- Jacobo Serra added as support for Jorge Drexler at Union Chapel on Tuesday April 21
- Brazil’s Emicida added to La Linea ’15 with a show at Rich Mix on Friday 24 April
- Wara (unplugged) and DJ Callum added as support for Ana Tijoux at Rich Mix on Thursday April 30
- Cerys on 6: La Linea producer, Andy Wood, chats with Cerys Matthews on Easter Sunday on BBC Radio 6 Music. click below to listen to a clip
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02n9f1l
Or for the full interview (from 60 mins in until 90 mins) click below
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05pl1dp
- Andy Wood will also be bigging up La Linea ’15 on the Robert Elms show on BBC London 94.9 on Friday 17th April at 14.00
- Morgan Szymanski & Alejandro Escuer will be appearing on Radio 3’s In Tune on Tuesday 21st April at 16.30
The London Latin Music Festival
April 2015
www.lalineafestival.com
Tuesday 21 April – Jorge Drexler + support from Jacobo Serra – Union Chapel
Tuesday 21 April – Z’ikr – Leicester Square Theatre
Thursday 23 April – Plaza Francia – Koko
Thursday 23 April – Morgan Szymanski & Alejandro Escuer -Purcell RoomSouthbank Centre, Part of Year of Mexico in the UK 2015
Friday 24 April – Mextronica – Village Underground. Part of Year of Mexico in the UK 2015
Friday 24 April – Emicida – Rich Mix
Saturday 25 April – Mexrrissey – Barbican Hall. Part of Year of Mexico in the UK 2015
Sunday 26 April – Mexacustico Rich Mix. Part of Year of Mexico in the UK 2015
Monday 27 April – Buika – Barbican Hall
Thursday 30 April – Ana Tijoux + support from Wara (unplugged) + DJ Callum – Rich MIx
La Linea – The London Latin Music Festival was created by Como No in 2001 to showcase the Latin contribution to the wider musical world and to celebrate new artists, new collaborations and new projects. It also recognises and responds to London’s growing status as one of the world’s great Latin cities, home to many Latin artists and a hungry and diverse audience. La Linea takes place each April in a range of venues across Central London from clubs to concert halls, presenting music that ranges from hip-hop to contemporary classical and all manner of points of connection in between.
As ever La Linea touches many Latin music bases but as the fifteenth year of the London Latin Music Festival coincides with the Year Of Mexico in the UK, Mexico is a particular focus in La Linea’s quinceanera.
A curious and heart-warming fact is that our very own Steven Patrick Morrissey (aka simply Morrissey, or Moz) has a huge Mexican fan base which places him and all his works at the centre of La Linea ’15 with Mexrrissey re-casting the Morrissey/Smiths songbook via an all star Mexican line up. Mexrrissey begins a La Linea UK tour at the Barbican on 25 April. Mexrrissey band members will perform their own music acoustically for Mexacoustico at Rich Mix on 26 April. A mighty host of the best in Mexican electronica dance music will rock Village Underground in Mextronica on April 24. But the La Linea Mexican programme begins in a completely different key with Morgan Szymanski and Alejandro Escuer performing guitar and flute duets from Mexico and Britain’s contemporary classical repertoire at the Purcell Room on April 23.
In the rest of the programme, alongside Buika who continues to expand her repertoire way beyond her Spanish flamenco roots at The Barbican on April 27, there is Uruguayan Oscar winner, Jorge Drexler at Union Chapel on April 21; the Chilean Ana Tijoux from the hip-hop underground at Rich Mix on April 30; the UK debut of Plaza Francia taking the sound of the Gotan Project to the next level with two of the original Gotans plus the French provocateur, Catherine Ringer, ex- Rita Mitsouko at Koko on April 23 ; and star producer Youth (ex-Killing Joke) presents the project Z’ikr that he has developed with Karen Ruimy tracing the eastern roots of flamenco at Leicester Square Theatre on April 21.
