The Seb & Fiona Blog

I moved to East Dulwich in 1988, at the precipitous age of 11. In those days, depending on where you were standing, the area was either a poor cousin to the dreaming mansions of Dulwich Village, or a rich aunt to the hulking estates of Peckham. But it had a homely charm, and there was a sense of community among our liberal-leaning, baby-boomer parents. They’d take it in turns to heave us forth in the giant tyre swing of our rickety local adventure playground.

Twenty years have passed and I’m living there once more. The parents with 11-year olds have stayed the same age - which is a bit closer to mine now - but the magic spell of gentrification has transformed things. Most of the knackered old boozers have been tamed and turned into gastropubs kitted out to evoke the spirit of knackered old boozers; there are delis, posh kitchen supply shops, organic butchers, wine tasting cafes, ceramics cafes, a Gourmet Burger Kitchen, a branch of The White Stuff and I’m sure that the tyre swing will have been slashed down on health and safety grounds.

It still feels like home though. Gentrification is an easy target for harumphing but sometimes, you know, I like being able to buy a bit of nice cheese and some of those boozers had a genuinely terrifying clientele. And the community? Well you can see for yourself. It’s passionate, active, obsessed with the minutiae of local life, and it’s online: www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk.

It’s fascinating.

If I wasn’t sat behind this desk right now i’d quite like to be riding a horse through Jordan. Or maybe watching polar bear cubs paw each other on the ice. I could hold a tea party for my favourite art teachers - if I could track them down. Or maybe I could just find a nice big field and swing around really, really fast with my arms wide open. Ahh…

I always think it’s great when you people do something unexpected and off the cuff, so I was quite intrigued to hear about Mr and Mrs B’s adventure. The two newly-wed Londonites have just (last week) left their jobs and upped sticks to Spain to start a world music night (having no experience, but a blazing desire to do it).

They’re writing all about it on their blog here.

What would you do?

Glasswerks presents:
Richard Godwin
Wednesday 2nd April at Tommy Flynn’s, 55 Camden High Street, NW1
Doors 7.30pm (on stage 9.30pm)

A startlingly original voice, capable of provoking hilarity, bliss and/or abject terror in audiences, Richard Godwin will make an unusual mark in 2008. Most often compared to an English Jacques Brel, he has developed a confrontational, dramatic performing style, and has created a canon of compositions which tell the tiny tragedies of repressed butlers, cracked vaudevillians and Houellbecqian clerks (tales often inspired by his day job as a journalist). His louche baritone recalls the tones of Bill Callahan, Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, while his rich, melodic guitar echoes Elliott Smith and Nick Drake. The admixture of influences, however, is rather unique.

£6, £5 adv
myspace.com/richardgodwinmusic

Also on the bill at Tommy Flynn’s are:

Alamode - www.myspace.com/alamodeband

Alex And I - www.myspace.com/alexandimusic

Magic Bullet Band - www.myspace.com/themagicbulletband

http://www.glasswerk.co.uk

Frauke Requardt presents…
ROADKILL CAFE
A dance work in two parts set to a searing jazz score from John Zorn, performed in full for the first time on 18 & 19 April 2008 at The Place



“And then the Prime Minister approaches me and says ‘Daniel, you’re jazz. What do we do? There’s a war on. We need to win it.’ I think and then I say ‘Just play man, just play.’”

In ROADKILL CAFÉ Frauke Requardt thrusts us into an unworldly, jazz-fuelled meeting place. Here we encounter a ukulele man and his kooky cowboy sister, twitching twins who swing in, play out psycho-sexual dramas and disappear, and a sense of secret trauma that threatens to meander its way to the surface.

Produced during residencies in Venice, Portugal and London, this is a darkly humorous, surreal piece of mimicry and mayhem, seduction and shock with superbly choreographed fantasies.

The piece is Requardt’s second full-evening work, coming after JAMMY DODGERS, which was seen first at The Place in 2006 and was also performed at the Royal Opera House. In that piece Requardt and her dancers collaborated with some of London’s most acclaimed jazz musicians, using live performances by The Ingrid Laubrock Quintet and Leafcutter John in an exploration of identity, entertainment and invention.

Roadkill Café takes these themes in a new direction, exposing a Lynch-esque world of both self-consciousness and wild abandon. We see a dog doing a dog dance, a tale of jazz overcoming the military, a tale of paranoia overcoming jazz and a round of subverted line dancing.

