Sons of Kemet

The music is composed by an old soul in the young body of a younger than they look, mixed heritage, 32yr old. When I say mixed heritage, I don't mean in terms of the colour of skin but in the fact that they was raised in the UK and the Caribbean. A truly international entity who seems to have travelled and created music on every continent, in a wide swathe of countries in their exploration of an undoubtedly exceptional talent as both a musician and a person.

The music of the sons of Kemet is deeply based in African rhythms and all their derivatives, Latin, Caribbean and much touted use of the Arabic music scale but you can read or hear about the structure and forms of the music from people far better qualified than I am in their other reviews.

I had been wanting to dance madly since the middle of December, it was my sadly thwarted wish for New Year. I had attempted on at least five occasions from the 26^th onwards to find some music that took me to the space – where my body and feet take over and I just don't care – The one place I never expected that to happen was the Bimhuis!

The space is small and pretty inappropriate for dancing and I having moved to sit near some friends and 'watch' – like you're supposed to – was in completely the wrong place for it. But once they started playing I could not remain seated. The music carried me away, it is soulful, energetic, intricate, complex, deeply melodic in a strange kind of sense. There is a feeling of watching the creation take place. It is composed yet, you can feel and see the band members 'playing' and communicating with each other as the rhythms fly you away. Each member of the band brings a shining facet to the interlaced layering, that is so individual to the way the music is played/created).

I checked them out before I went – obviously. The videos of 'In the Castel Of My Skin' recorded in Gauteng, South Africa, (this clip is impressive, none of the band appear in it, it is as if the music has been handed over to the expression of the song) 'Play Mass' (disappointed in the unnecessary objectification on this vid cos the rest of it is stunning), and their live recording at the Vortex Club in London of 'Beware' and Inner Babylon are now regular playing/viewing in my home!

In the latter my one criticism is I think fairly clear, which is Shababka's tendency to speak indistinctly – which may not be a problem to your average London audience but I would be very surprised if more than a few of the audience in the Bimhuis understood his invitation to dance to their music!

Though not all the pieces were introduced, they all clearly have names. This music is like listening to and encapsulates time, a space, feeling, a happening.

I was lucky enough to be able to engage three of them in conversation,which was lots of fun and quite exhilarating. When speaking as with watching the band, each member brings a facet, an interlaced layer, that is so individual to the way the music is played and created

Tom is currently the oldest in the band and the best kind of autodidact. He's been playing drums since he was 9 and jazz since the age of 14. I asked him if he had been to music school or hand any kind of jazz training his answered that his music is part of him, indivisible from the whole. He just lives and embodies everything that training aims to give. Theon and Shabaka both went to Guildhall.

The commucation on stage and off between them is a privilege to behold. The music is so much the best of what the 21^st century can offer. Dancing jazz, rhythmic, varied, soulful. They have to be HUGE and soon I cannot imagine anything else.

In the last two years they have played often in Europe (worrying a bit about Brexit). They work in different combinations of extraordinary music creation. I heard many people talking about having seen the various band members in different line ups all over the NL Jazz and festival scene. My companion had seen Tom playing with Seb Rochford (who was absent for the Bimhuis gig) in Polar Bear for instance.

On top of being superlative musicians, these are also some of the most friendly, pleasant, warm, engaging and engaged young men I have met in a very long time. Unspoiled, completely bereft of the arrogance of many jazz musicians and very talented, moderately successful young people. They are walking compliments to their parents, teachers and environment

On this cold, bitter winter evening to be cocooned in the rhythms, feeling and warmth of Africa within the knowledge, luxurious comfort and safety of a European context was magical.

I cannot recommend this band highly enough for listening, dancing, watching and talking to

If you love to dance – this is the band for you, If you are a proponent of an admirer, a lover of new experimental, shape forming, mind travelling jazz this is it. If you love drums and rhythm – don't look any further!

This is music of the best our mixed, matched, integrated and mash up society, deeply rooted in the learning, pain and lessons of the 20^th century reformed for the 21^st.

Sons of Kemet – Rock! - If you get what I mean, it is great jazz!!