March 29, 2018
Latest programme announcement for Hidden Door 2018 (25 May – 3 June) as full details of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival collaboration revealed.
Hidden Door have today revealed the full line-up for Friday 1 June at the old Leith Theatre, opening the second weekend of the festival in style with an electric night of jazz, afrobeat, funk and dub, presented in partnership with Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival; a night showcasing the variety of the sub-genres that can be found under the jazz and blues banner.
Headlining the night are the kings of orchestral jazz and dub fusion, Submotion Orchestra. The genre-defying outfit will bring a kaleidoscope of electronic bass music, entrancing vocals, and ambient jazz and dub that sits somewhere on an axis between Bonobo and London Grammar. They present music from their latest album Kites, a glorious return to the smoky, jazz infused electronica which made Finest Hour the cult record that it has now become. The group’s reputation for stunning live performances has grown over the years, with audiences left in awe at their recent concerts in the 6000-capacity Pula amphitheatre at the Outlook festival and sold-out shows at the Barbican Theatre and The Forum.
Channelling the spirit of Fela Kuti’s 1970s West African funk-jazz fusion, the London Afrobeat Collective make their Edinburgh debut with their explosive mix of raw funk, latin and rock, all glued together by bold brass and dance-floor sweat. Expect hypnotic grooves, pounding rhythms and soaring melodies. If, as the great Fela Kuti once said, ‘music is the weapon’, then you’ll need to wear armour to withstand the full sonic force of London Afrobeat Collective (LAC).
Support comes from local funk and groove based sextet James Brown is Annie – “One of Scotland’s top bands of the moment” (BBC Radio Scotland), who play music from their new album (released in May 2018) produced by original AWB member Hamish Stuart.
For those buying a Late Night ticket, DJ Rebecca Vasmant takes us through to 3am with a specially curated night of top tunes and special guests to get the Leith Theatre really jumping.
David Martin, Creative Director of Hidden Door, said: “This year, Hidden Door feels like it has firmly established itself in the festival canon in Edinburgh. We are really excited to be working with a number Edinburgh’s acclaimed international festivals, such as Edinburgh International Film Festival, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, Edinburgh International Children’s Festival and Edinburgh International Science Festival – all bringing something surprising and new to the mix.
“We are proud to create a festival which celebrates the innovation and ambitious experimentation that is so strong in Scotland today. I’m delighted to reveal a programme filled with artists who dare to push the boundaries of their artforms, yet who are so young in their careers, and so open to responding to and using amazing, unusual spaces. Hidden Door brings a large, diverse cross section of the creative scene together, and it’s inspiring to see such a range of new talent in Scotland dedicated to creating a mesmerising and unforgettable experience for our audiences.”
Agnese Daverio, EJ&BF Production Manager and programmer of the night, said “We’re excited to work with Hidden Door Festival again after a successful collaboration last year. The programme we’re presenting in 2018 is a celebration of the variety of sub-genres that fit under the jazz and blues banner.
“The outstanding genre-defying outfit Submotion Orchestra make their come back to Edinburgh with a brand new album fusing deep electronica with cinematic jazz and dub; London Afrobeat Collective make their debut in the capital, bringing their energetic afrobeat sound inspired by Fela Kuti; Edinburgh based James Brown Is Annie bring their fresh take on funk and soul with musics from their new album produced by original AWB member Hamish Stuart. A showcase of brilliant musicianship in the breath-taking surroundings of The Leith Theatre. We’re always looking to produce memorable events and we are excited that this triple-bill in the unique surrounds of Leith Theatre kicks off our 40th anniversary celebrations.”
Tickets are on sale now via http://hiddendoorblog.org/tickets/
