Plantfood

Leeds jazz/global beats promoter DJ Lubi (Lubi Jovanovic) has been championing the Leeds DIY jazz scene for decades and given a platform for young emerging bands to step up to the next level with live shows in Leeds, often at the Brudenell. Tonight he presents a band who made their venue debut in summer 2021 and are back now for their first headline show promoting their debut EP "Live At The Mansion" and launching a new single. Plantfood will be performing new music with some very special featured guests plus some old favourites from their extensive repertoire.

 

Recorded in the living room of their own home, “Live At The Mansion” is Plantfood’s attempt at their own "Tiny Desk (Home) Concert". With the help of location recording experts The Recording Box and long time collaborator and videographer Misha Warren, Plantfood brought their guest vocalists to the forefront with live arrangements of their tunes “Polytunnel Sunrise”, “Inner City Skies” and their reimagined version of Herbie Hancock’s “Tell Me A Bedtime Story”. Featuring on the EP are vocalists India Newland (plus MC duties), and Yasmina Nahas a.k.a Sunkissed Child, both fantastic solo artists and songwriters in their own right and who have been working with Plantfood since day one.

 

Plantfood bring hard hitting grooves, firing solos and pure energy to their music with influences all the way from spiritual jazz to contemporary dance music. Performing since May 2021, Plantfood have shaken up stages all over Leeds and shared their music with the rest of the UK in places like London, Manchester, Sheffield and York plus festivals such as Beatherder, Deershed Festival, Forward Festival and Salemango. They've released 2 singles ("Monstera" and "Favourite things") plus a live album, all with local independent music label Moma Cat Discos.

 

Off the back of the release of this debut EP, Plantfood are touring the UK in November, finishing with this big headline hometown show at the Brudenell Social Club, the same venue they debuted at over one and a half years ago. To celebrate, they’re releasing a new single, this time recorded at the famous Yellow Arch Studios, the recording home of UK jazz/global beats powerhouses Nubiyan Twist, K.O.G and TC & The Groove Family.

 

Main support comes from MC/singer/songwriter PHENICIA, born and raised in Leeds. Her work spans across many genres including hiphop, soul, r'n'b (from new to classic) dub reggae, electronica and more. Working as a session writer and vocalist for producers and artists in the UK, PHENICIA uses her technique of combining conscious rap and melodic vocals to bring a unique style to her work reminiscent of the legendary Lauryn Hill. Making appearances as a guest MC in various music scenes across Leeds and a regular at the city's hiphop cyphers and open mic sessions, PHENICIA is definitely one artist that you can't pigeon hole. Now working with her live band, 2022 sees her stepping up to the next level as a Launchpad Leeds supported artist.

 

Opening the night are the next generation of Leeds' rising jazz stars and yet another band emerging from Leeds Conservatoire. Afrodesia are a 9 piece afrobeat/afro-jazz ensemble led by saxophonist Reece Fogg. They've only played a handful of shows so far in Leeds but those have been firing sessions as their blend of classic afrobeat, highlife, contemporary jazz and Latin rhythms packed the dancefloor. With an average age of around 20, this band has so much potential and may well be next year's breakout young Leeds band. Come and see them at the start of their music career journey.

 

Another great DJ Lubi/Brudenell show celebrating all that's good and great about the current vibrant Leeds alt-jazz, hip-hop and global beats scenes.

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