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This week the spotlight is on:

By Afro Futures, CB News

This week the spotlight is on:

The Brownie Club meets
The Cocoa Butter Club
Friday, 7 March, 7:30 pm, Rich Mix – The Stage

Tickets: £12/10

 

 

Two groups known for their audacious cabaret shows present a fusion of late-night entertainment to celebrate performers of colour. The Brownie Club challenges notions behind brown bodies through drag, dance, and sultry acts, while The Cocoa Butter Club brings empowerment with burlesque, spoken word, fire-breathing, and voguing. This electrifying show blends torch songs, DJ music, Neo-Soul, R&B, Motown, blues, and jazz.

We’re excited to see such boundary-pushing acts coming together for an epic one-off evening. With a soundtrack including DJ sets, drag artist, Bollywood dancer and award-winning performer Bolly-Illusion represents The Brownie Club as host, while Sadie Sinner does the honours for The Cocoa Butter Club. Together, they promise to serve up some sizzling hot acts.

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THE BROWNIE CLUB made their name by challenging preconceived notions of brown bodies through drag, dance, circus and their sultry style of performance, while THE COCOA BUTTER CLUB delivers their signature style of empowerment via burlesque, spoken word, fire-breathing, and voguing. If your looking to turn up the heat a bit this winter, this is the place to be. But what’s more important: these two acts are a creative force that gives a voice to racially othered performers.

About The Cocoa Butter Club
“the show is electric, fun and fabulous”
“an iconic collective”
“powerful, with a poignant message”
About The Brownie Club
“absolutely amazing and courageous”
“wonderful, heartfelt and gripping”
“terrific – a gap in the market, funny and so f**king relevant”

 

January 27, 2025

Spotlight of the Week

By Afro Futures, CB News, Spotlight of the week

Spotlight of the week:

Sean Khan and The Modern Jazz and Folk Ensemble, with special guests Jacqui McShee and Rosie Frater-Taylor
Thursday, 6 March, 7:30 pm, Rich Mix – The Stage


Tickets: £15/12

 

This week, we’re turning the spotlight on Sean Khan and The Modern Jazz and Folk Ensemble. Led by saxophonist Sean Khan, the ensemble has put together a night of British folk revival combined with the rich flavour of jazz. The are joined by legendary Jacqui McShee, an icon of British folk, and Rosie Frater-Taylor, whose blend of jazz, folk, and pop marks her as a creative powerhouse of the next generation.

The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble pays tribute to the 1970s folk revival through a vibrant jazz lens. Led by trailblazing saxophonist Sean Khan, joined by Pentangle’s legendary lead singer Jacqui McShee and highly-praised singer/guitarist Rosie Frater-Taylor, MJAFE offers a unique soundscape blending tradition and innovation following their critically acclaimed album on Acid Jazz Records and a sell-out at Ronnie Scott’s.

 

The Modern Jazz and Folk Ensemble’s latest album, featuring their interpretations of songs from the late 1960s and early 1970s British folk scene, has created quite a sensation. “That’s a really neglected era of British music,” asserts John Coltrane-influenced musician and Ensemble leader Sean Khan. “The music’s absolutely exquisite. Great playing, great vocals, great tunes – what’s not to like!” (RnR November-December 2024)
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The ensemble is joined by Jacqui McShee and Rosie Frater-Taylor. Jacqui McShee, a pioneering voice of British folk as the lead singer of Pentangle, brings decades of storytelling and vocal mastery to the stage. Alongside Rosie Frater-Taylor, a rising star blending jazz, folk, and pop as a virtuoso guitarist and soulful vocalist, this duo bridges generations of musical innovation. Together with Sean Khan, they promise an evening of timeless tradition and contemporary energy. What are you waiting for? Book your tickets today!

 

 

About The Modern Jazz & Folk Ensemble
UNCUT MAGAZINE
“A new group are reconfiguring the sound of British folk-jazz” – Nick Hasted
THE OBSERVER
“A collective of genre-straddling talents gives new life to songs by Nick Drake, John Martyn and Sandy Denny” – Neil Spencer
JAZZWISE
“Jazz and folk have always danced together’ and Khan celebrates that alliance with a special focus on great singer-songwriters of the late 1960’s and 70’s” – Andy Rolson
CAMDEN NEW JOURNAL
“The album is a sprightly delight, celebrating music that has fallen between the cracks somewhat in the recent jazz revival” – Rob Ryan

January 20, 2025

Tickets Now Available For Afro Futures Festival 2025

By Afro Futures, CB News
Afro Futures Festival - Rich Mix
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Certain Blacks presents Afro Futures Festival Thu 6 – Sun 9 Mar 2025

Back for another year of artistic excellence, presented by Certain Blacks.

Featuring dance, theatre, cabaret, music and spoken word, this year’s festival presents work developed within a changing cultural climate and reflects on the ways diverse culture has contributed to the British identity.

This festival looks at what may come, and the programme gathers an exciting lineup of artists highlighting different backgrounds and disciplines.

 

Certain Blacks Website  / Certain Blacks Twitter / Certain Blacks Instagram

If you have any access requirements, please contact our box office team on 020 7613 7498  or email

December 20, 2024

Our news

By CB News

 

Autumn is here and this is our news!

Anchored in Air by Head Over Wheels. Photo by Sarah HicksonEnsemble Festival 2024

 

Since July, we have taken some time to reflect on our Ensemble Festival24. Thank you for helping us with our audience survey! We read all your comments, and will take on board your suggestions.

Ensemble Festival 24 was a wonderful experience that connected over 3,000 audience members and more than 50 artists from all back grounds. 76% of our audience was new to the festival, and people from the age of 3 months to 75+ enjoyed 13 outstanding national and international performances! We will be sharing more photos of all the performances in the following weeks, as well as feedback from our audience, so watch this space.

October 10, 2024

Board Spotlight

By CB News

Member of our Advisory Board and new Board Environmental Champion!

 

Daisy Anna Lees. Photo by Frederico Ramos

Meet Daisy Anna Lees

Meet Daisy Anna Lees Member of our Advisory Board and new Board Environmental Champion! Daisy has worked with artists delivering intercultural community art projects since 2002. Daisy is the Founder Director of Arts La’Olam, a world music booking agency, and co-founded Art Eat Events CIC, street art and events company, and Community Hub Ipswich CIC (CHIp), a shared community space in an empty shop. She recently joined the Board Environmental Champions Programme facilitated by Julie’s Bicycle and committed to work with the Certain Blacks team to achieve our Environmental goals for next year.
Daisy says “This is an exciting moment to gain expertise on behalf of Certain Blacks from Julie’s Bicycle, a brilliant organisation which I have long admired. General Manager Maria Cuervo and I will start a new training programme soon and will be relaying crucial information and recommendations for Certain Black’s environmental policies and practices. Environmental awareness and reducing our negative impact on the planet is an urgency in our generation, this is a responsibility which will help to shape future work. It is a huge privilege, and I can’t wait to start contributing”
We are honoured to have her as part of our Board and are looking forward to working together to develop better and more efficient green practices!

Certain Blacks is proud to be an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation

October 10, 2024