Longtime Leeds jazz music promoter Lubi Jovanovic (DJ Lubi) continues his monthly Hyde Park Book Club residency in March with a night of cosmic jazz mayhem and assorted musical cacophony. Amon Ra Collective finally play the rescheduled date for their cancelled summer 2024 show, a welcome hometown gig as part of their spring UK tour.
Space faring Leeds-based cosmic jazz ensemble Amon Ra Collective are a large community of over 20 members who have been appearing at live shows around the city for the past 3 years in different combinations of between 2-15 people. Led by trumpeter Samuel Ehret-Pickett, they play an exciting fusion of energetic solos, pulsating rhythms, electronic noise, free improvisation incorporating the Butch Morris' Conduction method. Inspired by the music of Miles Davis’ electric jazz fusion, John Coltrane’s avant garde jazz, the ethio-jazz of Mulatu Astatke, and the spiritual world music of Don Cherry, they bring together jazz, rock, world music, afrobeat, drum & bass and cosmic funk into one big Amon Ra musical melting pot.
They released their debut album "At The Centre Of Everything" in autumn 2023 through Lamplight Social Records (the label run by Roller Trio saxophonist James Mainwaring), and now their music is available beyond the Leeds city limits. Musicians from Amon Ra Collective are part of the vibrant Leeds jazz scene belonging to groups such as Fergus Quill’s Imaginary Big Band, Ancient Infinity Orchestra (Gondwana Records), Nika Ticciati’s Cataclysm Ensemble, Afrodesia, Nova.Sol and Rushbonds. Tonight, the bigger ensemble (as seen at their album launch in autumn 2023), will be performing at Hyde Park Book Club.
“Amon Ra channel Sun Ra into now and beyond with their cosmic blend of free-jazz and heavy grooves” - Fusebox
“Bleeping synths, treacly bass, atonal reverberating horns and intense percussion suggest a restless, inquisitive spirit” - furtherdot.com
“This UK- based group exhibits a Magma / Zeuhl influence influence in its bass lines and keyboard tone, but an electric Miles feel with the inclusion of trumpet” - Avant Music News
Oracle are a 7 piece high energy, new wave jazz collective who formed at Leeds Conservatoire a few years ago. They've played regular gigs across the city at venues like Brudenell, Hyde Park Book Club, Sela Bar and Casa, as well as appearing on the Welcome To Leeds open air stage at Leeds Jazz Festival 2024. Mixing jazz improvisation with elements from hip hop, flamenco, funk and electronica, this colourful mix of sounds takes inspiration from the likes of Nubya Garcia, Soweto Kinch, Emma Rawicz, and then all the way through to the flamenco jazz of Paco De Lucia via the chaotic genius and energy of Charles Mingus. A perfect combination of styles and influences to open for Amon Ra Collective.
