Ahead of the launch of our magazine 'Jazz Revelations: Issue 1 - Leeds' on Wednesday 3rd May at Wharf Chambers, we will be sharing snippets from the different articles in the magazine.
Today, we take a peak at what's inside the article "On Rotation: On Tour' with TC & The Groove Family:
The Leeds 10-piece share their highlights from touring and what music they’ve been digging as part of our ‘On Rotation’ feature
TC & The Groove Family smashed the festival season last summer, playing 17 times over the space of two and a half months across the UK. Why are they so in demand? They bring the most infectious energy on stage and blend together jazz, afrobeat, breaks, jungle and highlife into a feverishly dancy set.
Having performed twice at Glastonbury, including (technically) headlining the Sunday as the last live band to play that night, drummer and bandleader Tim Cook explains he still has a lot of love playing to the smaller crowds.
“When we played The Jago in Dalston, it was so intimate and I’m almost crashing my cymbal right on someone's head. I think when the crowd are right on you, you feel that energy in the small, sweaty gigs.”
Their debut album ‘First Home’ released in June 2022 magnificently demonstrated the kind of intensity they bring to the stage and feel in those venues. Bringing that commitment to the gig every time did have its challenges though.
“When you're doing all this travel and things have been stressful when you have multiple gigs on weekends, it’s such a full schedule,” Tim shares.
“It helps we're a family really so we know what everyone individually is going through and we all do our best to accommodate each other in these situations. I think that's what works out so well. We’re really just a bunch of people that are really good friends that connect well together.”
Read more in the 'Jazz Revelations: Issue 1 - Leeds' magazine
The magazine features artists in Leeds producing jazz, R&B, neo-soul, hip hop and electronica music, including:
Phenicia, Vipertime, Yusuf Yellow & August Charles, Jasmine Myra, Sunkissed Child, NikNak, Olivia Cuttill, TC & The Groove Family, Jake Mehew, Plantfood + many more.
We are hosting a launch gig on Wednesday 3rd May at Wharf Chambers to celebrate, with performances from the Olivia Cuttill Quartet, Jake Mehew, and Phenicia headlining.
Proceeds from the launch and magazine sales will go to MAP Charity, a pioneering alternative provider in creative education based in Leeds. They offer music and arts qualifications to young people at risk of exclusion from the mainstream school system. Find more about them here.
Wharf Chambers Co-Operative Club is a members’ club, and you need to be a member, or a guest of a member, in order to attend. To join, please visit wharfchambers.org. Membership costs £2 and requires a minimum of 48 hours to take effect.
In the magazine, you can expect to find in-depth interviews and crate digging with artists, release roundups, an extended feature of our radio piece 'On Rotation', looking ahead to the future talent in the city, a little history on the city's scene, plus a mix to accompany your reading.
The magazine is audio-described as well for those with different accessibility needs.
A big thanks goes to Emma Jones (@emmajonesillustration) for her design work in the magazine, and to Hugh Roberts (@misc.etc_) for the cover design on the magazine and the gig poster.
Thanks to Yasmina Nahas for her contribution to the magazine, and Ally J Steel for his support throughout the project.
And a special thanks to Ben Lee, editor-in-chief of the magazine, for producing the whole project.
We hope to see many of you down at Wharf on 3rd May to support the Leeds scene.
Keep following the Jazz Revelations website, or our Instagram and Facebook pages for sneak previews of the magazine leading up to its release.
Ticket & Bundle Prices:
£5.50 - Magazine only
£7.50 - Launch advance ticket only
£9.50 - Launch OTD ticket only
£12 - Magazine + Launch advance ticket bundle
£14 - Magazine + Launch OTD ticket bundle
Timings:
1930 - Doors open
2015 - Olivia Cuttill Quartet
2115 - Jake Mehew
2215 - Phenicia
Please consider making a donation to The Runnymede Trust and/or the Race Equality Foundation to help further equality within the UK.