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Venue: Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Cotonete

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Florian Pellissier piano, keyboards / Frank Chatona saxophones / Paul Bouclier trumpet, acoustic guitar / Christophe Touzalin trumpet, keyboards / Benoit Giffard trombone / Farid Baha electric guitar / Jean-Claude Kebaili electric bass / David Georgelet drums, percussion  

Paris-based eight-piece disco-funk band Cotonete return to the UK for the first time in two years. 

Cotonete built their reputation through a series of rare singles and collaborations, notably with Dimitri from Paris, before releasing their first album in 15 years, Super-Vilains, in 2019 on Heavenly Sweetness. That record’s moody grooves and live shows across France and the UK—especially their Dingwalls appearance hosted by Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge—cemented their reputation. Along the way, a creative connection with Brazilian legend Di Melo produced Atemporal, an eight-track blend of funk and Brazilian soul later sampled by Drake on his 2023 album For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition.

Rolling into 2024, the band returned with their second full-length album, Victoire de la Musique, guided by producer Guts. The album celebrates global rhythms and playful energy, drawing inspiration from 70s French cinema and jazz-funk scenes worldwide. Tracks like Venezuela and Cinq Pour L’aventure showcase their adventurous spirit, while guests such as Sabrina Malheiros (on a Jorge Ben cover), Leron Thomas, Omar, and Gystere Peskine add rich international textures. With its fusion of Brazilian, Caribbean, and soul influences, Victoire de la Musique stands as both homage and manifesto—a vibrant “victory of music” uniting diverse sounds, cultures, and generations.

Date: saturday 23 may

Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Price: Tickets from £23 (*plus fees)

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Yellowjackets

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Band on the Wall (The Venue)

Bob Mintzer bass clarinet, saxophones, EWI / Russell Ferrante keyboards / Dane Alderson bass / William Kennedy drums, percussion  

Support band TBC – 8PM

Yellow Jackets – 9PM

Well into their fifth decade as a band, Yellowjackets show no signs of slowing down. Very much the opposite, in fact – as implied by the title of their latest release, Fasten Up, the 27th album of the quartet’s storied career and their 7th for Mack Avenue Records. The curious turn of phrase, taken from the exhilarating title tune by bassist Dane Alderson, embraces the band’s ethos of unbridled momentum while carrying the suggestion of cautionary warning: brace yourself, fasten those seatbelts, Yellowjackets are back and the pedals to the metal.  

The spirit of forward motion that has propelled Yellowjackets throughout the band’s history has less to do with the tempo of the songs themselves – which as ever make up a vibrant blend of styles and influences – but with their commitment to exploration and renewal. Those ideas are reflected in the band’s line-up, which features founding pianist/keyboardist Russell Ferrante; drummer Will Kennedy, whose second tenure in the band (starting in 2010) has now surpassed his first (1987-1999); saxophonist Bob Mintzer came on board in 1990; and the Australian-born Alderson, who celebrates his first decade as a ‘Jacket alongside the release of Fasten Up. 

There is a communal joy that invigorates all the music that Yellowjackets create. The thrill of group discovery bristles through the muscular funk grooves, deepens the emotion of the ballads and digs deep to unearth the roots of the band’s bracing sense of swing. On Fasten Up, their rich history remains in focus in the rearview mirror as they accelerate into the future. 

“Jazz buffs know about the Yellowjackets. This is a Grammy-winning band that writes and performs intricate compositions that cross countless boundaries.”
- The Arts Fuse  

Date: thursday 21 may

Time: 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Price: Tickets from £27 (*plus fees)

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