Description
DJ Lubi presents…
MABGATE with special guests August Charles & Alex Fisher + Fuji Speedway
Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Hyde Park Book Club / Leeds / UK
19:30
Longtime Leeds jazz promoter DJ Lubi (Lubi Jovanovic) continues his autumn season at Hyde Park Book Club with another great double bill of progressive fusion bands mixing up alt-jazz, analogue funk, electronica and breakbeats. London/Leeds band MABGATE play their first show in Leeds in a long time whilst support act Fuji Speedway make the short trip up the M1 from Sheffield for just their second show in the city.
Since their debut release "From The Mabgate Basement" - a DIY EP made in a beer cellar-come studio in an old pub in Leeds during lockdown - MABGATE have been through a period of transformation. Honing in on a sound inspired by analogue 70s funk & soul, Ethio-jazz and worldwide groove music, the group formerly known as 'The Mabgate Organ Trio' have developed and rebranded, showcasing their new sound on their latest self-titled EP. (released summer 2023). Following the success of lead single 'I Asked', breakout Yorkshire/UK soul star August Charles joined the trio on "Tell It How I See It" for an emotive vocal performance that plays off the mixture of angular riffs and Latin-inspired harmony and exploring complex emotions. Their second EP "MABGATE" is the first project written and recorded outside of the confines of lockdown, widening its scope and creative process and leading to the band shedding the restrictions of the classic ’organ trio’ format. It's a celebration of creative freedom with a cinematic approach to songwriting, contrasting euphoric melodies against tense harmony, angular riffs and dark, driving grooves. The EP has been championed by the likes of Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) and Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), with singles being playlisted on BBC 6 Music and featured on Selector Radio. Across the project, the band invited contributors from the Leeds community to join them, including saxophonist Alex Fisher and bass clarinetist Joel Stedman (Ancient Infinity Orchestra). The band nods to BADBADNOTGOOD's progressive jazz, Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Touré's desert blues, as well as Surprise Chef's DIY jazz-funk.
MABGATE's ine-up remains the same as always - Richard Moulton drums, Ed Allen guitar, Nico Widdowson keys - though both Ed and Nico are now based in London. For this Leeds show on their winter 2023 UK tour they will be joined by special guests and longtime friends, singer August Charles and saxophonist Alex Fisher. August is getting a lot of attention now with his original alt-soul sound and was busy over the summer with festival appearances and headlining venues UK wide. Alex is a mainstay of the Leeds DIY jazz scene, both as a sideman and with his own solo work. His second solo album drops in October 2023. They make a great gig even better.
Support comes from Fuji Speedway, a Sheffield based fusion quintet that has hit the ground running in 2023. Affiliated with both the nascent Sheffield progressive jazz and electronic scenes, they have garnered a remarkable response for a group still in their infancy, securing a wide range of bookings at vanguard venues across the North. Fuji Speedway draw from a maelstrom of musical influences, including jazz, funk, dub, electronic and broken beat sounds. An eclectic and exciting young outfit whose propulsive and clubby sound chimes with more dynamic audiences. The band are Dave Sheard - keys, George Lloyd - drums, Oscar Devine-Wright - sax, Daniel French - guitar and John Blacklock - bass. Definitely ones to watch for from the buzzing Sheffield jazz/electronica fusion scene.
Since their debut release "From The Mabgate Basement" - a DIY EP made in a beer cellar-come studio in an old pub in Leeds during lockdown - MABGATE have been through a period of transformation. Honing in on a sound inspired by analogue 70s funk & soul, Ethio-jazz and worldwide groove music, the group formerly known as 'The Mabgate Organ Trio' have developed and rebranded, showcasing their new sound on their latest self-titled EP. (released summer 2023). Following the success of lead single 'I Asked', breakout Yorkshire/UK soul star August Charles joined the trio on "Tell It How I See It" for an emotive vocal performance that plays off the mixture of angular riffs and Latin-inspired harmony and exploring complex emotions. Their second EP "MABGATE" is the first project written and recorded outside of the confines of lockdown, widening its scope and creative process and leading to the band shedding the restrictions of the classic ’organ trio’ format. It's a celebration of creative freedom with a cinematic approach to songwriting, contrasting euphoric melodies against tense harmony, angular riffs and dark, driving grooves. The EP has been championed by the likes of Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2) and Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), with singles being playlisted on BBC 6 Music and featured on Selector Radio. Across the project, the band invited contributors from the Leeds community to join them, including saxophonist Alex Fisher and bass clarinetist Joel Stedman (Ancient Infinity Orchestra). The band nods to BADBADNOTGOOD's progressive jazz, Khruangbin and Vieux Farka Touré's desert blues, as well as Surprise Chef's DIY jazz-funk.
MABGATE's ine-up remains the same as always - Richard Moulton drums, Ed Allen guitar, Nico Widdowson keys - though both Ed and Nico are now based in London. For this Leeds show on their winter 2023 UK tour they will be joined by special guests and longtime friends, singer August Charles and saxophonist Alex Fisher. August is getting a lot of attention now with his original alt-soul sound and was busy over the summer with festival appearances and headlining venues UK wide. Alex is a mainstay of the Leeds DIY jazz scene, both as a sideman and with his own solo work. His second solo album drops in October 2023. They make a great gig even better.
Support comes from Fuji Speedway, a Sheffield based fusion quintet that has hit the ground running in 2023. Affiliated with both the nascent Sheffield progressive jazz and electronic scenes, they have garnered a remarkable response for a group still in their infancy, securing a wide range of bookings at vanguard venues across the North. Fuji Speedway draw from a maelstrom of musical influences, including jazz, funk, dub, electronic and broken beat sounds. An eclectic and exciting young outfit whose propulsive and clubby sound chimes with more dynamic audiences. The band are Dave Sheard - keys, George Lloyd - drums, Oscar Devine-Wright - sax, Daniel French - guitar and John Blacklock - bass. Definitely ones to watch for from the buzzing Sheffield jazz/electronica fusion scene.
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