Jas Kayser and Binker Golding fire-up Jazz Re:fest’s virtual edition
Christine Hannigan
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
With the pandemic still restricting live performances, the vivid sounds of Jazz re:freshed’s Re:fest took place in a livestreamed festival from The Mill Studios in London on 23 August.
The organisation recently received the AIM Best Independent Label and is nominated for Jazz FM’s Digital and Innovation Awards and the night testified to the recognition. All six acts impressed, and the sequencing and camerawork, which afforded viewers close-ups of musicians’ hands and communication with each other, was delivered seamlessly.
Golden Mean (Matt Davies, drums; Lyle Barton, keys; Tom Driessler, bass; Luke Wynter, guitar) opened with their EP Through Walls, a collection of funky fugues with complex time signatures and harmonies. Drummer Jas Kayser played from her EP The Unforced Rhythm of Grace. Her set opened with an exploring, simmering improvisation before her band (Daisy George, double bass; Rupert Cox, keys; Mark Hurrell, tenor sax; Christos Stylianides, trumpet) gained momentum into “Ku Variations”.
Poet Anthony Joseph’s outfit (Colin Webster, tenor sax; Andrew Sinclair John, bass; Luke Wynter, guitar; Adé Egun Crispin Robinson, percussion; Rod Youngs, drums; Jason Yarde; keys/alto sax) delivered anti-colonial messages with power and joy, including in 'Calling England Home', an homage to the Windrush generation off his forthcoming album The Rich Are Only Defeated When Running for Their Lives. Singer Sahra Gure and her band (Sam Jones, drums; Mutale Chashi, bass; Deschanel Gordon, keys; Ed Riches, guitar; Will Fry, percussion) debuted a new track, “I’m Alright.” Gure deftly moves between spoken word and full, lilting, far-ranging vocals while meditating on love and the defeat of heartbreak.
Trumpeter Ms Maurice and her band (Arthur O’Hara, bass; Renato Paris, keys; Luke Wynter, guitar; Benjamin Appiah, drums) opened with a bass solo by O’Hara. Ms Maurice’s playing is both lyrical and punchy. Her set skewed towards the former in a haze of heady Afrobeat.Tenor saxophonist Binker Golding (above) played from his album Abstractions of Reality Past and Incredible Feathers, with double bassist Daniel Casimir and drummer Sam Jones providing the looser rhythmic and harmonic movement for Golding’s leaping athleticism on the horn.
The evening closed with Steamdown, led by Ahnansé (tenor and soprano sax, vocals), another collective that furthers London’s Black music culture. Steamdown (Benjamin Appiah, drums; Theon Cross, tuba; Yohan Kebede, keys; Tiny Man, Afronaut Zu, and Naiyah, vocals) debuted a new track, 'Et Cetera', which featured a gorgeous cresting melody.
The festival paid tribute to Ty, the Brixton native and MC, whose 20-year career inspired many of the musicians on stage before his untimely death this May, tragically from Covid-19. Motet was an engaging host for the night, beaming energy through the screen. “I’m trying to be professional, but I almost ran on stage about three times,” he exclaimed after one set.
See the full live stream on the video below: