I say GoGo GoGo
It’s cold up North they say. Geographically true that may be, especially at this time of year with longer mine dust coloured nights, but it only makes the natural warm embrace of personality, ability and talent all the more radiant when it comes to visit. Especially when it encourages you to get your groove on, becoming a musical beacon illuminating your life.
And lighting up 12 November we have none other that Manchester jazz trio GoGo Penguin gliding into town to play the simultaneously vast and intimate venue that is the Royal Albert Hall.
Penguin have been around since 2012, while 2018 saw them release their highly accomplished fourth album A Humdrum Star, even though they are signed to Blue Note, it would be unfair to restrict what they create to the genre of jazz. True they are very seasoned musicians in their own right (Chris Illingworth on piano, Nick Blacka on bass and Rob Turner on drums), but the journey of their explorations are beautifully simple, both minimalist and infinitely vast as they expand well beyond the realms and any potential limits of their instruments, bringing in technology and influences from not only the classics of more traditional avenues, but also electronic music, movie scores and much more. There’s even hints of breakbeats, and many a smile has crossed my face as fleeting moments that sound like Brown Paper Bag is being dropped and Roni Size has been invited into the gathering mix.
And it’s that variety and sense of possibility that makes their albums such a pleasure, but also live sets so exciting. Like the best of DJ’s, they can react to the crowd, musicians and audience working as one, fuelling each other, the crowd becoming another instrument in their repertoire as the sounds and emotions roll like waves. So headlining the Royal Albert Hall is going to be pretty bloody special.
It’s not just London town who are going to be getting sorted, there’s enough warmth to go round for everybody and they’re at the Albert Hall in Manchester on November 17, and other dates Cambridge (13 Nov) , Bristol (14 Nov) and Cardiff (16 Nov).
The London support is Sunda Arc and Andreya Triana so it’s going to be a very beautiful evening all round, especially when I float off into the sky to the tripping notes of Bardo.
Tickets can be purchased at royalalberthall.com/tickets/events/2018/gogo-penguin while further details of the tour can be found at gogopenguin.co.uk