Kings Place

Americana is an increasingly influential style of music that encompasses many key elements of American roots music – folk, blues, country, bluegrass and rock, for starters – but it lives in a world apart from the pure forms of these genres.

Over three evenings the recently formed Americana Music Association UK will present some of the very best Americana music, featuring top artists from North America together with a selection of the finest UK based bands that have been bitten by the Americana bug.

Tim Dowling (Guardian journalist and member of Police Dog Hogan) is here in conversation with AMA UK’s Bob Butler and Stevie Freeman.

Americana | 13-15 Feb 2014, Kings Place
Tickets from just £9.50
http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/americana

Drawing on Christmas songs from a range of sources, Bella Hardy's Bright Morning Star tour features a repertoire of seasonal treats, from the carols of her north Derbyshire home like Down In Yon Forest to the slightly less traditional Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas! Join in the seasonal cheer at Kings Place in the company of Bella and special guests Anna Massie and Chris Sherburn.

Bella Hardy: Bright Morning Star | Saturday 14 December, 2013 | Tickets from £9.50
www.kingsplace.co.uk/bellahardy
Part of Custom Made Winter festival, also featuring The Albion Xmas Show, Norma Waterson & Eliza Carthy with the Gift Band, and Kan: www.kingsplace.co.uk/CMW

Manchester based quartet, Mercury's unashamed rock 'n' roll aesthetic draws influences from a wide spectrum of musical genres such as as Classical Avant-Garde, ECM jazz, Dub-Step and Grunge. Mercury constantly endeavour to find new ways to interpret the traditional roles within the Jazz Quartet format. This is improvised jazz music from a different place, looking back whilst striding confidently forward.

Saxophonist Tom Thorpe spoke to us about how they came together as a quartet, their sound and what you can expect from their gig at Kings Place on 14 December...

Mercury Quartet | Saturday 14 December 2013, 8:00pm
www.kingsplace.co.uk/mercury

One of the UK's most celebrated young composers, Anna Meredith, was commissioned by one of the world's most gifted recorder players, Erik Bosgraaf, with the support of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, to write a new piece. Inspired by the folding of paper, Anna created five miniatures for recorder and ensemble, each based on an origami base-fold. She chats to Ben Eschmade about how it all came about...

Aurora Orchestra with Erik Bosgraaf: Songs without Words
Saturday 19 October 2013, 7.30pm
www.kingsplace.co.uk/origami

International recording artist, freelance bassist, composer, bandleader, educator and producer Michael Janisch, founder of Whirlwind Recordings, chats to Ben Eshmade about the inaugural Whirlwind Festival, a celebration of the finest jazz artists on the label.

Whirlwind Festival | 10-12 October @ Kings Place
www.kingsplace.co.uk/whirlwind

Wayne McGregor | Random Dance presents Random Works with Leafcutter John & members of Aurora Orchestra
Kings Place 
20 & 21 September 2013

Internationally-acclaimed choreographer Wayne McGregor CBE curates an evening of short dance pieces created by choreographers currently working closely with him, including members of his own world class company Wayne McGregor | Random Dance.

Developed in collaboration with Aurora Orchestra, the project features a brand-new score from electronics pioneer Leafcutter John and Aurora Principal Viola Max Baillie, commissioned by Kings Place.

We spoke to choreographer Catarina Carvalho and composer and Aurora’s Principal Violist Max Baillie for our latest podcast which features an exclusive preview of the music!

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We spoke to two of the 100+ acts performing at the Kings Place Festival 13-15 September 2013.

The Belles of London City have taken the entertainment world by storm with their innovative all-female quartet of corseted Morris dancers.

London-based indie-folk band Enderby's Room specialise in lush harmonies, unusual instruments, and vivid storytelling.

Read more about The Belles of London City who perform at Kings Place on Sun 15 Sep

Read more about the Enderby’s Room show at Kings Place on Sun 15 Sep

Read more about the whole Kings Place Festival

Folk in a Box comes to Kings Place Festival!
13 - 15 Sep
Free Entry

Folk in a Box is a free and unique one-on-one music venue and performance space which is the brainchild of musicians Emily Barker and Dom Coyote.

One audience member is allowed in at a time. The door is closed behind them. They are given one song, performed by one musician. Once inside you will be treated to your very own, very intimate concert experience with a mystery artist.

Read more...

Clara Sanabras & Friends
Scattered Flight Launch + Q&A with Simon Schama
Kings Place
Friday 20 September

Clara Sanabras spoke to us about her upcoming album launch at Kings Place. On the night she will be joined by Elysian Quartet, Harvey Brough, Fred Thomas and other guests.

Plus, in keeping with the theme of Spanish Exile, renowned historian Simon Schama joins Sanbras for a pre-concert conversation plus Q&A.

Her new album produced by Harvey Brough (Harvey & The Wallbangers) and recorded by Peter Schwier (Dexys) features stellar guests including Eliseo Parra, Cobla Sant Jordi, Elysian Quartet; some of whom will join her tonight.

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More about Clara..

Lead singer with The Lord of the Rings in Concert, Clara Sanabras is highly in demand: her voice features in top Hollywood soundtracks such as The Hobbit, Snow White & the Huntsman, The Hunger Games. Hailed by James Horner of Titanic fame, she has also sung/collaborated with Jarvis Cocker, The Count & Sinden, Luke Concannon (Nizlopi), Natacha Atlas and performed internationally in venues from Glastonbury to Sydney Opera house, recorded for Harmonia Mundi, DECCA, BBC, sung and acted at The Globe and National Theatres. After the success of her critically-acclaimed film score credits and world tours, Sanabras returns to her roots with an elegy to exile, told in Spanish, Catalan, French and English.

Scene Norway 2
15 - 17 November

Curated by Fiona Talkington of Radio 3’s Late Junction, Scene Norway is welcomed back to Kings Place with artist-in residence Nils Petter Molvær. We caught up with him to talk about the Festival and more..

Also playing are Spin Marvel, Sidsel Endresen, folk violinist Annbjørg Lien, Hilde Marie Kjersem making her London debut, Jan Bang featuring in Not So Silent Movies... and an associated exhibition by Ørnulf Opdahl curated by Kings Place Gallery. Sound for all concerts by Johnny Skalleberg.

Scene Norway 2 is curated by Fiona Talkington and part of EFG London Jazz Festival Kings Place Residency

Read more and book tickets...