Pig Hill No More! Swindon’s Fantastic Jazz & Soul Festival

If a rare journey to Swindon usually lands me in the Vic or Beehive, today things were going to be different. A lack of beer tap options was made up, tenfold, by outstanding acoustics of a nineteenth century church, a second stage in the accompanying community centre, an impressive all-day selection of jazz and African music, a delicious Jamaican food stall, and a unique and upfront experience locally with happy hospitality; welcome to the second day of Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival….I took my favourite jazzy hat, but left it the car!

Having been listing the regular club events of Jazz Knights at Swindon’s Royal Oak, generally on Tuesday evenings, for a while on our event calendar, it was high time I poked my nose in, and their annual jazz and soul festival at Old Town’s Christ Church was the ideal opportunity. It’s in its fourth year, folk there told me it’s become an unmissable annual attraction.

Arriving a day late, Friday concentrated on the soul element, climaxing with a Stevie Wonder tribute; would’ve enjoyed this but duty called. Saturday, I’m informed, is all about jazz; I’m somewhat in the dark with jazz hands and technicalities, but more than okay with that. Also, though, the community centre adjacent offers various styles and interpretations of African music; double-whammy.

The initial impressive element hits you before entry, the place is amazeballs. And once in, the acoustics in this colossal spire church are stupendous. This was supplied, at the time, by Cheltenham’s leading saxophonist and composer Kim Cypher, with the archetypal red beret and overwhelming quartet; nice hat, see?!

If jazz in its heyday was considered outrageous and one wouldn’t find it in a church, times change, clearly; all the pews accounted for by large age and ethnic demographics, all taking in the beautiful sounds of traditional jazz, in harmony, with a hint of red wine, said equally as much as the once popular Marlborough Jazz Festival. But I must check the community centre too, as Two-Man-Ting are already playing, and I know and love these guys, from them having played the trusty Southgate back in Devizes.

This Bristol-based duo consisting of English guitarist Jon Lewis, who has a clear penchant for Two-Tone and punk inclinations of yore, and Jah-man Aggrey, a Sierra Leonean percussionist, make for an amazingly unique sound with wonderful audience participation. They made it obvious, as a world music lover, this mini-Womad is going to be my preferred base for the day; found myself a comfy chair.

With an African fusion dance workshop with Morilie Taiwo of Dance Roots Africa in the centre, my two left feet sought the Jamaica Me Crazy stall to fill my soul food appreciation, which they did, mouth-wateringly. And between acts I sauntered from there to the main stage. Though my knowledge of jazz can be written on a matchbox, I know what I like. Bristol’s The Ibou Tall Jazzmates are causing an incredible sound, contemporary yet bebop, like Charlie Parker… to my untrained ear!

When I did drop back to the centre, a crazy-haired saxophonist was wandering through dancing crowds, and I guessed this must be Rhythm Of Africa, an experimentally yet entertaining, and often comical trio, exceptionally skilled in creating a beguiling sound through just djembe drum, guitar and balafon, the latter taken up by said saxophonist.

Things were more traditional jazz in the church, with the aptly named It’s Trad Dad, a passionate orchestra of accomplished musicians. All very conventional, tad swing, and delivered with an astute passion you couldn’t ignore. Here is what I was expecting to see, I got it with bells on, anything else was a bonus ball.

The crème de la crème of The African music showcase, Suntou Susso made my night, though; a bonus ball indeed. Half Gambian half Senegalese, Suntou Susso introduced the audience to his instrument of choice, the Kora. It’s a lute-harp multi-string instrument made from cow skin covered pumpkin, with a mahogany bridge, and he truly is a virtuoso of it. I’ve heard this instrument before, through an old cassette of Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh, but I’ve never seen it played. To add to the already sublime ambience, Suntou completes this enchanting effect with a full funky backing band, proficiently tight and uniformed. It was, in short, a jaw-dropping awe moment.

I arrived at Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival concerned it might all be rather insular, born from a regular jazz club in a town erroneously preconceived to be cultureless, hence leaving my jazzy hat in the car! Figuring it’s akin to Mickey Mouse ears at Disneyland, or an I ‘heart’ NY in New York, isn’t it? Jazzy hat might suggest I’m desperately trying to conform, when really, I look like a twat in it; it can stay on the backseat, I didn’t need a cliché to fit in!

To consider if Oxford has its university and Bath has its Roman Baths, Swindon has its Magic Roundabout, is picky, you know this, and think of Spitfires, Doris Day, Edith New and the GWR; I believe anyone in a nearby town critical of Swindon has infrastructure jealousy issues! Still, I pondered that I shouldn’t expect miracles. I left feeling precisely the opposite. This comfy, quirky and buoyant mini-festival was certainly communal, but friendly and welcoming, and what’s more, the musical professionalism was of top quality. The hat wouldn’t have ruined the effect after all; it was as unpretentious as you’d want a jazz festival to be; bloomin’ marvellous!

Let me be the Melinda Messenger in your Billie Pipeline, local jazz aficionados take note, Jazz Knights is well worth trekking to Swindon for, and any and everyone looking for a unique and sincere music appreciation festival should bookmark next year’s Swindon Jazz & Soul Festival; I had fun there, my hat didn’t!