Faris Ishaq x BEJE: In The Spirit Of 'Trane at St Paul's Church

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A masterful melding of 'spiritual jazz' and Palestinian folk.

Unbeatable 'cosmic jazz' in the spirit of saxophone visionary John Coltrane, here deeply infused with traditional Palestinian melodies and rhythms.

Boldly waving high the freak flag of 'cosmic/spiritual jazz', nay reed-flute master Faris Ishaq is given punchy, characterful support by global jazz ensemble BEJE on spine-tingling music ranging from meditative atmospherics to primal improvisation: by turns profoundly beautiful, frantically urgent, joyfully strange, and yieldingly delicate.

Global jazz flautist, Middle-Eastern nay reed-flute master, composer, and poet Faris Ishaq has carried the torch for 'cosmic jazz' in his own way since first encountering the music of jazz legend John Coltrane whilst studying at Berklee College Of Music in Boston.

'Cosmic/spiritual jazz' begins, essentially, with John Coltrane. Deeply soulful and mystical music that speaks to something beyond our earthly understanding; that reaches towards the transcendent through fusing the intensity of free jazz with motifs from African and Indian music. In 1965, Coltrane channelled this 'music of the spheres' into the emotionally eloquent album 'A Love Supreme', considered a landmark in the genre.

BEJE's music is always about collaboration, whether with other players or other cultures. A unique world music-tinged jazz ensemble crafted by Bristol trumpeter-producer David Mowat, its lineup of different sensibilities and skills, its widespread influences, and its melding of eclectic styles, manifest in powerful creations of improvisation and jazz composition alike.

This evening's surprising, transcendental set is a joyful celebration in the style of Coltrane, replete with superb group spontaneity and euphoric spiritual force.

Tickets
Standard: £15
Concession: £10
Student: £5

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A Diaspora! Festival 2024 event.
A solidarity concert for Palestine.

Diaspora! is a new arts festival for Bristol and the South West, presented by the Diverse Artists Network (DAN). Taking place from 3-6 May 2024, this four-day, multi-venue event platforms and celebrates the wide variety of talent reflected in the region's underrepresented cultural communities. [diverseartistsnetwork.com/diaspora]