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Venue: Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Gia Fu + Me Gusta DJS + Special Guests

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Gia Fu Turntable

Gia Fu, a DJ/selector and music producer from Hong Kong, specializes in Afro-Latin music, particularly Salsa and associated rhythms. Beyond extensive touring as an international DJ and music producer, her research work explores how cultures – including her own Chinese heritage and Latin American influences – enrich one another. Having grown up in a culturally vibrant environment, her upbringing fuels her passion for challenging stereotypes and promoting inclusion within the music industry.

Leading the Canton Mambo 曼波 project, Gia Fu dedicates herself to bridging cultural divides, embracing diversity through research, cultural & dance events, and music. This initiative creates an all-inclusive space where diverse cultural elements harmonize, fostering unity through the arts. Her upcoming single, “Canton Mambo,” blends her native musical instrument Guzheng with salsa rhythms, introducing an exciting fusion sound for the genre.

Date: saturday 24 may

Time: 11:00 pm - 3:30 am

Price: £12

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Camilla George

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Camilla George alto saxophone / Renato Paris keyboards, vocals / Jihad Darwish bass / Rod Youngs drums 

Camilla George is a visionary saxophonist, composer, bandleader and innovator. Her strong cultural roots and love of fusing African and Western Music has informed her own style, a key reason why she is a firm fixture on the new London Jazz scene, alongside peers such as Nubya Garcia and Shabaka. Her music is a hypnotising blend of Afrofuturism, hip hop and jazz, with a politically-minded subtext that has a powerful connection to her Nigerian identity, lineage and heritage, reflecting African history, culture and slavery. 

Born in Eket, Nigeria, Camilla has been interested in music from an early age and particularly in the fusion of African and Western music. She grew up listening to Fela Kuti, as well as Jackie McLean and Charlie Parker. She began playing the saxophone aged 11 years old, when she won a music contest where the prize awarded her saxophone lessons. 

Her most recent album, Ibio Ibio, is a tribute to her tribe, the Ibibio people of South Eastern Coastal Nigeria. “George is the undoubted star, delivering criss-crossing solos with a ‘50s hard-bop bent.” – Mojo Magazine  

Camilla won Best Jazz Act at the 2023 Urban Music Awards, performed in the Jazz Refreshed showcase for SXSW, (filmed at Abbey Road studios) and reached the final in the DC Jazz Prix in 2021.  

Recent notable performances include North Sea Jazz Festival (where Camilla performed with her own group and as a featured artist in the Diaspora Suite performance); Jazz a Vienne (where Camilla sat in with Marcus Miller) and EFG London Jazz Festival.  

A festival favourite, Camilla makes a welcome return to mjf with her latest band. 

Doors: 2 pm

Date: saturday 24 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Price: £17 advance, £19 full price

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Mammal Hands + support

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Jordan Smart saxophone / Nick Smart piano / Rob Turner drums 

Mammal Hands formed in Norwich in 2012 and quickly gained a reputation for their hypnotic fusion of jazz and electronica. They signed to Gondwana Records in 2013 and have released 5 critically acclaimed albums since, the most recent being Gift from the Trees in 2023. Their instantly recognisable sound has received glowing recommendations from tastemakers Tom Ravenscroft, Bonobo, Jamie Cullum and Gilles Peterson. 

Their intense and mesmerising performances have earned them a strong reputation as a live band and have enabled them to tour extensively, performing in Japan, China, USA, Thailand and across Europe.  

Landmark live performances have included shows at The Barbican London, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Montreux Jazz Festival, Köln Philharmonie, La Cigale Paris, Montreal Jazz Festival, Athens Technopolis and Unit Tokyo. 

With a broad array of influences, Mammal Hands takes inspiration from jazz, contemporary classical, electronica, folk and minimalism to create their own inimitable style that has captured the imagination of a loyal following across the globe. They are currently working on their 6th studio album and continuing to tour. 

“Looping piano phrases, hushed complex fluid drumming, and emboldened, fervent sax, carve captivating dramatic visual melodies. This panoramic music is fresh fruit for the imagination.” – Jazz Revelations 

Photography Credit: Iryna Bilyk

Doors: 7.30 pm 

Support Act: 8 pm 

Mammal Hands: 9 pm 

Date: thursday 22 may

Time: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Price: £21 advance, £23 full price

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Emma Rawicz & Gwilym Simcock

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Emma Rawicz tenor & soprano saxophone / Gwilym Simcock piano 

This new duo brings together the talents of celebrated pianist and composer Gwilym Simcock and rising star saxophonist and composer Emma Rawicz. This musical collaboration has a special depth and freedom that has blossomed in just a short space of time, maturing rapidly into a unique and exciting musical force. Emma and Gwilym have composed for each other and collaborated on arrangements, drawing on the many common influences they share. Such has been the success of this musical venture, they have already been into the studio to record their first album as a duo, for the prestigious ACT label.  

Emma and Gwilym will be performing music from their latest release, including original works and arrangements of a variety of other music from the Great American Songbook to Stevie Wonder! Their collaboration has been a cross-generational revelation, but an unsurprising success – given they both had a similar classical and jazz training at the prestigious Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and Royal Academy of Music in London. The duo’s connection as labelmates makes a collaboration even more fitting, and they are very excited to see where their adventure will take them.  

Their love of engaging, energetic and joyful music is evident throughout this set, and the intimate chamber concert is a perfect setting for this very special duo.  

Doors 2 pm

Date: sunday 25 may

Time: 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Price: £18 advance, £20 full price

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Steam Down + support

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Allyson Morriera vocals / Ahnansé saxophone, vocals / Lorenz Okello keyboards, synth / Enz bass guitar / Nathaniel Ricketts drums, vocals / Afronaut Zu conga drums, vocals / Intalekt vocals, DJ 

Steam Down is a British Afro-Punk band, weekly event and music community based in South-East London. In a finely tuned alchemy of sound, space and energy, Steam Down has mastered the art of enriching the human emotional, social and collective state of being through music.  

Founded by multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Ahnansé in 2017, the initial event was created to connect London-based musicians and producers. Since then, it has evolved into a weekly event where Steam Down artists and their extended musical family generate spontaneous sonic soundscapes, reflecting their lives in the city.  

It has also become a household name in London’s music scene, receiving two Jazz FM awards, including the Innovation Award and Live Experience of the Year Award, which also featured Kamasi Washington. In addition, Sky News produced a full feature on Steam Down and its fundamental role within London’s flourishing jazz scene.  

Since entering the scene, they’ve sold out The Jazz Café and completed a headline EU and UK tour.  

Every performance is a co-creative experience between musicians and audience, where everyone’s participation matters, regardless of language, background or nationality.  

“Jazz meets grime, Afrobeat & funk. Not dissimilar to London raves from the very early ‘90s’.” – Mix Mag 

Doors: 7 pm

Support: 7.30 pm

Steam Down: 8.30 pm

Date: saturday 24 may

Time: 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Price: £17 advance, £19 full price

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