GIJF: Jerry Dammers' Spatial A.K.A Orchestra (Live

7.30pm

Jerry Dammers, founder of The Specials and 2 Tone records, writer of 'Ghost Town' and 'Free Nelson Mandela', started his 19-piece orchestra as a “tribute band” to space jazz maverick Sun Ra. Dammers has now expanded the repertoire - from Cedric 'Im' Brookes’ spiritual reggae, to Alice Coltrane’s eastern mysticism; from Tommy McCook’s deep jazzy ska, to Martin Denny’s dark exotica - and even to one or two versions of Dammers’ own songs.

Some of the country’s best jazz musicians perform, with occasional vocalists, inside Dammers’ rhythmic setting, which draws on funk, reggae, rock, and recent styles such as hip hop, jungle or dubstep.

The Orchestra are:
Jerry Dammers (Musical Director, Selecta and keyboards);
Jason Yarde; Nathaniel Facey; Larry Stabbins and Denys Baptiste (saxophones);
Finn Peters (flute);
Robin Hopcraft (trumpet);
Harry Brown (trombone);
Zoe Rahman (piano);
Roger Beaujolais (vibraphone);
Patrick Illingworth (drums);
Crispin "Spry" Robinson and Steve Gibson (percussion);
Neil Charles (double-bass);
Ollie Bayley (electric bass);
Guy Clark and Patrick Hatchett (guitar);
Francine Luce and Anthony Jospeh (vocals).

The orchestra has received rave reviews from both jazz and rock/pop critics; in Dammers’ words, “aimed at everyone”. It is vivid visual and theatrical.