Theatre / Performance

Julian Joseph - Soweto Kinch - Iain Ballamy - 50th Anniversary

90 Lots Road

Sat 17 Oct · 21:00 · £33

Music

About this event

A true iconoclast pianist Julian Joseph is a unique figure on the International jazz scene. As well as a highly regarded, fluent and creative jazz pianist leading a number of different ensembles, from his trio to his 20-piece big band, he is also a skilled composer in both the jazz and classical worlds. And if all that wasn’t enough he is also a highly knowledgeable and engaging broadcaster who has forged a reputation beyond his formidable skills as a performer and composer to become universally recognised as a musical ambassador and cultural advocate. The first Black British jazz musician to host a series of concerts at London’s Wigmore Hall he was the first to headline a late-night televised performance at the BBC Proms in the late 90’s with his All Star Big Band. In 2002 he was commissioned to open the London Jazz Festival with The Great Sage, performed by his Big Band and the strings of the BBC Concert Orchestra broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and in 2003 he premiered his original arrangement of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue for his All-Star Big Band at the City of London Festival. Movements from his orchestral suite "Symphonic Stories" have been performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Hallé and the Liverpool Philharmonic and in 2007 he branched out into opera with "Bridgetower" and then "Shadowball". Apart from his symphonic and operatic writing Julian has also composed a number of highly regarded jazz influenced contemporary dance pieces and has remained at the forefront of initiatives to introduce jazz into mainstream music education, leading to the foundation of his own Jazz Academy in 2013. And if all that wasn’t enough, as well as performing, composing, recording, teaching and broadcasting, Julian has also turned to writing, with his book Music of Initiative sharing his unique insights into the philosophy and practice of jazz performance. A major contributor to Britain’s cultural landscape he received an OBE in 2018 and his Awards include the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) Gold Badge (2010), the Ivors Academy 21st Fellow (2020), honorary fellow of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (2023) and the University of Southampton’s honorary doctorate (2025). A remarkable man and a true friend and supporter of the Club it is with enormous pleasure that we welcome this iconic musician to the Club this evening. Joining Julian and his trio will be two truly remarkable musicians and good friends of both Julian and the Club’s, saxophonists Iain Ballamy and Soweto Kinch . Iain Ballamy is an award-winning saxophonist widely considered to be one of the most intriguing and creative players on the jazz scene today. Iain’s CV reads like a who’s who of jazz, beginning with Loose Tubes and Bill Bruford’s Earthworks and including work with the likes of Hermeto Pascoal, Gil Evans and long-time collaborator Django Bates. Signed to the famed ECM label with his bands “Food” and “Quercus’, Iain was a recipient of the ‘Award for Innovation’ at the BBC Jazz Awards and was listed in the Corporation’s ‘100 Jazz Legends’. A Mercury Prize nominee, double MOBO-award recipient, multiple BBC Awards winner and multiple Urban Music Awards (UMA) winner (among a plethora of awards) saxophonist Soweto Kinch is widely considered to be one of the leading musicians of his generation. A fluent and creative jazz saxophonist Soweto has successfully embraced a wide variety of styles and influences. Known on the hip hop scene as an MC and producer before displaying his remarkable skill as a jazz saxophonist his albums ‘The New Emancipation” and the ‘Legend of Mike Smith’ further established him as a significant force. These days, as well as his quite brilliant stage presence and innovative style this thoughtful and truly creative musician has also now established himself as a broadcaster of skill and wide-reaching tastes with his Radio 3 jazz show, "Round Midnight". An important artist and one that we are excited to welcome back to the Club. The performance tonight will feature Julian’s trio, Iain with both Julian’s rhythm section and with Julian and the trio as a quartet, Soweto featuring with Julian’s trio as well before ending the evening with Iain as probably one of the most exciting quintets to appear anywhere in the UK this year! “Julian Joseph…a world-class jazz pianist” Guardian; “Ballamy...leaves you in absolute awe…the sheer virtuosity and sense of joy makes you feel like a kid about to step onto a twinkling, old-fashioned merry-go-round” BBC; “Soweto Kinch…A real tour de force” Guardian