Ouroboros presents
Nubiyan Twist
& Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Thursday 30th September, 7.30pm
Tickets are £15 in advance (more on the door) and are available online via See Tickets.
**This show is rescheduled due to governmental social distancing measures put in place to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. All tickets purchased for the original date will remain valid but refunds are also available from your point of purchase.**
A blend of virtuosic players, skilled producers and inspired composers join forces to create a unique, infectious sound drawing on jazz, hip-hop, afrobeat, latin, soul, reggae and dance music.
Freedome Fables (Strut Records, 2021):
Woven around soul searching, cautionary tales and parables for modern life, Freedom Fables is the most accomplished yet by the Leeds / London collective, effortlessly fusing different soul, jazz and global styles with great musicianship and lyrics.
“Freedom Fables reflects on the power of narratives. Each vocalist on this record explores their own memoirs, a freedom of expression underpinning our belief that music is the ultimate narrative for unity,” explains Tom Excell. “The record references a lot of music that we all loved during our formative years; you can hear touches of broken beat, blunted hip hop, highlife, Latin, jazz and UK soul running through the tracks.”
Bio:
Orchestrated by guitarist/producer Tom Excell, the epic 10 piece live show features a 4 piece horn section, 3 vocalists, electronics and an international (Brazil/UK) rhythm section to create a powerful and unforgettable experience equally at home lighting up late-night festival headliner slots or selling out jazz venues across Europe.
Their second album on Strut Records came out in February 2019 to huge global acclaim. Featuring guest appearanes from afro titans Tony Allen and Mulatu Astatke, it has cemented their position as one of the most exciting bands in the world right now.
Their 2015 debut album Nubiyan Twist received strong support across the jazz, world and hiphop press, with support from sources as diverse as Huey Walker, David Rodigan, Craig Charles, The Independent, Songlines, Afropunk and SBTV. This was followed up with the Siren Song EP in 2016, and the Dance Inna London EP in 2017 (featuring 80s dancehall legend Supercat), with a 3rd album schedule for Summer 2020.
Since their humble beginnings at Leeds College of Music, the band have performed on huge stages across the world, being chosen by David Byrne to perform at Queen Elizabeth Hall for the South Bank’s Meltdown Festival, selling out London’s iconic Jazz Cafe, and rocking festival stages from Glastonbury to Fusion, Istanbul to Edinburgh Jazz Festival, with their powerful sound and unique blend of styles.
Freedom Fables press:
‘Versatility with deep soul…an elegant yet earthy hybrid of jazz, UK soul and highlife.’
Uncut Magazine
‘The type of record that should be blasted over a sun-drenched festival crowd.’
Clash
‘Nubiyan Twist take a leap out of the densely packed crowd of UK jazz with Freedom Fables, a summation of the group’s talent that sees them elevated into the highest tier of their cohort.’
8/10 – Loud And Quiet
‘A cauldron of energy that bubbles with invention. Exhilarating stuff.’
Record Collector
‘A free-flowing assemblage of jazz, soul, hip hop and diasporic styles.’
Mojo
‘A melting pot of soul, jazz and afro-groove with incomparable musicality, Freedom Fables will undoubtedly boost Nubiyan Twist and consolidate its position as one of the best British soul collectives of the current generation.’
Pan African Music
Ouroboros presents
Nubiyan Twist
Thursday 30th September, 7.30pm
Tickets are £15 in advance (more on the door) and are available online via See Tickets.