TOMORROW'S WARRIORS TAKE OVER

Watford Jazz Junction and Tomorrow's Warriors present the Sultan Stevenson Trio featuring Mark Kavuma.

Pianist Sultan Stevenson is one of the fastest emerging young artists on the London jazz scene. His trio is already established as an outfit to catch when billed to play live and is being tipped for success on national and international stages.

Aged only 20, Sultan is an alum of the famed Tomorrow’s Warriors jazz artist development programme, and now a member of its Music Leader Faculty. His music combines elements of the African-American jazz tradition as well as his own Caribbean cultural experience. His approach to composition and playing has already been compared to that of McCoy Tyner and Esbjörn Svensson and, over the past year, his Trio has played standout gigs at Jazz Re:freshed, the Vortex and the Jazz Café where the band opened for the great Billy Cobham. Their Pizza Express gig during the 2021 EFG London Jazz Festival was a sell-out.

Check the video link below to Sultan and his trio performing Safe Passage as part of the Cinematic Sessions for New Generation Jazz below.

Joining Sultan as a very special guest for this Watford Jazz Junction show is a fellow Warriors alum, trumpeter Mark Kavuma. Over the last decade Mark has established himself as a key player in London’s rapidly expanding jazz scene - firmly rooted in the hard bop tradition, Mark infuses this indelible musical movement with the energy, attitude and swagger of a new generation of creators.

As a bandleader, he has released three albums, Kavuma (2018), voted among the best albums of the year by Downbeat magazine, The Banger Factory (2019) and Arashi No Oto (2021).

A gifted educator and inspirational creative enabler, Mark is an associate Music Leader for the Tomorrow’s Warriors programme, and is involved in their professional performance ensembles, including the acclaimed Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jazz Jamaica All Stars.

Jelly Cleaver is our host DJ for the evening with a whole lot of jazz groove to keep us dancing into the night.

Band Line-Up

Sultan Stevenson – piano

Jacob Gryn – double bass

Joel Waters – drums

Special guest Mark Kavuma - trumpet

Steinbeck & Shaw will also be including a free glass of prosecco for every one attending - adding even more fizz to an awesome evening!

Video Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NWMH_98lUo

More about Tomorrow’s Warriors

Tomorrow’s Warriors is a pioneering talent development organisation, creative producer, learning and training provider, charity and consultancy specialising in jazz. Founded in 1991 by Queen’s Medal for Music recipient Gary Crosby OBE and Janine Irons MBE, Tomorrow’s Warriors helps aspiring young artists from diverse backgrounds discover their magic and achieve creative ambitions.

TW nurtures nascent talent and builds engaged, culturally diverse audiences and has been recognised both nationally and internationally, receiving over fifty awards, including the 2021 Impact Award from Jazz FM.

Their award-winning alumni include: Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, Sheila Maurice-Grey, Cassie Kinoshi and Nerija, Femi Koleoso and Ezra Collective, Binker Golding, Shabaka Hutchings and Sons of Kemet, ESKA, Denys Baptiste, Soweto Kinch, Ben Burrell, Zara McFarlane, Camilla George, CHERISE, Nathaniel Facey and Empirical, Peter Edwards... the list goes on and on.

“Tomorrow’s Warriors have changed the musical landscape of Britain. It’s as simple as that.” Cerys Matthews, Artist & Broadcaster

Find out more at www.tomorrowswarriors.org