The Barbican will be the home for two major shows in the EFG London Jazz Festival, which this year will be Living in Two Worlds, presenting both live and online performances. The Festival programme for 2020 will be announced on Thursday 24 September with a special free stream running from 8pm over on EFG Jazz Fest website. The below events provide a sneak peak as to what to expect this year, both events going onsale Friday 11 September, 10am
Saturday 14 November 2020, Barbican Hall, 8pm
SEED Ensemble and Special Guests Celebrating the music of Pharoah Sanders: Live from the Barbican
In celebration of the life and work of spiritual jazz icon Pharoah Sanders, who turns 80 in October, Cassie Kinoshi and SEED Ensemble perform from his much-revered songbook, live streamed from the Barbican Hall as part of the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Mercury Award-nominated SEED Ensemble is led by alto saxophonist and composer Cassie Kinoshi and their ten piece line-up features some of London’s most exciting and innovative young jazz musicians, including trumpeter Sheila-Maurice-Grey (Kokoroko) and guitarist Shirley Tetteh (Maisha). Their music is a vital part of London thriving jazz scene and comes from the bustle of the city alongside the Caribbean and West African influences of Kinoshi’s heritage, exploring a blend of genres through original compositions and improvisation. This concert is co-produced by the Barbican and Serious in association with the EFG London Jazz Festival.
Wednesday 18 November 2020, Barbican Hall, 8pm
Shabaka Hutchings with Britten Sinfonia: Live from the Barbican
Saxophonist, clarinettist, composer and band leader Shabaka Hutchings is one of the foremost proponents of the current British jazz scene, playing in a variety of groups, most notably Sons of Kemet, The Comet is Coming and Shabaka & the Ancestors, embracing influences from the sounds of London’s diverse club culture, including house, grime, jungle and dub. In this concert his background as a classically trained artist will take centre stage. Blurring the lines between jazz and classical music he performs Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, written for the ‘King of Swing’ Benny Goodman, alongside Britten Sinfonia, followed by Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet, and a solo improvisation on clarinet. Britten Sinfonia will conclude the programme with a performance of Copland’s musical portrait of 19th century pioneers, Appalachian Spring.
The EFG London Jazz Festival 2020 brings together exclusive live concerts, a digital platform that streams live and bespoke content, new commissions, interactive creative engagement projects, rare archive recordings, films, talks, interviews, webinars and a series of broadcasts. The full Festival programme will be announced on Thursday 24 September.
