Are We Live @ The Jazz Factory
Are We Live is a London based podcast made up of 4 young London-based musicians & taste-makers, collaborating together to talk about music, make music, debut music, and generally immerse themselves and us, the audience, in music.
Made up by Jordan Rakei, Tom Misch, Barney Artist, and Alfa Mist; each brings their own eclectic tastes and musical intricacies to the weekly chin wag . They’re not a band (they all pursue individual projects), more a collective with an ethos embodied in songs that invite your head to swim in the ether – is well in situ.
On Thursday night, Camden’s iconic Jazz Café was packed to the rafters with steam and bodies alike for the first live show from the collective in 2017, punters braving the freezing elements of a February London evening and queueing round the block. The 500 tickets for the event had sold out within 4 minutes of going on sale last month, and at just over £10 for three and a half hours of music of this quality, it wasn’t hard to see why.
Each of the artists had their own individual slot, but these were regularly interspersed with duets and guest appearances, most notably on the superbly soulful I’m Going to Tell You between Barney and Jordan.
Infused with influences from jazz, soul, hip hop, funk and house, those that have seen these shows are likely to agree that experience of one doesn’t necessarily leave you in the know for those to come, as the elements are tuned and re-tuned, much like the strings of Tom Misch’s guitar.
His arrival to the stage did appear to be the most eagerly awaited, his lick-laden guitar scintillating amongst a chorus of instruments, with poignant strings from a violin and a palette of guest vocals in an audacious blend of unique cameos. Authentic to the personality behind the voice and with an ear for concerted collaborations – no better shown off than on a freestyle, J Dilla-esque tribute with genius lyricism from Barney – all together Misch managed to make something well composed from a voguish variety of sound.
A collection of the most unique and exciting breakthrough artists of 2016 have kicked of 2017 with aplomb. Watch this space…
