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 26th 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 21st 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 20th
century reformed for the 21st.
Sons of Kemet –
Rock! - If you get what I mean, it is great jazz!!
