Vortex Outdoors
Sunday 28th September 2008
Vortex Outdoors was a soul, funk, jazz and hip-hop concert on Gillett Square attended by over 1200 people. Musicians’ collective Brazenbunch and the band Lifeforce, who host a monthly residency at the Vortex Jazz Club, curated the programme of performers. The event opened with a set by students from Hackney’s BSix College, who had been taking part in workshops funded through the project’s outreach activities.
During the concert’s six-hour programme, the musical landscape undulated from crooning to twisted soul, spoken-word with ‘cello to soaring funk. The performers were: Baby Sol; Zena Edwards; Jnay; Jonathan Geyevu; Imaani; DJ Misbehaviour; Abdul Shyllon; Tawiah; Andreya Triana and Ayanna Witter-Johnson.
This free event was part of the Open Rehearsal programme, which marked the start of the Cultural Olympiad in a weekend of events across London. It is also part of the ongoing programme of projects being produced by Hackney Cooperative Developments with a range of creative partners. Vortex Outdoors also marks the start of a new initiative to widen access to the diversity and quality of music being performed inside the Vortex Jazz Club.
Funding for Vortex Outdoors was raised in partnership between HCD, the Vortex Jazz Club and Brazenbunch. Support for this ambitious project was secured from Arts Council England; the Greater London Authority’s Open Rehearsal; HBOS Foundation and the Performing Rights Society Foundation.
www.vortexjazz.co.uk
www.brazenbunch.com
www.myspace.com/lifeforceband
The members of Gillett Squared:
Hackney Co-Operative Developments
New Vortex Jazz Club
East London Design Show
