ECHO IN THE BONES is a new body of work composed by Renell Shaw to be broadcast on October 31 at 7.30pm. as part of Black History Month. The music will be broadcast on Youtube and other social media platforms with a specially created montage of visuals. The music will be available for download on Bandcamp and other digital service providers.
Following on from the success of the Windrush Suite, Echo In The Bones forms the second suite in a trio of compositions written and arranged by Shaw, and funded by the Arts Council of England in association with The Shape of Jazz to Come and the Vortex Foundation.
Generations
The pieces take their themes from the routes of ‘Black History’: The Ages of Enslavement, Colonialism, Empire, and the Felling of Icons. Diasporic movement and trauma as well as creativity and resilience are written on the bodies and minds of the generations affected by the treacherous “triangular trade” across the Atlantic.
The lives that were stolen in the enforced exodus from Africa are being re-made with new cultures in the Americas (including the Caribbean) Britain and Europe.
Those imprisoned in the bowels of the mercantile ships still carried their cultures (including music) within them. Over time, scattered across the Americas, the music reverberated and morphed in the echo chamber of that new continent with sounds bouncing back and forth to the original continent (just look at the similarities between Caribbean Calypso and West African High Life).
Movement
Ultimately, the rhythms also made their way to the belly of the beast – to the continent of the enslavers – and were re-made again with different harmonies and styles. This music is a movement, circulating and innovating as it moves within and between continents but always driven by the echoes of the past.
Echo in the Bones, a journey of experiences throughout time translated by compositions and improvisors searching through the rhythms of the past and future.
BAND LINE UP
Renell Shaw (Composition, Vocals, Bass, Fender Rhodes)
Songwriter, Composer, and Music Producer Renell Shaw has written collaborated and toured alongside artists such as: Orphy Robinson (MBE), Rudimental, Jess Glynne, Anne-Marie, Skepta, Nitin Sawhney (CBE), Maverick Sabre, Aloe Blacc, Speech Debelle and Carleen Anderson to name a few. Shaw is also one half of the Afro deep electronic production-duo 2fox who have had a successful summer releasing a new song every fortnight and achieving over 300,000 spotify streams over the last 3 months. As his composer and arranger, Shaw also works within the creative worlds of film and theatre as well as for organisations such as Google, Barclays, BBC, and orchestral giants such as London Symphony Orchestra & London Philharmonic Orchestra. When he isn’t touring or writing, Renell’s career experience has allowed him to venture into the worlds of creative consultancy, guest lecture masterclasses and speaking panels for orgenisations such as:Youtube, TED confrences and The Academy of Contemporary Music. Shaw is also the compose of the Windrush Suite.
Orphy Robinson MBE (Vibraphone, Marimba and Percussion)
Orphy Robinson is an award-winning multi-Instrumentalist, Composer, Artist and one of the few UK musicians to have been signed to the legendary Blue Note record label. Winner of the 2017 Jazz fm Awards for “Live Performance of the year’ for his Bobby Hutcherson Songbook project. Robinson is an acclaimed soloist who works across a variety of musical forms – jazz, free jazz, improvisation, jazz fusion, funk and classical music.
Cassie Kinoshi (Saxophone)
Cassie Kinoshi is a Mercury Award nominated and Ivors Academy Award winning (formerly know as BASCA, British Composer Award) London-based composer, arranger and alto-saxophonist. She is currently working in theatre, film, contemporary dance and both the jazz and classical performance worlds. Cassie is best known for her work with her large ensemble SEED alongside bands KOKOROKO and NÉRIJA.
Delycia Belgrave (Tap Dancing, Vocals)
Delycia Belgrave is a successful musical theatre performer and choreographer who has toured and performed on stages around the world and in the West End. Theatre credits include, White Christmas, Guys and Dolls, Legally Blonde, Mamma Mia! and many more. Her style of choreography and performance has been influenced by the work of Debbie Allen, Savion Glover, Eartha Kitt and Alvin Ailey.
Sahra Gure (Vocals)
Winner of the Musicians’ Company Young Jazz Musician Award 2019, Sahra is already pipped by Jazzwise as ‘one to watch in 2020’ Sahra’s versatile approach to singing has seen her work with the likes of Orphy Robinson, Dele Sosimi, Cleveland Watkiss MBE, Ashley Henry, Tori Handsley, Mark Mondesir and Kishon Khan to name a few. Performing London Jazz Festival, Havana Jazz Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Jazz Cafe, Dimensions Festival, WOMAD Festival and many more.
Afronaut Zu (Vocals)
Afronaut Zu is a solo artist based in London, England. Currently, he is the live vocalist for Rudimental, as well as member of hip-hop collective Orphgang, and Afro-Diasporic collective Ancestral Futures. More recently he featured on the Blue Note Re:Imagined album on Steam Down’s version of ‘Etcetera’ and has been regularly performing with Steam Down as part of their touring band. Earlier this year he also featured on a number of notable releases, including Rudimental’s ‘Krazy’, 2 Fox’s ‘Inner Drum’, ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘Problem’ and Tokio Myers’ ‘Rise Up’.
Charlie Laffer (Guitar)
Charlie can be seen on tours internationally with 90’s girl band All Saints and more recently joined the band for american contemporary R&B star Kelis. He has written, produced, recorded and toured with other artists such as.. Akala, Nao, Rebecca Ferguson, Jay Sean, Ward Thomas, Jorja Smith, Maverick Sabre, Daley, Frances Ruffelle, Ruthanne and so many more. As a composer/producer he has written for TV and film, regularly collaborates with songwriters and has appeared on screen in Ridley Scott’s feature film The Counselor.
Mark Crown (Trumpet)
Graduating from Trinity College of Music jazz course Mark has been touring constantly. While coming through the ranks of Tomorrow’s Warriors, tours with internationally recognised ska band The Skatalites & Courtney Pine soon followed. From 2013 Mark has been an integral part of British dance group Rudimental. His producer and playing credits include Mahalia, Plan B, Rita Ora, Jess Glynne, & Ed Sheeran.
Taurean Antoine-Chagar (Saxophone)
Taurean Antoine-Chagar is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and music producer, as well as the co-founder of Football Beyond Borders. Whilst touring and recording with Rudimental, he has also composed music for theatre, TV and film. Most notably writing music for Nikes ‘Real People Do Real Things’ advertising campaign. He is also the saxophonist on Jord’s new LP ‘AAA’ and 2fox’s single ‘Problem ft. Afronaut Zu’.
Samson Jatto (Drums)
Samson Jatto is a versatile drummer with notable Hip-Hop and Soul influences. His experience spans over a decade having been unwittingly introduced to the instrument at the age of 13. He plays and tours with some of the very best mainstream artists including: Maverick Sabre, Jessie Ware and Mahalia.
Film footage and visuals by Photographer and Media Specialist Coco Shaw.
Kathianne Hingwan (Producer)
General Manager of the Vortex Jazz Club and creator and Producer of various projects including the The Shape of Jazz to Come, the Windrush Suite and In Conversation With…
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