The piece was made during three residencies: one in a rural Portuguese town, at Rui Horta’s space O Espaco do Tempo, one in a foggy and mysterious Venice at the intimate Teatro Fondamente Nuove and most recently one in London at Greenwich Dance Agency and The Place, as part of Choreodrome. In each location there was a work-in-progress performance, introducing the work to a new audience and inviting comments and discussion. Each residency has served to enrich the work and leave its own individual fingerprint on the final result, turning it into a truly international work.

Frauke Requardt is a choreographer and dancer based in London. She completed her Masters in Choreography at the London Contemporary Dance School in 2003 and went on to be an Associate Artist at The Place until 2006. Earlier this year Frauke created work in Bogota, Colombia as part of a three-month residency organised by Visiting Arts. Together with dancers from Danza Cumon she created ‘Pequenas Delicias’, a piece made especially for restaurants. She was also commissioned to make a piece for a special fundraising event at Sadler’s Wells, ‘Back to Front’ where the auditorium was reversed with the stage for a three tiered chase scene.

Requardt has also been a dancer in Lea Andersons’ ‘The Cholmondeleys’ since 2004. She is really very German.

Listing information:

April 18&19 2008
as part of Spring Loaded

The Robin Howard Dance Theatre
The Place
17 Duke’s Road
London WC1H 9PY
Box Office: 020 7121 1100

For more information, guest list, images etc please contact Seb at Seb & Fiona: seb@sebandfiona.com

I noticed something strange about the restaurants in Venice. Not once did a waiter offer to grind some black pepper onto my food for me. There would be a mill on my table, and I would just grind the pepper myself. No awkward moment, no need for an overlong polite smile: it felt great.

Sooner or later, London will look back on the current plague of service pepper and feel both sheepish and bemused. We’ll sit in fructose bars, or something, and reminisce incredulously about this and other discontinued oddities - mullets, cold winters, Magners with ice, chorizo, pilates, London Fields, gastropubs, digital radio.

Can anyone think of any more?

November 4,11,18 & 25th

For four exclusive shows only, South East London guitarists Steve Morrison and Billy Jenkins present a refreshing two man, two guitar, two voiced programme of topical blues. Songs of wisdom, sadness, stupidity and human nature – both original and reworked blues classics – served up with a delicious, seductive double guitar twang. Bring your newspapers and supplements for a lazy Sunday afternoon gathering of upbeats, downbeats, poets, polemics and commentators!

- Bring your own chess sets for the Second Vortex Chess Tournament!
- Play who you want when you want!
- Player with most consecutive wins over the four afternoons scoops the trophy!

GRAND MASTER DANIEL KING ONCE AGAIN WILL BE GRACING THIS SECOND SERIES WITH AN OCCASIONAL VISIT!

Updates as they emerge at www.billyjenkins.com
Supplementary rules & regs available soon.

LISTING DETAILS:

HERE IS THE BLUES!- THE VORTEX CHESS SESSIONS
The Vortex Jazz Club
11 Gillett Street
London
N16 8JH
3.30pm - 6pm
First set 4pm

Door: £5 (under 16’s free if accompanied by an adult)
Booking: 020 7254 4097
www.vortexjazz.co.uk

Enjoy a small 90 second film of the first HITB! Chess Sessions here!

Led Bib - NEWSFLASH: LIVE DATE AT THE VORTEX TONIGHT!

Dubbed the “most credible young things in jazz”, Led Bib have been raging a riot in the jazz world. If you’re in town tonight, come along to their show at the Vortex. The performance is being recorded for BBC Radio’s Jazz On 3 for broadcast next Friday the 28th of September at 11:30PM. Doors are at 8pm
The band also play the following live dates;
4th October - Matt and Phreds, Manchester
26th October - Dylan Thomas Fringe Festival, Swansea Wales
23rd November - The London Jazz Festival: Laundry Theatre at the Luminaire with Fraud and Chik Budo, London
1st December - The Brunswick, Brighton.
11th January - Museum of Garden History London
18th January - Pacific Road Arts Centre Birkenhead

