SEED Ensemble

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SEED Ensemble
Origin London, United Kingdom
Genres Jazz
Years active2016 (2016)–present
Labels Jazz re:freshed
MembersCassie Kinoshi
Sheila Maurice-Grey
Shirley Tetteh
Theon Cross
Miguel Gorodi
Chelsea Carmichael
Joe Bristow
Deschanel Gordon
Rio Kai
Patrick Boyle
Past membersJoe Armon-Jones
Sarah Tandy
Website www.cassiekinoshi.co.uk/seed-the-band

SEED Ensemble are a 10-piece British jazz ensemble led by Cassie Kinoshi. In 2019, they were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

Metro has described them as part of a "new wave of British jazz". [1] SEED Ensemble's trumpet player, Sheila Maurice-Grey also plays with Kinoshi in the groups Kokoroko and Nérija . Shirley Tetteh plays guitar for both SEED Ensemble and Nérija, while tuba player Theon Cross also plays with Shabaka Hutchings in Sons of Kemet. [2] Maurice-Grey also collaborates with Little Simz, [3] while former keyboardist Joe Armon-Jones plays with jazz group Ezra Collective. [4] Completing the band are Miguel Gorodi on trumpet, Chelsea Carmichael on tenor saxophone and flute, Joe Bristow on trombone, Deschanel Gordon on piano, [5] Rio Kai on double bass and Patrick Boyle on drums. [6]

SEED Ensemble released their first full album, Driftglass, in 2019 on the Jazz re:freshed label. The album's nomination for the 2019 Mercury Prize led to an 85% increase in sales of their album and a 102% rise in Spotify streams, according to Music Week. [7] Kinoshi stated that the album, for which they were nominated, was a “celebration of what it means to be a young black British person”. [8] The album was named after Samuel R. Delany’s 1971 collection of science-fiction stories. [9]

Driftglass was positively reviewed by The Guardian, who described the style as a fusion of "African, Caribbean, dance grooves and 60s Blue Note". [10] Clash Magazine called the album "a bold record", and Kinoshi "a stellar instrumentalist". [11]

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References

  1. "Bradley Zero is bringing the new wave of jazz to the Boiler Room Festival". Metro Newspaper UK. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  2. Subscribe (18 September 2019). ""I write about what I feel" - Cassie Kinoshi talks SEED Ensemble's debut 'Driftglass'". DIY. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  3. "Cassie Kinoshi on sci-fi, Sun Ra and her Mercury Prize nomination". Evening Standard. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  4. "Cassie Kinoshi on sci-fi, Sun Ra and her Mercury Prize nomination". Evening Standard. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  5. Pople, Ian (July 2019). "Love Supreme Jazz Festival, reviewed by Ian Pople". themanchesterreview.co.uk.
  6. "Driftglass, by SEED Ensemble". SEED Ensemble. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  7. "Mercury Prize data dump: Which nominees have seen the biggest boost so far?". www.musicweek.com. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  8. Arts, Lanre Bakare; correspondent, culture (18 September 2019). "'Most political in years': critics hail Mercury prize's return to protest music". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  9. "Saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi's SEED Ensemble announces debut album, Driftglass". 16 January 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  10. Fordham, John (14 February 2019). "Cassie Kinoshi' SEED Ensemble: Driftglass review – young jazz on song | John Fordham's jazz album of the month". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  11. "SEED Ensemble's Cassie Kinoshi Explores The Key Role Of Women In Jazz". Clash Magazine. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.