Jorge Drexler
+ Jacobo Serra
Tuesday 21 April 2015
7pm
Union Chapel
Compton Avenue, London N1 2XD
£20 in advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/jorge-drexler/
http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/
Making his La Linea debut is Montevideo-born Jorge Drexler. He came to international fame in 2004 when his song Al Otro Lado del Río from the film The Motorcycle Diaries became the first non-English language song to win an Oscar.
His music draws from many roots, a mix of traditional Uruguayan styles such as candombe, murga, milonga and tango fused with bossa nova, pop, jazz and electronic music and bound together by thoughtful lyrics most often returning to the universal topic of love and reflections on identity, race and religions.
Artists as diverse as Shakira, Mercedes Sosa, Omara Portuondo, Victor Manuelle, Neneh Cherry, Pablo Milanes, Ketama, Maria Rita, Adriana Varela and Bajofondo have all recorded songs by Drexler.
Drexler added to his trophy cabinet in 2014 by winning two Latin Grammys for last year’s album Bailar en la cueva , which reached number one in eleven countries, and the same record is also nominated in the Grammys this year.
Jacobo Serra in support specialises in melodic and soulful folk-pop. His music is highly influenced by the likes of Chet Baker, Dylan, The Beatles and more recently by Ron Sexsmith and Rufus Wainwright.
Artist Website: http://jorgedrexler.com/
Artist Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/JorgeDrexlerOficial
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/drexlerjorge
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYmy7QpIoWU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfhEKpFiepM&list=PLmvRas1BZp0nDH7zRHCNK8PysJF6hKJ1G
Zik’r
Tuesday 21 April 2015
7.30pm
Leicester Square Theatre
6 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BX
08448 733433
£20
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/zikr/
http://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/
Zik’r has been created by celebrated musician and producer Youth (Pink Floyd/Killing Joke), together with the acclaimed flamenco dancer and singer Karen Ruimy. The show follows the ancient tradition of eternal music and follows Flamenco’s journey from India to Spain.
Karen Ruimy and Youth are joined by an ensemble of extraordinary multi talented musicians bringing together Qawali, Egyptian and Moroccan traditional sounds, with the wild intensity of the flamenco spirit. Zik’r’s lyrical Inspiration has been found in thirteenth century Sufi mystics, the poetry of Lorca and the native mystical traditions of dance and music throughout Europe, Middle East and India. The name of the show is taken from the Islamic incantation to Allah during prayer.
Artist Website: http://karenruimy.com/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenRuimy
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenRuimy
Artist Instagram: http://instagram.com/karenruimy/
Youtube Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp0DcsnCWA0
Soundcloud Links:https://soundcloud.com/zikr-3
https://soundcloud.com/nathan-graves/karen-ruimy-siguiyiras-part-2-atjazz-3-ways-remix-um/s-ptvXS?in=nathan-graves/sets/karen-ruimy-remixes-west/s-ptvXS
Plaza Francia
+ support
Thursday 23 April 2015
7pm
Koko
1a Camden High St, London NW1 7JE
08444 999 999
£17 in advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/plaza-francia/
koko.uk.com <http://koko.uk.com>
The UK debut of Plaza Francia. Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Muller (Gotan Project), two-thirds of the world renowned band who broke the tango mould earlier this century, have linked up with Catherine Ringer, the iconic french muse of the band Rita Mitsouko to create a brand new progressive tango sound.
Plaza Francia present a mesmerizing live experience – a shared chemistry between French sensuality and the passion of tango. It’s more than tango, it’s France meets Argentina, Piazzolla meets Santana whilst Piaf dances with Messi.
Plaza Francia release their debut CD, A New Tango Songbook, on Because.