“It’s this non conformist attitude that makes Led Bib a sonic adventure to savour” (Robert Shore – Metro )
“Imagine a super-group featuring Zorn, Berne, Donny Hathaway, Sid Vicious and Robert Wyatt and you’re halfway there.” (John Lewis Time Out)
www.myspace.com/ledbib

Fraud
It’s been a fantastic year for newcomers Fraud. With a Ronnie Scott’s ‘Best UK Newcomer’ award under their belt and two nominations at this year’s BBC Jazz Awards, the trash/jazz five piece play the following live dates…
22nd September - Museum of Garden History, London: Double bill with Scottish drummer Tom Bancroft and Italian guitarist Enzo Rocco.
24th September - ICA, London: Double bill with Zaum, London Jazz Festival Dates
21st November - The London Jazz Festival: Vortex, London
23rd November - The London Jazz Festival: Laundry Theatre at the Luminaire with Led Bib and Chik Budo plus Artrocker DJs, London
www.fraudmusic.co.uk
www.myspace.com/fraudsound

Phil Robson
Guitarist Phil Robson is currently recording the follow-up to his Babel release Screenwash. ‘Six Strings & The Beat’ was originally commissioned for Derby Jazz week. His band consists of Phil (guitar), Peter Herbert (double bass), Kate Shortt (cello), Naomi Fairhurst (viola), Jennymay Logan and Emma Smith (violins) and Gene Calderazzo (drums) and special guest Christine Tobin. A premier performance at the Vortex earlier this year was well received four star reviews in The Guardian and Evening Standard.
“This inspired crossover is a real achievement for Robson and should go down among the year’s jazz landmarks.” (John Fordham)
“A top-class soloist but an unknown force as a composer. It was thus a revelation to find him capable of remarkably sophisticated writing for string quartet, voice and rhythm section.” (Evening Standard)
Phil will play material form Six Strings & The Beat at the Barbican Freestage on 24th November as part of the London Jazz Festival. A more extensive tour will follow in 28th April - 11th May 2008.
On 16th November Phil plays with Partisans (his co-led band with Julian Siegel) at the Vortex. Throughout January he will be on tour with US saxophonist Dave Liebman.
www.myspace.com/philrobson

Portico Quartet
Support for new Vortex signing Portico Quartet is gaining pace ahead of their debut album release, ‘Knee Deep In The North Sea’. This year’s answer to The Gotan Project, crossover success beckons. On 5th November they launch the new Vortex label with a show at St Barnabas Chapel in Soho. Sync rights to tracks have been picked up by MTV and Channel 4 and a session with Gilles Peterson has also been confirmed.
Catch this exciting young band at the following live dates…
20th September - Imperial Wharf Jazz Festival, London
27th September - Time Out Presents The Best Emerging Music: Bar Academy, London (Free Event)
7th October - OneTaste, The Bedford, London
14th October - Ritzy Cinema Cafe, London (monthly residency)
5th November - Vortex (Album and label launch)
6th November - St. Barnabas Chapel, Soho
20th November - London Jazz Festival: Vortex Jazz Club, London
24th November - London Jazz Festival: Purcell Room supporting Bill Bruford
“Their hook-based, jaunty, yet subtly layered music is tailor-made to find friends everywhere.” (John Fordham, Guardian)
“London’s hottest and most exuberant new jazz sensations”. (Time Out)
www.myspace.com/porticoquartet

Billy Jenkins

Taking a break from his duties as captain of the Francis Drake lawn bowls club in south London, Billy Jenkins releases his new album Songs of Praise Live! on 8th October.
Whether he’s firing Scalextric cars from his guitar or pretending to be an aeroplane, Billy Jenkins live is an unforgettable experience. Witness for yourself…
13th October - Hurly Burly – Derby Feste: Deda Theatre, Derby
Thursday 1st November- Belfast Jazz Festival: Spiegeltent, Belfast
4th, 11th, 18th, 25th November - Here is the Blues! Chess Sessions: Vortex, London
“An unusual gentleman… in these homogenous times, we need him.” (The Stool Pigeon)
“Jenkins packs the ‘ice pick in the forehead’, ‘right note in the wrong place’. It’s like a barbed wire fence swearing at you. The notes jump out like they’re possessed. It’s astonishing.” (Ben Watson – The Wire)
www.billyjenkins.com

