Preview: Crossings: Newcastle Poetry Festival @ Sage Gateshead - May 4

This Sage Gateshead event in Sage Two on Thursday evening promises to be a fascinating cross-cultural, interdisciplinary experience for a broad, open-minded audience. Presented by Newcastle University, this double bill of flamenco and poetry and the British new wave duo Binker and Moses joining forces with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess, will come into its own in the intimate surroundings of the three-tiered hall.

Jugar con Fuego is the UK premiere of the Latino Grammy-nominated collaborative work by poet  Fernando Valverde and flamenco singer Juan Pinilla. Valverde will recite his poetry as Pinilla sings his own songs. Olio is New York-based poet Tyehimba Jess’ 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning collection focusing on the history of African-American music. Joining Jess will be the jazz duo of the moment; the brilliant Binker Golding (tenor saxophone) heard recently at this year’s Gateshead International Jazz Festival with Zara McFarlane, and the equally brilliant drummer Moses Boyd. The British duo won a MOBO award for Dem Ones and threaten to go on to conquer the jazz world. A memorable late night performance in Sage Two last year was followed up by a successful word-of-mouth gig at Gosforth Civic Theatre and given the large numbers in attendance on both occasions it is likely that Sage Two on Thursday evening will be bursting at the seams. The performance begins at 8:00pm, tickets are £21.80. (concessions available), to secure your seat telephone the Sage ticket office on 0191 443 4661.        
Russell