Artist Website: http://www.plazafrancia.tv/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plazafranciamusic
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/plaza_francia
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421828030&x-yt-cl=84411374&v=u_nnxfCPhgI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jcuaza3IJqU
Morgan Szymanski & Alejandro Escuer
Thursday 23 April 2015
7.45pm
Purcell Room
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
0844 875 0073
£15
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/morgan-szymanski-alejandro-escuer/
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/
Mexican flautist Alejandro Escuer is one of the country’s foremost exponents in a booming contemporary music scene. His many recordings, teachings and work with composers and ensembles such as Onix and Luminico have led to an international reputation and praise as one of the greatest and more creative players of our time. He is joined by exceptional guitarist Morgan Szymanski in a varied and distinct programme showcasing some of the masterpieces of British and Mexican composers. The evening features works by John Dowland, Benjamin Britten, Alejandro Escuer, Eddie McGuire, Gabriela Ortize, Stephen McNeff and Armando Luna.
“Rewarding, alluring, imaginative” – The New York Times
“Exceptional…extraordinary musical imagination. With demonic force and passion”. – Classical Music Review
“ A player destined for future glories – Classical Guitar
“One to watch” – BBC Music Magazine
Artist Website: http://www.morganszymanski.co.uk/shows/
http://www.alejandroescuer.com/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Morgan-Szymanski/
https://www.facebook.com/aescuer
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorganGuitarra
https://twitter.com/alejandroescuer
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzYw4hxXdc0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJChmoQfFpg
Mextronica
Featuring Compass (Mexican Institute of Sound & Toy Selectah), Chico Sonido, Santos DJ, Lao
+ support
Friday 24 April 2015
10pm – 4am
Village Underground
54 Holywell Lane, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PQ
£15 advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/mextronica/
http://www.villageunderground.co.uk/
The edge that cuts from Mexico’s thriving electronic dance movement. Toy Selectah, from its centre, has assembled a line-up from the three points of the scene Tijuana, Mexico City and his Monterrey home. The night features a live debut for Compass, Toy’s project with Camilo Lara’s Mexican Institute of Sound where the Mexican beat-makers have added their special sauce to collaborations with musicians in New York, LA, London, Sao Paulo, Kingston, Tokyo, Beijing, New Delhi and Mexico.
Representing Tijuana, Santos DJ, showman; Chico Sonido the neo-retro Mexico City crate digger; Lao
Compass Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&x-yt-ts=1422579428&v=Awxj7X3kLdE
Toy Selectah
Artist Website: https://soundcloud.com/toyselectah
Artist Facebook: https://es-es.facebook.com/ToySelectah
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/toyselectah
Santos:
Artist Website: https://myspace.com/santosproyect
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santosstj
Arist Twitter: https://twitter.com/santosstj
Links: https://soundcloud.com/santos-1
Chico Sonido:
Artist Website: http://chicosonido.com/2011/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHICOSONIDO.paisadelic
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/chicosonido
Links: https://soundcloud.com/chicosonido/sets/nalga-bass
Lao:
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laobass
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurorobles
Links: https://soundcloud.com/lao
http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/people/lao
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKcd4yTTjCo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1X595MS2yg
Emicida
Rich Mix
Friday 24 April
8pm
35-47 Bethnal Green Road
London
E1 6LA
020 7613 7498
£16.0 in advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/emicida/
richmix.org.uk
Melodic and rhythmically diverse, progressive and political while still spitting fire – Brazilian MCs refuse to let rap be mere entertainment. Emicida, like his hip-hop partner Criolo, comes from the outskirts of Sao Paulo and adds his own outstanding socially-aware rhymes to grooves that juggle and mingle funk with Brazilian rhythms like forro and maracatu.
Over the last ten years Emicida has gone from freestyling in Sao Paulo’s underground battle scene, via making his own tapes and beats with a makeshift home set up, to viral success across Brazil, becoming the first Brazilian rapper to play Coachella, an appearance at Montreux Jazz, releasing a video with Neymar and composing tracks for Max Payne 3 and FIFA.
