'With their sheer virtuosity and sense of joy you feel like a kid about to step onto a twinkling, old-fashioned merry-go-round.'
– BBC
Internationally acclaimed jazz artists Iain Ballamy and Stian Carstensen delve into the memories of local young and old to inspire new songs and re-imagine local musical favourites. Like a dazzling, live jukebox, these new and reworked songs will sit within a rich musical programme, ranging from classic jazz standards to children’s songs, all performed with Little Radio’s unique flair and wit.
Ahead of the live events Iain and Stian visit local schools, residential homes and elderly groups to unearth songs and tunes with personal significance. They will then create new songs inspired by these locally loved songs and return to deliver an imaginative and compelling performance in each location.
In between these visits, regular song writing workshops will be delivered by local education specialists with each group of local young and old, kicked off by an informal performance by Iain and Stian on their first visit to the locations. Both groups will create original music inspired by the project.
This tour is the first of a new touring network Soil and Concrete, with sounduk working in partnership with four rural partners; Beaford Arts in North Devon, Carn to Cove in Cornwall, Pound Arts in Wiltshire and Arts Alive in Shropshire, plus one urban partner, the Barbican Centre working in Barking, to bring new music to rural and urban areas of low provision and engagement.
The resonance of button accordion and tenor saxophone is a rare, rich and beautiful sonority...
