaica). Jazz has always been closely connected with the struggle for freedom and justice, and the suite's four parts – 'I Have A Dream', 'With This Faith', 'Let Freedom Ring!', and 'Free At Last' – pay tribute to those who have fought to overcome oppression, expressing ideals which are as relevant today as they were 40-odd, and even 200 years ago. Collaborating with Booker Prize winning author Ben Okri, Baptiste has synchronised extracts of Okri's epic poem Mental Fight into this exhilarating mix of music."

Video art: YEAST

"VJs of acclaimed film-makers, Yeast join the band to present a creative live mix of footage of the musicians' performance on stage, the text of Ben Okri's poem, and powerful images of the struggle for freedom, equality and justice by oppressed peoples throughout the international community. An incredibly moving experience, the music and visuals act as powerful reminders of why the quest for freedom and civil rights must continue."

Divas of Motown - 2 for 1 special ticket offer

I'm pleased to be able to offer readers a very special deal for the Divas Of Motown show coming up at The HMV Hammersmith Apollo on Friday 13th November (see my earlier post for full details):

TWO tickets for the price of ONE!

If you follow the link below, you can purchase two standing or two seated tickets for the price of one. This makes the concert absolutely fantastic value and you'd be mad to miss out.

To take advantage of this offer, just click here

Ultimate Motown sessions: 9th-12th Nov

Following the announcement of the Divas of Motown concert coming up at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo on the 13th November, I have since found out that there will also be a string of intimate dates in the lead-up to the big event.

Jammin' with Jack at the Borderline:

9th November - A Funk Brothers night featuring Jack Ashford and special guests including including Nikki Lamborn & Margo Buchanan jamming the night away in a soul/funk spectacular.

The Borderline, Orange Yard, off Manette Street, London, W1D 4JL
Doors: 7pm. Tickets: £18.50

Motown Sessions at the Jazz Cafe:

10th November - The Funk Brothers featuring special guests Sherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence, formerly of The Supremes

11th November - The Funk Brothers featuring special guests Mable John, Chris Clark and Brenda Holloway

12th November - Thelma Houston and guests

The Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, Camden Town, London, NW1 7PG
Doors: 7pm. Tickets: £25 (10th & 11th Nov) / £20 (12th Nov)

Tickets for all of these shows are available from Ticketmaster. Book online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by phone on 0844 277 0700.

You can find out more about the artists from the following press release:

"One of the greatest female R&B singers of all time, Thelma Houston will give an intimate solo performance at the Jazz Cafe. The first Motown artist to win a Grammy, Houston received the award for best R&B performance by a female artist. On the eve of the release of a remix of her number 1 hit club anthem 'Don't Leave Me This Way', Houston is not only a true Motown legend but also an icon to the gay community as a disco diva. She recently headlined at Gay Pride New York and is a firm favourite on the club circuit as well as with connoisseurs of Motown's rosta.

"Motown's first recorded female artist Mable John is one of gospel music's luminaries. Discovered and groomed for stardom by Berry himself, she sang alongside Billie Holiday before eventually moving to Stax where her soul singer status was solidified by a career with the Raelettes - Ray Charles's backing singers. A fascinating character, Mable became Dr. Mable John when she earned her Ph.D in counselling.

"At first glance, young 17-year-old Chris Clark - a tall blue-eyed California import - seemed an unlikely candidate for membership in Detroit's closely-knit Motown family. Thanks to Gordy's renowned genius at spotting and developing raw talent, she went on to become not only the first White album artist on the label, but also an integral part of his creative team.

"Multi-award-winning R&B pioneer Brenda Holloway was one of few Motown artists to write her own songs which were tailored to her inimitable voice - gritty, powerful and sassy. Holloway toured the US with the Beatles in their heyday and has become one of the label's most distinguished female artists.

"Jack Ashford's legendary performances on the tambourine and vibes enhanced the majority of the Classic Motown hits from the 1960's through the early 1970's. As a member of the Funk Brothers Band, he played on more number one hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and the Beatles combined. Also known as 'The Fabulous Tambourine Man' he is the remaining original member of the Funk Brothers Band.

"The Supremes are Motown's most successful female group. Their reign over the music charts was predominant throughout the 60s and 70s and earned them global accolades. The Supremes had eight individual members during this time and each of the eight ladies contributed to the group's recording and performing success. Sherrie Payne & Lynda Laurence are two former members of the Motown signed and recorded Supremes. Freddi Poole, who completes the trio, has toured extensively with the legendary Motown songstress Gladys Knight."

Divas of Motown revue - Friday 13th November

An unbelievable line-up of 60s/70s soul talent comes together on Friday 13th November for a one-off show at The HMV Hammersmith Apollo.

Looking like a kind of dream Motortown Revue, the show features some of Motown's greatest female singers:

Brenda Holloway ("Every Little Bit Hurts", "When I'm Gone")
Mable John ("(I Guess There's) No Love")
Chris Clark ("Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)", "Love's Gone Bad")
Thelma Houston ("Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Don't Leave Me This Way")
Scherrie Payne & Lynda Laurence (members of The Supremes in the 70s)

All backed by the Funk Brothers band no less!

I'm not quite sure why Mable John is billed as having never played the UK before, when I saw her live at The Barbican a few years back as part of a Stax revue (and sadly wasn't too impressed by her that night I have to say), but I wouldn't miss this show if it were just Brenda Holloway or The Funk Brothers alone, so take my advice and grab yourself a ticket while they're still available!

www.hammersmithapollo.net / 08448 44 47 48