Christine Tobin
Christine’s new album has been delayed until Spring 2008. In the meantime, she plays the following dates…
28th September - Museum of Garden History, London (with Phil Robson) Opening for Guy Barker & Ian Shaw.
26th October - Vortex, London
18th November – Radioplay London Jazz Festival, Vortex London
“Definitely one of the country’s finest musicians.” (Time Out)
“A singer who refuses to be boxed in by convention.” (Clive Davies, The Sunday Times)

Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd November at the Luminaire, London

A two-day festival of young, trail blazing jazz and rock from the most exciting bands on the circuit. Over two days the North London venue will host, as part of the London Jazz Festival, some of the most critically acclaimed and award winning artists around including Led Bib, Fraud, Acoustic Ladyland, Fulborn Teversham and burgeoning acts Luke Barlow Band and Chik Budo.

Thu 22 Nov
The Laundry Theatre part. 1
Acoustic Ladyland + Fulborn Teversham + Luke Barlow Band & Artrocker DJs

“Acoustic Ladyland appear to have invented new laws of music by drawing on the visceral extremes of both jazz and rock, diluting neither… tremendous” 5/5 (The Guardian)

www.acousticladyland.com/intro.php
www.myspace.com/fulbornteversham
www.lukebarlowband.com

Fri 23 Nov
The Laundry Theatre part.2
Led Bib + Fraud + Chik Budo plus Artrocker DJs & VJ Max Hattler

“Led Bib drummer and bandleader Mark Holub, a veritable festival of open-mouthed grins and barely suppressed joy when he plays, is currently the most credible thing going in UK jazz.” (Time Out, August 2007)

www.ledbib.com
www.myspace.com/fraudsound
www.chikbudo.com

Full listing details:
The laundry Theatre is part of the London Jazz Festival
£10 advance / £12 door (discount to Artrocker card holders)
Doors 7.30pm
Tickets: www.wegottickets.com

Luminaire
311 High Road
Kilburn
London NW6 7JR
www.theluminaire.co.uk

Yesterday Seb was down at the the Vortex jazz club. He was there for the press shoot of inaugural signings to the Vortex label, Portico Quartet.

Here are some of the early shots, and the news release about the whole thing…

Famous Dalston jazz venue makes first signing with Portico Quartet

20-year old London jazz club The Vortex will launch its own record label on November 5th with a release by Portico Quartet, a band who have rapidly gained a following with performances at the Barbican and QEH as well as impromptu shows on the Southbank.

The label, to be called The Vortex, will be run by the Vortex venue Manager Will Gresford as well as the Vortex’s Director Oliver Weindling. It will operate as an imprint of Weindling’s Babel Label, breeding ground for some of the biggest names in jazz over the last few years including the likes of Led Bib, Fraud, Polar Bear and Acoustic Ladyland.

Says Weindling: “Recording and live performance are important related elements for getting good music heard. Thus it is a great pleasure to be able to work together with the venue on this new venture. The Vortex and Babel have similar philosophies about quality and imagination in music. For me the Vortex is a vital means of hearing new artists as well as giving chances for some of the more established musicians on Babel to try out and develop their music live.”

Portico Quartet have already had sync rights to a track signed up by MTV and have been picked up by Gilles Peterson for a session on his Worldwide Show. They describe their music as “forging contemporary jazz with classical tendencies” and will appear at the Vortex as part of the London Jazz Festival on 20th November 2007.

The buildings that house Old Spitalfields Market were created 120 years ago. Today they are the subject of major refurbishment works which aim to alleviate the effects of over a century of wear and tear.

This means that until autumn the usual markets on Thursdays (Antiques), Fridays (Fashion and Art) and Sundays (the really big market) will be relocated to a temporary home around the corner on Lamb Street by Carluccios. The Record and Books market on Thursdays will also merge with next door’s for a little while.

Here’s Dana and Retro Man (holding a very tiny camera!). They are regular Old Spitalfields Market traders who are selling their goodies in the new part of the market in the inerim period.

If you’ve been missing Square Pie, Cafe Med and the International Food Village - don’t worry. They’ll be back in a few months too.

More information about the works, completion date and forthcoming Old Spitalfields Market happenings will be hosted on oldspitalfieldsmarket.com shortly.

And finally, for those interested in seeing how it’s all going on the ground here’s a sneak view out of the back window.

Fi