Rehearsals got off to a great start last weekend with a crack team of ‘Nu Civvies’ – as our musicians are very fondly known – in preparation for a world premiere as part of the Lively Up! Festival in celebration of 50 Years of Jamaican Independence.

Everyone’s really excited, there’s a great buzz and all the musicians are up for and open to a new and fresh approach to group improvisation. According to our musical director, Peter Edwards we have a good blend of improvisers who are used to playing ‘free’ and others who play more ‘inside’. So we’re all looking forward with great anticipation to hearing the musical conversations they’ll be having as part of the process of developing this new work in tribute to Joe Harriott.

Peter has created new large ensemble arrangements of tracks drawn from Harriott’s Abstract and Free Form albums, and has written new material that honours the music and legacy of this great Jamaican.

We’ll be posting up an interview with Peter in the next few days when he talks about the project in detail, his excitement, the challenges, and so on. So watch this space!

Meantime, enjoy some of photos taken at the rehearsal last weekend at The Premises Studios, Hackney and in the Purcell Room, Southbank Centreplus some mini paintings by Emma Godebska who sat in on the rehearsal. 

Please do share our news amongst your friends and networks as we want more people to discover the great music the Nu Civilisation Orchestra is covering.