Words: Flora Neighbour

Monday saw the crème de la crème of the jazz world get together for the EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 launch party. A boozy affair in the low-lit, ground-floor Crystal Room at The May Fair Hotel, the evening was packed full of entertainment and speeches from big names in jazz and blues, hosted by BBC 3’s Jumoké Fashola. People gathered together, chatted, networked and caught up with old friends who hadn’t been seen since last year’s revelry. The evening was a constant buzz of excitement and the fancy dress photo booth definitely added to it with pictures being taken towards the end of the night.

Kicking things off, Chairman of the festival’s sponsor EFG, John Williamson, spoke of the tireless efforts and amazing performances the festival produces, while also announcing the continuation of their sponsorship of the London Jazz Festival for another five years, adding: “2018 marks the 10th anniversary of our partnership with the London Jazz Festival, during which time we have seen the festival go from strength to strength. As an organisation, we aspire to share and celebrate the distinctive qualities which make jazz such an exceptional art form, embracing creativity and innovation, freedom of individual and collective expression, diversity and collaboration. Through our sponsorship programmes we also strive to help up and coming talent establish their voice on a global stage.”

 

 

Giving the party a boost of much-needed youthfulness, Cherise Burnett-Adams took to the stage with Rob Luft supporting her on guitar to perform for the crowds in-between speeches. This year will be Cherise’s first festival, so I took this opportunity to talk to the singer. Speaking about her excitement at performing this November, she added: “I always knew that singing was a passion of mine and wanted to learn more about it, but all of the other genres, like pop, were tailored towards the commercial side of the industry, so I decided to go down the jazz route. Jazz isn’t about the hype or fame, it’s about creating good music with good people.

“The London Jazz Festival has also created an opportunity for me, with the celebration of the Windrush generation, to connect to my grandparents. All four of my grandparents came over in the sixties from Jamaica, but they didn’t talk about their experiences. So, I sat down with my grandma and spoke to her and decided to put on a separate show about her story, which is called Evelyn and the Yellow Birds. The performance tells her personal story about bravery, preparation and how she uprooted her entire life. It also explains how she found a sense of community through music during lonelier times.

“I’m so grateful to be a part of the EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 and can’t wait to perform my music at The Royal Albert Hall on the 21^st November.”

 

 

Not only can you see Cherise’s homage to the Windrush generation, other concerts created for the festival include Windrush: A Celebration, presented by Anthony Joseph, which features Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose and Brother Resistance, and Orphy Robinson’s Astral Weeks, with Zara McFarlane and Sarah Jane Morris.

Still London’s largest city-wide festival, with more than 2,000 artists with 325 performances in 70 venues across the capital, the music week promotes inclusivity and diversity, with artists from around the world flying in from the 16th November. Make sure you check out the online programme which includes dates for Archie Shepp, Abdullah Ibrahim and Ekaya, as well as Hollywood hero Jeff Goldblum and his band, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.

So, give a jazz hand to the EFG London Jazz Festival 2018 and get yourself to a concert in November.

 

For more information, visit www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk