London's Jazz Cafe injects autumn 2011 season with Pharoah Sanders, James Rhodes, Meshell Ndegeocello, George Duke and more
Posted: 12 years agoFounded in 1990, Camden's Jazz Cafe has continued to bring eclectic musicians and performers to the venue for over two decades, refusing to bow to obvious commercial demands or play the 'cool' card with the Camden scene (you can go to the Hawley Arms or Dublin Castle for that). The Parkway venue does 'do' cool of course, as a quick glance at their upcoming schedule will reveal, with top names from the world of soul, rock, hip-hop, pop and even post-punk poetry.
With an in-house first-floor restaurant on the premises, you really can feast your eyes at this small sample of what's coming up in the next few months.
Not a familiar name, unless you clocked the review on Allgigs of his recent stunning album, "For True". The funky-assed trombonist gives it the big soul-jazz supafunkrock welly this coming Saturday with backing band, Orleans Avenue. Tickets cost £16.50.
On 30th September, one of Britain's unsung hip-hop lyricists and producers, Jehst, will be bringing the noise and words to the Jazz cafe, armed with a full band to play excerpts from new album, "Dragon of an Ordinary Family". Tickets are just £10!
The wily, wirey-haired poetic prodigy (hey, he's only 62 years young) continues to tour the UK with his vast catalogue of literary and erudite poetry. It's not often that a punk poet ends up on GCSE curriculums, after all. He plays two nights, 7th/ 8th October, priced at £20.
The young pianist with plenty of down-to-earth rock attitude continues to astound audiences, young and old, with his debut triumph, "Bullets and Lullabies" and his own Sky TV series. You can witness the magician of the ivories on 11th October - £17.50.
Think back to the '80s and the moment when your mum (or perhaps your dad) got all flushed every time this lot appeared on TOTP. She (or he) can experience it all over again when the soul-pop trio give the Jazz Cafe some of their "Body Talk" on 22nd October - £18.50.
Formidable in many ways, Ndegeocello's uncompromising style has garnered almost a dozen Grammy nominations and a veritable catalogue of soul, rap and jazzy-funk since the '90s. Her Weather Tour stops off in Camden on 18th and 19th November, priced from £22.50.
Pianist and synth-wielder Duke has been a major-player in the jazz-fusion and jazz-rock world since the late '60s, having worked with Stanley Clarke, Frank Zappa and Anita Baker (our Ed will know this, being a Baker fan) [you are indeed correct, wise one - Ed], so you can expect a wide-reaching show on 24th and 25th November - £25.
The jazz-legends continue to sprout roots at the Jazz Cafe and Pharoah Sanders is one of the few saxophonists who can make free-jazz sound like Chopin. A previous collaborator with John Coltrane, Sanders is set to appear at Caribou's ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival in December. Here he plays two shows on 7th/ 8th December, priced at £22.50.
Also appearing over the next few months include jazz-reggae guitarist and Studio One cohort, Ernest Ranglin (23rd Nov - £18.50), Brit-soul singer Roachford (15th & 16th Dec - £20) and one of our finest lyricists and Squeeze frontman, Glenn Tilbrook (17th Dec - £17.50).