Saturday night a couple of weeks ago...
I and a few
friends are here to have a good time, one of the best clubs- not in the
centre of London- but up town, in remote Hackney, a borough filled with
musicians and artists from almost every corner of the world.
This is Passing Clouds and it is April 13th....2013.
The beers we are drinking seems to have a Swahili name, but Mongozo does not
come from East Africa, who cares? Mwongozo
( not “Mongozo” )means guidelines, in Swahili, mind you. Which might fit our theme today.
“Tastes good,” Angolan, world travelled bon vivant, Antonio
Mamede, a jazz enthusiast who plays Trumpet says with relish.
As we sip Mongozo and swing to the house DJ's blues and jazz and
the Afro and the funk and the reggae... Passing Clouds suddenly unleashes its melodic tsunami.
Band on stage is doing the most beautiful sound-check I
have seen for ages. I will tell you why in a second.
On keyboards is confident looking Cyrus Richards
(UK/Grenada), who I am told has just been touring with Culture and Abyssinians while Gabriele - Italian and newest member of the band - stands tall on Sax ; Kit drums? It's Juba who also plays for Sam and the Womp,
Tumbaito etc. Bass bassing bass, is the
swinging and tingling rhythms of Caswell
Swaby...
“We will sound check and play you something...” Says
the man with the red guitar, long dreadlocks and a very pleasant vibe. Passing Clouds vibe.
The vocals "welcome" everyone to dance and enjoy
themselves and by the time we start to move, the guys, these artists, have balanced their sound.
There is no "testing one two three", that old fashioned, monotonous rivulet....
This is Planetman in action.
