Live

Love Supreme Festival : Glynde Sussex 30/06 - 2/07/2023

Despite the persistent drizzle that greeted us on the opening day nothing was going to dampen spirits on a festival that proved to be exhilarating crossing genres and generations with exceptional style.

Drummer, Tristan Banks, opened proceedings with terrific gusto as he and his virtuosic quartet tore through the material on his ace debut album ‘View From Above’ - he’s definitely on a roll (no pun intended) what with being a top flight artist and running the much loved Verdict Jazz Club in nearby Brighton , his star is most definiately in ascendant.

Likewise, steel pan protégé, Leon Foster Thomas was a tour de force too, playing in the far more intimate surroundings of Chris Phillips’ Jazz In The Round stage. His stonking band and performance was the absolute highlight for me and there was stiff competition but his intricate and highly syncopated super tight rhythms and spaced out funky jazz cut the mustard in supreme style.

Saturday saw the main stage open and it’s always a treat when you have sunshine and reggae together- the perfect combination. Holding court was the breath taking voice of Cleveland Watkiss and his ace band extolling the virtues of the great Jamaican Songbook and ‘What Is Man’ with its cleverly curt lyrics and a singalong chorus hit the sweet spot. As did crowd favourites, Incognito whose exuberance was infectious. ‘Always There’ and ‘Don’t You Worry About A Thing’ added a respectful twist to the originals in the band’s own classy style.

Jazzmeia Horn was a delight too, her straight ahead Jazz and high register scatting took no prisoners as did Marcus Miller whose thunderous bass and seductive bass clarinet ruled majestically - ‘Come Together’ was simply inspirational. Love supreme has many strands and the 80’s disco funk of Shalamar wowed the party crowd with no brainers such as ‘There It Is’ , ‘Night To Remember’ and ‘Take That Too The Bank’.

Sunday saw the festival swell even further with day trippers filling the field. Tower Of Power delivered some neat Oakland strokes with ‘You Gotta Funkify’ and ‘What Is Hip’ and Candi Staton put in a disco diva shift slaying the audience with ‘Young Hearts Run Free’. Genre mashing genius ‘Thundercat’ drew a huge crowd and his opening numbers were pure avant garde with bombastic noodling that went over most people’s heads, mine included, I much prefer his hippie Neo Soul songs that give him that pop loveability. Yussef Dayes set was far more accessible even though boundaries and rhythms were pushed.

Headliner Grace Jones was worth with the ticket price alone. She’s still got it at 75 in spades and mesmerised all. Costume changes on every number and obligatory hula hooping on ‘Slave To The Rhythm’ produced some of the festival’s most exhilarating moments providing the crowning glory for this year’s forward thinking sun kissed spectacular event now in its 10th year. Here’s to the next 10 …..
Words Emrys Baird