A Change Is Gonna Come
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Funded by
"For live performances, you absolutely have to see Carleen Anderson – at least three times in your life!” – Amy Winehouse
Four of the most gifted soul, jazz and rap artists explore the power of protest songs in this not to be missed collaboration. Leading an incredible sextet, are supremely talented queens of their trade: the soulful Carleen Anderson, jazz virtuosos Nikki Yeoh and Nubya Garcia and Mercury Prize-Winning rapper Speech Debelle.
On stage together for the first time, they will perform unique interpretations of iconic songs from the time of the civil rights through to today. This special concert also features powerful new compositions by Anderson and Yeoh highlighting the ongoing fight for equal human rights.
The band also features the awesome talents of bassist Renell Shaw who has collaborated, recorded and toured alongside artists such as Rudimental, Skepta, Nitin Sawhney, plus drummer Rod Youngs who has played with Gil Scott Heron, Hugh Masekela, Courtney Pine and Jocelyn Brown, amongst others.
Line up:
Carleen Anderson - vocalist, MD
Nikki Yeoh - piano & keyboard, MD
Speech Debelle - rapper
Nubya Garcia - saxophone
Renell Shaw - electric bass
Rod Youngs - drums
"She's not just good, she's phenomenal. Carleen Anderson is one of a kind." James Brown
Born in Texas Mercury-nominated Carleen Anderson was reared on the sounds of the Pentecostal Gospel church where her Grandfather was pastor, and whose family was friends with Martin Luther King. She moved across the Atlantic to the UK in 1990, where she became the lead singer and music composer of The Young Disciples and lead vocals for the Brand New Heavies. Her most recent project Cage Street Memorial, traces 100 years of family life and national politics in a critically acclaimed album, book and live ‘tribal opera’.
"Nikki Yeoh is a creative free spirit who, although deeply rooted in the language of improvisation, is open to a range of music that leans as much to populism as it does high art.” Kevin Le Gendre, writer and broadcaster BBC Radio 3
Since her emergence on the British jazz scene in the mid-90s, pianist Nikki Yeoh has proved to be an improviser, composer and all-round adventurer who has continually sought to broaden her musical horizons. She has led her own bands in venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, performed with DJ Pogo, Neneh Cherry and The Roots and composed works for John Surman and Joanna MacGregor. Nikki received The Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the Year Award 2017 for her long awaited solo album Solo Gemini.
"delicate, yet powerful" The Guardian on Speech Debelle
Speech Debelle is a rapper and musician from South London, probably best known for winning the Mercury Music Prize for her debut album, Speech Therapy (2009), most of which was co-produced by Big Dada label mate Wayne Lotek. In 2012 she released her second album, Freedom of Speech, this time with production from Kwes (Warp). She has also been politically and socially active with a number of charities and movements, and hosted the BBC documentary Hidden Homeless.
"Brilliant, brilliant saxophonist…creating a lot of waves" Gilles Peterson on Nubya Garcia
London-based saxophonist and composer, Nubya Garcia, is one of the leading forces behind the resurgence of jazz-influenced sounds in the UK. Nubya has recently played Worldwide Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Brazil's 'Urubu Sessions' with Jazz re:freshed and British Underground, and began 2018 at Winter Jazz Fest. Last year she was awarded the Steve Reid Foundation Award and released her debut recording with Jazz re:freshed. Nubya is also involved with bands Maisha, Nérija, Theon Cross Trio, Joe Armon Jones' & Maxwell Owins' 'Idiom' amongst other projects.
Produced by Sound UK. A Change is Gonne Come is supported by Arts Council England and PRS Foundation's The Open Fund
Illustration by Annette Becker
