ONLINE GIGS ON ZOOM
SoundZ CollectivE
Our music leader Felix Mackintosh reflects:
We had booked experimental cellist and singer Jasmine Pender AKA Rotten Bliss to appear as our guest at the Lyric Hammersmith. She was due to appear as a guest artist at our gig which was part of "Give a Gig” week.
Due to the lockdown this didn't happen, so we invited her to do a Zoom gig with us instead. The young people were excited and really enjoyed having a private performance. It worked really well as they could see what she was doing.
As one of our young people makes experimental music I have been running short improvisation sessions with the whole band where they make sounds using their instruments in unusual ways. They have been very responsive, so it was relevant for them to see a performance by an experienced experimental musician. After the performance the band asked some really good questions
As this first experience had gone well, we invited MC Navigator to do a similar appearance.
Navi is one of the originators of the uk jungle scene and he has fronted bands including Asian Dub Foundation and Freestylers
He also presented Radio1’s infamous ‘1 in the Jungle’ sessions, the UK’s first Nationally Broadcast Jungle Radio show,
Same format, a short gig and then Q and A - as we have several MCs in our group. this was an exciting opportunity for them to ask some pressing questions. We also had a couple of young people who came on zoom for the first time to be part of this.
Navigator talked about his 35 years in music, he talked about Black Lives Matter and racism in the music industry .
He ended the session by giving some great advice to budding rappers and musicians This was a very positive and uplifting session.
The band said later that meeting Jasmine and Navigator had been one of the best things about having to be on Zoom rather than real life.
When I spoke to both the performers they said they loved meeting the young people so this was a really good exchange.
To see Jasmine's whole performance go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enw6QA556SQ
Jasmine's Q and A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-LRR3ST_iQ
For MC Navigator interview https://youtu.be/1h5y9gEaDJM