Judith Schrut previews some of the year’s best music gigs from around the world…right here in London.
It won’t surprise you to learn that London, the world’s most diverse city, is home to more than 270 nationalities and 300 languages. Life in our gloriously global village has many advantages and that includes the chance to enjoy music from across the world, right here on our doorstep.
One of my favourite chances happens in April, in the form of London’s Latin Music Festival, La Linea. Venues across the capital will host a sumptuous Latin music feast, from global superstars to new talent. Top notes will come from Brazilian bossa nova icon Bebel Gilberto supported by an all-women band, Fémina, Portuguese fado from Sarah Carreia, seriously cool Tango beats from Argentina’s Melingo, and the UK debut of venerable Mexican jazz drummer Tino Contreras, now in his 90s. April will also welcome the high energy Big Balkan Bash, while May brings London’s Gypsy Jazz Festival. Klezfest, celebrating traditional Jewish-Yiddish music, dance and song, takes place in August, while September sees the annual Japanese culture fest, Japan Matsuri.
The Irish Cultural Centre in Kilburn is a hub for Irish and Celtic-connected music events throughout the year, while Hammersmith’s Polish Cultural Institute runs lively gigs, concerts and jam sessions in its Café Posk. Kings Place regularly shines a light on world and folk-flavoured music. In 2020 this means a Wild Singing Folk Weekend, Songlines Encounters Festival and one night stands with Cara Dillon, Eliza Carthy, Lau, Blazing Fiddles and more. The Nest Collective invites you to discover extraordinary folk and world music in unexpected places which includes astonishing shows in woodlands, nature reserves, around campfires and in secret locations.
But are you itching to do more than just watch and tap your feet? Fancy having a go at Argentinian Tango, Lancashire Clogging or English Morris Dancing, learning to play folk fiddle, accordion or old time banjo, sing a cappella harmony in a community choir or foot-stomp yourself silly to the rhythms of a live Ceilidh, barn dance or Cajun band? It’s all possible under the unique roof of Cecil Sharp House, the delightful and definitely cockle-warming north London headquarters of the English Folk Dance and Song Society for the past 90 years. Named for Victorian gentleman extraordinaire Cecil Sharp, who devoted his life to reviving traditional British music, song and dance, this unique cultural centre offers endless ways to ‘discover your inner folk’. As well as a wide choice of workshops, classes and other hands or feet-on activities, Cecil Sharp House welcomes many folk-flavoured events and performances within the beautifully muralled and wood panelled surroundings of its historic Kennedy Hall.
Hotly anticipated gigs this season include roots-rock pioneers Oysterband, Welsh Harpist Catrin Finch re-uniting with Grammy-nominated Colombian joropo band Cimarrón, an evening of musical joy led by renowned folk guitarist Martin Carthy and squeezebox virtuoso John Kirkpatrick, and an imaginative jazz-folk collaboration featuring top pianist Kit Downes, fiddler Aidan O’Rourke and writer storyteller James Robertson. Cecil Sharp would have been proud.
More posts in our 2020 Vision miniseries coming soon.