His recent album O Glorioso Retorno de Quem Nunca Esteve Aqui (The glorious return of who was never here) is a statement of where he is from and mixes genres like samba, soul and brazilian funk with rap,and lots of percussion. The album features collaborations with Rael, Pitty, MC Guime, Juçara Marçal, Fabiana Cozza, Quinteto em Branco e Preto and Wilson das Neves.
Website http://www.emicida.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmicidaOficial
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/emicida
Mexrrissey *
Barbican Hall
Saturday 25 April 2015
7.30pm
Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
020 7638 8891
£15- £25
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/mexrissey-mexico-goes-morrissey-2/
http://www.barbican.org.uk/
“Nothing the world holds could match the love waiting for me in Mexico City” Morrissey
In Mexico Morrissey has always been a prophet with honour. His songs of love, loss and longing, with powerful imagery and metaphors have found a huge audience and chimed with generations raised on rancheras and mariachis and their singers who were not afraid to cross the line.
Now the love can be returned, with a band made in Mexico City reinventing Morrissey’s songs south of the border. Together they sound like a brass and accordion led combo from the smallest village with the biggest bleeding heart.
The first of the gang is Camilo Lara, the force inside Mexican Institute of Sound, who together with Sergio Mendoza (Orkesta Mendoza/Calexico), has put together a team of musical gunslingers from Mexico’s finest bands.
Andy Wood, Director of the La Linea Festival in London approached Camilo Lara with the initial idea to put together Mexrrissey. Andy says, “ It just felt like time. I had a sense of the feeling for Morrissey in Mexico and the way that his music could connect with so much in Mexican music. It was time to return the love and Camilo was the man who could round up the right posse of dirty pretty things.”
Camilo takes up the story, “I always thought that there were these invisible lines between what Morrissey and Manchester represents and what Mexico City and Mexican pop culture has. And if these are tiny coincidences, we’re making them a little bit bigger on this occasion with a concert of broken hearts and forgotten dreams.”
Sergio Mendoza made the arrangements, “I think we’re taking a really big risk with all these arrangements and the way we’re really flipping these songs.” One starting point was to either find a song with a Mexican connection or something that Camilo and Sergio could imagine recasting with a Mexican flavour. There are some obvious selections like Morrrissey’s paean to the country Mexico. Another starting point was to simply select a song that they were big fans of such as Vicar in a Tutu, Everyday is Like Sunday or Bigmouth Strikes Again. Camilo Lara says “I think for the people that know the songs (which is probably everyone!), I’m sure that they will be amazed that the songs can go into these directions of cumbia and boleros and sound actually as if they were written in that style. Though it’s the words, the playful turns of phrase, and the sighs that are the trickiest to translate into Spanish. Camilo adds “We try to get a glimpse of the poetry in Morrissey’s work and to capture the irony, the anger and the happiness at the same time, that has been a challenge.”
Taking us on a journey of love, loss and longing is an incredible team of big hitters from Mexico’s rock and pop world, who immediately said yes to Mexrrissey’s invitation. There is underground legend Chetes (Zurtok) on guitar, Jay De La Cueva (Moderatto /Titán) on bass, Alejandro Flores Café Tacuba’s violin player, Alex Escobar on trumpet (Twin Tones), Ricardo Najera on drums (Furland) and Camilo Lara adding his trademark sampling and electronics. Ceci Bastida (Tijuana No!) plays keyboards. Vocals are shared between four of the band who also add other flavours live from a range of traditional instruments. Viva Mexrrissey – Ven Armaggedon!
Part of Year of Mexico in the UK 2015
Produced by La Linea – The London Latin Music Festival in association with the Barbican.
UK tour in association with Music Beyond Mainstream.
