(Review by Russell).
A double CD
featuring a core band of musicians and a cast of characters tells the story of
an aspiring rap artist in a world of ‘corporate suits’ seeking to exploit the
underground talent of the eponymous hero is one facet of a project developed
over several years in conjunction with Jonzi D. The scale of the work is
impressive incorporating dance, design, jazz, hip-hop and visual art. Kinch
sees the work as being in development, evolving as it is seen and heard in
performance and on CD over the coming weeks and months.
The work is based
around the Seven Deadly Sins with MC
Smith portrayed by a double narrator (Kurt Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins incorporated the device); Kinch narrates Smith’s
inner thoughts, brother Toyin Omari-Kinch is the voice of the protagonist.
Kinch the rapper drives the narrative, programmed beats (drum ’n’ bass) and
Bach chorales (!) infuse the entire work and the ‘live’ jazz element is of the
highest order.
MC Smith takes The Phone
Call from the cynical industry professional offering him riches and the dye
is cast. Our hero sets off in search of
a mic (The Golden Mic) and encounters
numerous obstacles as he takes his first frustrating (and at times amusing)
steps in the music business (Kinch has previously spoken of his War in a Rack - a struggle against the
industry’s pigeon-holing of his music). Road
Block showcases the band’s blistering jazz credentials, Shabaka Hutchings
(a BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist) plays big tenor on Tube Delays and Traffic Lights
scream blindingly as altoist Kinch picks up the tenor. Trumpeter Jay Phelps and
Julian Joseph (piano) shine on the ballad Vacuum
and Joseph contributes to the tumultuous Sweeping
Changes (stellar drumming from Graham Godfrey, Kinch on alto). Austerity,
pizza chains, fat cats, the voiceless Palestinians, finance agreements, peddled
cheap credit and the wealth gap are just some of the subjects referenced in a
brilliant exposition on Avaritia. Will
our hero resist? No matter, the band tear it up on Slam (put it on the iPod). Better
Off Alone features Kinch rapping
and playing tenor as Eska Mtungwazi’s excellent vocals -I’ll go my own way - suggest Smith should do it his way. Then more
wonderfully dark, inventive lyrics on Superbia
and The Dark Warrior Lord. Highlights
are many; the tight combo playing on D’Urge
is simply sublime drawing on American free jazz, Braxton, Dolphy and so much
more. MC Smith survives Man’s Darkest
Hour, experiences an Epiphany resulting
in the joyous The Healing and The Bounce.
Russell.
The
Cast: Mike Smith: Toyin
Omari-Kinch, Mike’s inner thoughts: Soweto
Kinch, The Sage: Jonathan Owen,
Kate Advo (A+R): Tessa Walker, Muse
1: Yvette Harris, Muse 2: Jonzi D, The Choir: Rachel Maby, Buzzy Sparxx: Dominic ‘Silverchet’ Davids, Taxi
Driver: Joel Cottrell, Police Man in
‘Pressure’: Tony Platt, Bajan Tube
Announcer: Jonzi D, Concierge: David Timothy, Waitress: Iza Coesak, Jada: Terri Facey, Jenni: Mimi
Fresh, Dark Angel: Tyrone Huggins,
Amusement Arcade Worker: Jonzi
D, Koos: Tony ‘Jamo’ Morrison, Cynthia:
Janine Small, Razor Sharp: Daniel
Anderson.
Photography: Ben Amure, Album Design:
D237, Illustrations: Daniel Isles,
Soapbox Design. Producer: Tony Platt.
Soweto
Kinch The Legend of Mike Smith is available on Soweto Kinch Recordings SKP003CD
Soweto
Kinch will tour the project in collaboration with choreographer Jonzi D with a
full staging of the work at the re-opening of Birmingham Rep on 12 September
2013. Kinch’s new trio - Shaney Forbes (drums) and bassist Karl Rasheed-Abel - will perform the music at this year’s
Gateshead International Jazz Festival on Friday 5 April. A major event, be
there.
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