The Live Box Autumn Season

The Live Box Autumn Season at The Drum

The Live Box is a regular performance arts event, run by Nu Century Arts and Soweto Kinch, embracing live music, poetry, hip hop and dance, offering both emerging and established artists the opportunity to develop and perform their work. It successfully breaks down barriers between high art and street culture, providing a relaxed and informal atmosphere for people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds.

The Live Box offers audience members the chance to participate in the jam session. Whilst jazz underpins the majority of The Live Box sessions, a unique feature is that impromptu poetry recitals sit comfortably alongside straight-ahead jazz, and hip hop MCs feel as at home as reggae musicians. The meeting of alternative genres has encouraged many exceptional performances, and defied stereotypes.

September sees the return of Live Box to The Drum featuring an incredible line up of local and international artists. Reggae Family Disco kicks off the season at The Drum on Sat 18 & Sun 19 Sep, providing reggae DJs, live music and entertainment for all the family. Activities, arts & crafts, workshops and face painting will be provided throughout the day and food and drink will also be available. Also performing on Sat 18 Sep is critically-acclaimed Canadian blues singer Diana Braithwaite, with multi-talented instrumentalist and guitarist Chris Whitely.

On Sun 3 Oct, four of the best French beatboxers, Micflow, Mr Lips, Fayabraz, and Tiko hit the Live Box stage. Under Kontrol are the 2009 world champions of beatbox, creating a diverse range of musical sounds – just using their mouths. Producing their own original material, they are highly skilled at the art of beatbox and are bound to please any fan with their unique style.

On Sun 17 Oct Live Box closes the Afrovibes Festival in style with a talented selection of emcees and jazz artistes drawn from South Africa and Birmingham. This special event is being curated by Soweto Kinch.

Performing on Sun 24 Oct with a stellar line-up, consisting of a generational mix of London’s top jazz musicians, is trumpeter Jay Phelps, who is at the forefront of the young and creative generation of jazz musicians in the UK, with an instantly recognisable warm and projecting tone. In his debut, Jay Walkin' he departs from the current trend of experimental modernism, occasionally evoking the spirit of the 1940s New York Birdland scene with playful vocals by showman, Michael Mwenso.

Award-winning journalist Kevin Le Gendre and super-jazz group Empirical join forces on Sun 31 Oct, to celebrate the musical legacy of the stunning alto saxophonist and human rights activist, Cannonball Adderley. Against a backdrop of archival audio, and both moving and still images, Kevin Le Gendre illuminates the life and work of the brilliant saxophonist Cannonball Adderley whilst Empirical stylishly reprise a selection of Adderley's repertoire appealing to both progressive and nostalgic jazz listeners alike.

On their biggest tour to date, Sat 13 Nov sees Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble performing at this Live Box Special. Over the years Gilad Atzmon's music has moved more and more towards a cultural hybrid, amazing his listeners with his powerful personal style that combines great bebop artistry and Middle-Eastern roots in a sophisticated, sometimes ironical manner. Atzmon's album Exile was BBC Jazz Album of the Year (2003), playing over 100 dates a year; he has been called ‘the hardest-gigging man in British jazz’.

On Sun 28 Nov bass player Michael Olatuja comes to Live Box with a diverse musical set featuring influences as far flung as traditional Nigerian Yoruba music as well as jazz, soul, R&B and gospel. Michael has played for a wide range of artists including Lisa Stansfield, Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan, as well as creating his own music, embodied in his album Speak. His powerful music uplifts and brings a great sense of positivity.

Jason McDougal returns to Live Box on Sun 12 Dec to showcase his vocal talents. He is inspired by jazz, soul and gospel music and the strands come together in his haunting vocal performances. He is joined by pianist David Grey who is influenced by hip hop, electronica, classical and jazz, and has recorded the album Hummingbird Hill with his band, the Greyish Quartet. They perform original jazz and hip hop tracks, written by David. Together their performance is going to be electric as the strengths of each artist combine.

-ENDS-

For photographs and more information please contact Helen Liddle, Marketing & Press Officer on 0121 333 2409 or email h.liddle@the-drum.org.uk

Notes to Editors

Title: Reggae Family Disco
Date & Time: Sat 18 & Sun 19 Sep, 1pm – 6pm
Ticket Prices: Admission Free
Venue: The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham B6 4UU
Box Office: 0121 333 2444 or visit www.the-drum.org.uk
Facebook: Drum (West Midlands)
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Title: The Live Box: Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whitely.
Date & Time: Sat 18 Sep, doors open 7pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)

Title: The Live Box: Under Kontrol
Date & Time: Sun 3 Oct, doors open 7.45pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)

Title: The Live Box: Afrovibes Afterparty
Date & Time: Sun 17 Oct, doors open 9pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)

Title: The Live Box: Jay Phelps
Date & Time: Sun 24 Oct, doors open 7.45pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)

Title: The Live Box: Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble
Date & Time: Sun 13 Nov, doors open 7.45pm
Ticket Prices: £12 (£10) ADV, MOTD

Title: The Live Box: Michael Olatuja
Date & Time: Sun 28 Nov, doors open 7pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)

Title: The Live Box: Jason McDougal & David Grey
Date & Time: Sun 12 Dec, doors open 7.45pm
Ticket Prices: £5 (£3)