Three great releases of lost concerts by Duke Ellington Orchestra, John Taylor & Stan Sulzman, and Joe Henderson
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Stunning sounds from Mokoomba
RUBY FISHER experiences a thrilling fusion of tradition and innovation from a young Zimbabwean band on the rise
To rescue Kahlo from the clutches of the corporate art market, we need to acknowledge the overt and covert political dimensions of the work, demands GAVIN O’TOOLE
If you can see past the relentless commodification you will be rewarded by enormously powerful work, suggests JENNY MITCHELL
CHRIS SEARLE revels in the one-off collaboration between an American polymath and a British Muslim, and detects the presence of their revolutionary forebear
GORDON PARSONS revels in an ebullient production of Shakespeare’s magical comedy
BRENT CUTLER welcomes a thoughtful analysis of the Erdogan regime, viewed through the evolving history of a neighbourhood in Istanbul
GORDON PARSONS regrets the price, but is dazzled by an outstandingly ambitious study of the way art restoration in particular, and culture in general was weaponised by the Nazis
Mokoomba
St Mary’s Music Hall, London
SOMETHING special happens in the room when Mokoomba start to play. In the opening strains of the first song Yombe, Trustworth Samende’s lilting guitar and Mathias Muzaza’s soaring vocals pull you into a soundscape of traditional Luvale and Tonga sounds and rich, soulful harmonies.
They go on to deliver an electrifying night to remember, combining history, tradition and identity fused with an entirely unique modern sound in a stunning 12th century church, complete with lager in the pews.
The band's six members grew up together in a township on the fringe of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and this shared identity infuses the spirit of their music — their voices seem to have found a pristine balance after a lifetime in each other’s company.
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