An acclaimed bandleader and saxophonist on the London jazz scene, Shabaka Hutchings has spent his life immersed in jazz. Best known for his work with MOBO award winning group Sons of Kemet, Comet is Coming, and Melt Yourself Down, Shabaka Hutchings is associated with the best of the best in jazz.
Born in London but raised in his family’s native Barbados, Hutchings has been exposed to the many shades of jazz that occur from country to country. While on holiday in South Africa, Hutchings became drawn to the primordial music as a source of inspiration. Thus, his album Wisdom of Elders was born.
Recorded over a day with no rehearsal, Wisdom of Elders explores and expands upon traditional Nguni rhythms, while injecting blues, spiritual hymns, and Caribbean calypso. Accompanied by the best players from Cape Town, a.k.a The Ancestors, Wisdom of Elders is a tribute to those who have played jazz in the townships.
Shabaka and the Ancestors bring rich, intense music to every performance. Their melodies intertwine in a dance-like fashion, and their songs flow freely with rolling waves of sound. This promises to be the ultimate show for jazz enthusiasts.
“Wisdom of Elders is intense, captivating and liberated and a meeting between two lands” – Rhythm Passport
“Pulsing, exploratory and vibrant.” – The Guardian
