Grand Union Orchestra
From Bengal2BethnalGreen with The Grand Union Orchestra on this A World in London! Click: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/a-world-in-london-26th-february-2020/
This week, Tony Haynes and Joshua Brandler dropped in to chat about London's legendary Grand Union Orchestra! They played a few teasers to whet our appetites for this Sunday March 1st at Rich Mix, where the Grand Union Orchestra All-Stars will feature consistent star talents like Yousif Ali Khan, and Lucy Rahman, daughter of the late Bengali activist and composer Sheikh Luthfur Rahman, as well as Shyamal Chowdury; all part of the celebrations commemorating the 100th birthday of the father of Bangladesh: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
We can't wait for Sunday's show, part of the excellent series 'Bengal to Bethnal Green' which kicked off in 2019. Tony's years of music-making with the Bengali communities of Tower Hamlets, as well as his trips to Dhaka and all around the world, mean he's a central figure in everything we love about London’s musical and global diversity. The GUO's fantastic collective of musicians from varied backgrounds has gone through countless iterations over the years, but co-founder and artistic director, Tony, has been the pivotal mainstay. Bringing together voices and musicians from across London and the world - many who are first-generation migrants to the city - the GUO really lives its ethos: it's not about a single musical style, it's about British identity, and you can hear that in everything they play.
On the show we hear some wonderful anecdotes from Tony's 40+ years in the creative industries, and beautiful tracks from the GUO live recording releases. Joshua Brandler was also in the studio with us - he’s in charge of the younger members of the Orchestra in the Grand Union Regeneration Band - or GURB! GURB gathers GUO members aged between twelve and twenty-six, for regular jam sessions of contemporary sounds and cultural fusions. If you want to get involved, or know a young musician who would, the next session is on April 19th at East London's Poplar Union - open to all, and free!!! To keep up with all of GUO and GURB's goings-on, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and on the website.
Joji Hirota – Hiten Ryu II -Japan/UK
Flotsam Sessions - La Cucharita – UK/World
Japjit Kaur & Niraj Chag – Words of Nanak – India/UK
Les Vikings – Ambiance – Gaudalupe – from Cadence Revolution - on Strut Records.
Tamikrest – As Sastnan Hi Djan – Mali - on Glitterbeat.
Awale Jant Band – Sope – Senegal/UK - on ARC Music.
Sumi & Grand Union Orchestra – Milon Hobe – Bangladesh/UK
Grand Union Bangla Band – Tomar Bashani – ‘ ‘
‘ ‘ Chaeridike Aj
‘ ‘ Nodir Sroter
26/2/20 – AWIL 241. Online: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/a-world-in-london-26th-february-2020/ Production & pics by Norman Druker, Sophie Darling, Tanbir Johal, Lucas Keen, artist Alban Low. Last week global music on SOAS Radio – listen here: https://www.mixcloud.com/SOASradio/awil-325/ Next week Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno 6.30pm at Resonance FM.
Goin’ Global Gigs Guide: Feb 29 Kuch Kuch Bollywood Nights @ The Alice EC3A, Mar 1 Grand Union Orchestra @ Rich Mix, Mar 1 Martin Alvarado @ Unity Hall, Mar 1 Tribute to Roza Eskenazi w Dunja Botic @ Green Note, Mar 2 Lokkhi Terra @ Jazz Café, Mar 2 Le Trio Joubran @ Union Chapel, Mar 5 Wolf of Baghdad @ JW3, Mar 6 KaSai Masai @ Dona N16, Mar 13 WOMED @ SOAS Concert Series, Mar 21 Focus Africa @ Peckham Levels, Mar 27 Let Drum Beat @ Rich Mix, Mar 27 Sirojiddin Juarev @ SOAS Concert Series, Mar 28 Kuch Kuch Bollywood Nights @ The Alice, Apr 1 Najma Akhtar @ Pizza Express Holborn, Apr 2 Flotsam Sessions @ Efra Social, Apr 5 Clara Sanabras @ Pizza Express Holborn.
#TheSoundofDiverseLondon #ConnectingCulturesThroughMusic – thirteen years - #DJRitu. Live on Wednesdays 6.30pm Resonance 104.4 https://www.resonancefm.com/ & 4pm SOAS Radio https://soasradio.org/ Online worldwide at #Mixcloud. Join us on Twitter & Instagram @aworldinlondon @djritu1 http://www.djritu.com