Mexacoustico
Ceci Bastida, Chetes, Jay de la Cueva, Alejandro Flores, Alex Escobar, Ricardo Najera, Camilo Lara + special guests
Rich Mix
Sunday 26 April 2015
Doors 8pm
35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA
020 7613 7498
£10 in advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/mexacustico/
http://www.richmix.org.uk/
An intimate evening with some of Mexico’s leading musicians and songwriters playing from their own songbooks. The line-up includes Ceci Bastida of Tijuana No, Chetes from Zurtok, Jay de la Cueva of Titan with virtuoso input from Café Tacuba’s violinist Alejandro Flores and the trumpet of Alex Escobar (Twin Tones) and Ricardo Najera (Furland) on drums. Expect something stripped down and surprising from Camilo Lara of Mexican Institute of Sound and other special guests.
Artist Info:
Ceci Bastida:
Facebook:www.facebook.com/CeciBastidaMusic
Twitter:https://twitter.com/cecibastida
Links: www.youtube.com/user/cecibastida
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFmVOiCHBrA#t=19
Ricardo Najera:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ricardonaj
Band Links: https://soundcloud.com/furland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1HWAQuJsGQ
Alejandro Flores:
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_shCQLASadY
Sergio Mendoza:
Band Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orkestamendoza.a
Band Twitter: https://twitter.com/smylaorkesta
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP-5cq5b154
Chetes:
Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/ChetesOficial
Camilo Lara:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Instituto-Mexicano-del-Sonido-IMS/103449746472
Twitter: https://twitter.com/camilolara
Website: http://institutomexicanodelsonido.tv/?lang=en
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrFaCTl8Ud8
Jay De La Cueva:
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jaydelacueva
Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufo5cChEksM
Buika
+ support
Monday 27 April 2015
7.30pm
Barbican Hall
Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
020 7638 8891
£15 – £24
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/buika-3/
http://www.barbican.org.uk/
Buika is blessed with a remarkable voice; raw and smoky but with a tenderness that hits right at the heart. Buika first rose from Spain’s contemporary flamenco scene but her riveting stage presence, her wide range and the sense that anything could happen when she is in the room have latterly drawn comparisons with the live shows of Nina Simone.
This concert follows the recent release of her book of poetry and stories and the impending debut of a new album. Her previous appearance at La Linea in 2013 was completely sold out.
‘A husky roar of a voice that envelops the listener like a great blast of muffling Andalusian heat’. Daily Telegraph
‘Luminous…magnificent…superb!’ New York Times
Artist Website: http://www.conchabuikamusic.com/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuikaMusic?fref=ts
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/buikamusic
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421828030&x-yt-cl=84411374&v=lUUKUcUmb24
Ana Tijoux
+ support
Date: 30th April
Time: 8pm
Venue: Rich Mix
Venue Address: 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA
Venue Box Office: 020 7613 7498
Tickets: £15 in advance
http://www.comono.co.uk/live/ana-tijoux/
http://www.richmix.org.uk/
One of the most respected MCs in any language, Ana Tijoux has been winning over fans around the world since her debut 1977 bubbled up from an underground sensation into mainstream recognition after being featured on the hit TV show Breaking Bad and favourited by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.
Ana Tijoux’s latest album, Vengo, released last year showcases the nimble MC over lush, golden-era hip-hop production rooted in traditional Latin instrumentation. Rolling Stone named her performance at SXSW one of the best concerts of last year’s festival, while the New York Times has called her “South America’s answer to Lauryn Hill: equally skillful at singing and rapping.” Born in France to Chilean parents in political exile during Pinochet’s dictatorship, Tijoux moved back to Chile as a teenager and found a home in the emerging hip-hop scene of Santiago.
In concert, Tijoux takes the stage with a full band that brings to life the intricate arrangements of the new album, a whirlwind trip through hip-hop, jazz, and funk, spiced with a bit of politics and her great sense of humour that has led audiences around the globe fall in love with her.
Support comes in the sound of a special acoustic set from La Linea Anglo- Cubano local heroes Wara.
Venue Website: http://www.richmix.org.uk/
Artist Website: http://www.anitatijoux.com/
Artist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitatijoux
Artist Twitter: https://twitter.com/anatijoux
Youtube Links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_hyPFcubyU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WvYiThxh2c