Tribute to Abbey Lincoln @ NEC

An honour to collaborate with Kaia Berman-Peters, Solomon Caldwell, Miguel Landestoy & Sahana Narayanan on reworking some of Abbey Lincoln's seminal works including 'Down Here Below' & 'And It's Supposed To Be Love'.

I have been in love with Abbey Lincoln's music for a long long time. I am not a natural Jazz head and didn't grow up with Jazz but I discovered her music in my early 20's whilst on a road trip in the US. I didn't really understand what i'd gotten in to but I knew it was special and Abbey's music has been with me ever since.

Years later I find myself at NEC, a path I chose for a multitude of reasons, but the best ones were the one's I couldn't have predicted. It turns out MacArthur fellow & NEC professor Ran Blake was a good pal of Abbey's and every year the Contemporary Improvisation department do a spotlight concert of her work. 

And It's Supposed To Be Love is one of my all time favourite songs, and to get to explore it, know it, break it down and mess with it was a privilege. I was coached by Ran, Anthony Coleman, Christine Correa & Eden MacAdam-Somer. I'd never really been through that process before. 

I really appreciate how seriously musicians treat other musicians and their work in the US. Going deep meant uncompromisingly going deep. I need that. Thank you pedagogy.

I got to collaborate with new friends on the arrangements - a challenging but rewarding process. And we performing in the legendary Jordan Hall - a place where the seats are wonky and creak and the acoustics are second to none - esp. for CELLO! ha.

You can listen back to the full concert above. 

xx