Moment's Notice

Many reflections on last night still to come, but just to say that next month's @mo_notice has a pearl of line-up and tickets went out this morning. Trio @midorijaeger (cello, voice) @hyelimkim_music (daegeum) @yusufahmedmusic (drums) Duo @marlonthepannist (steel pans) #joshvadiveloo (double bass) Curator, creator, compere @georgenelsonphotography Tickets in bio!

Time in the company of the great human @saulwilliams is time well spent. What a blessing. I hope our paths cross again.

@saulwilliams @joy_guidry @natcyet 🎥@georgenelsonphotography #poet #tree

Both of these things are true: in 2022, @hyelimkim_music played the third shortest set in @mo_notice history. In 2022, Hyelim Kim played one of the most satisfying sets in Moment's Notice history. That duo with @thesmiletheband @sonsofkemet drummer @tomskinnermusic was a "less is more" clinic and one of the stand-outs in our archive. Hyelim brought that rare confluence of tradition and innovation, weaving together her prowess as a master exponent of the Korean daegeum (bamboo flute) with a sincere curiosity. Hyelim’s work is a testament to the idea that true innovation lies in embracing the fluidity of culture and sound, in listening deeply and collaborating openly. This is a constant across her body of recorded material, though maybe the best example of Hyelim channelling the subtle power of traditional sounds into visceral, contemporary dialogue is her 2023 album, Sensitive to Light, with Mark Sanders and John Edwards. Big recommendation. On Wednesday, we'll bare witness to Hyelim conversing with two more cliche-phobic improvisers in @midorijaeger and @yusufahmedmusic . Stay for the quintet with Josh Vadiveloo and @marlonthepannist : both have the potential to be extraordinary. Tickets in bio x

For the last two to three years, the overwhelming majority of genuinely original (as in original good) musicians i've heard have been women. Maybe it's been that way at other points, but now it feels to me like an obvious and uncontroversial point of view. Artists like @_feeo_ @momokogill @sophyesoliveau @___fariiiiiiiida @t.ara.cunningham and @elsas_hi are willing to venture down paths largely untrodden, through rabbit holes where the bushes close behind them, and it's made for some incredible music. @midorijaeger stands out as someone who is consistently committed to breaking free from convention and forging her own artistic direction, and as a listener that excites me. Midori is a classically trained cellist with the Royal Academy of Music chops in her back pocket, but there's clearly something rawer, more alive in her soul and in her music that cuts through all that. She is subtly sensational on @jonnymansfield double album ‘The Air in Front of You’ & ‘Light Finds a Way In’ (a release that i'm on record as saying was one of the best anywhere in 2025) and Midori's latest EP, (Un)planted, is a bold and impressive exploration of vulnerability and growth. (Un)planted is clearly carefully crafted and reveals serious compositional depth, fucking great basslines yet always brims with vim and spontaneity. The more Midori I know, the more I appreciate just how sharp her ears are and how subtly daring an improviser she is with the rare ability to shift shape and colour on a sixpence. All this plus she can break your heart with a single note. These next 8-9 days are just in the way: I’m already on May 20th. That Midori, @hyelimkim_music @yusufahmedmusic trio, that @marlonthepannist Josh Vadiveloo duo...the quintet... Tickets in bio. 📸 @inigoblake

@yusufahmedmusic returns to @mo_notice for the first time since 2021 (a sonic romp with @zarahudsonkozdoj @anthony.joseph_poet , John Edwards and @jamescopus ). In that time, it's been cool to see him making music with Joy Crookes, Anoushka Shankar, Alysha Joy, Sofia Grant, Ines Loubet and Huw Marc Bennett. All excellent, though my pick from Yusuf's catalogue is the 2024 release, Lightship from @unknowntoknownmusic , his band with @tamarosborn @idris.rahman_ and @jihad_darwish_ . That record is far more interesting than a ton of superficially similar things that get praised to the hilt (I only recently learnt the hilt refers to a sword handle, but more on that another time. Or not.) Although Yusef’s technical drumming is undeniable, there are way too many technically amazing drummers for him or anyone else to hang their hat on chops alone. It's his subtle color palette, texture and sound that won me over early. His drumming is clear and direct, always creating a sense of purpose and precise emotion. I really like the potential fit with @hyelimkim_music and @midorijaeger I promise you that's a winner. Their quintet with Josh Vadiveloo and @marlonthepannist just adds to the piquancy. Grab a ticket in the bio and feast up on Wednesday May 20th at @ampstudiosoldkentroad .

@marlonthepannist has been receiving well-earned props for his blend of jazz, calypso, and modern fusion. Three-time UK Pan Clash Champion Soloist, Marlon is now recognised as one of the UK’s elite contemporary steelpan performers, collaborating with artists such as Zara McFarlane and Luke Baccus. Marlon is highly skilled on a level that immediately elevates steel pans well beyond its reputation as an accessible, beginner-friendly instrument. He also reminds us that steel pans are dynamic and versatile and don’t need to be pigeonholed into a single style or tradition. It’s been heartening to see Marlon embraced in jazz circles, from appearing at @jazzrefreshed to being selected for Serious’s coveted artist development programme, Take Five. Looking forward to hearing Marlon improvise with double bassist Josh Vadiveloo on May 20th at @ampstudiosoldkentroad . Double percussion with @yusufahmedmusic in the quintet excites, and quite how steel pans will work alongside @midorijaeger cello and @hyelimkim_music daegeum is a total mystery, but i'm first in line to hear it! Tickets in bio.

Heat goes on. For a little longer. Expect another 'special' in late September/early October before the wrap 👊🏾

Unstoppable quintet from last time out. 🔥 Don't miss the next one! 🎥 @adelinaphotographs

Josh Vadiveloo has a kind of soulful versatility that sticks with you. There’s something about a bassist who can step into unfamiliar territory - odd meters, modal shifts - and still sound completely at home. Josh is one of those guys. His playing feels honest, unforced, even when the music’s asking a lot. There’s a warmth in his tone, a clarity in his lines, that makes it all feel grounded.  I think about his work on @xhosacole "On A Modern Genius Vol. 1," last year - how he laid down a solid, lyrical foundation that freed Xhosa to explore Monk’s melodies with a fresh perspective. He's shared the stage with some heavy hitters before and since - @sowetokinch @rhcohen @toussaintsax @jazbah45 - each time demonstrating that he’s equally comfortable navigating complex modal harmonies or locking into a tone-centered groove. Either way, his music speaks without pretense - real, and resonant. Not just about notes; it’s about feeling, about creating space for the music to breathe. He keeps me listening. I actually think a Josh duo alongside any one of @midorijaeger @hyelimkim_music and @yusufahmedmusic would have been just as interesting as the one I opted for with @marlonthepannist on May 20th @ampstudiosoldkentroad , so for that reason the culminating quintet is unmissable. Tickets in bio.

Last recollection for now from one of the great @mo_notice trios. Everything about this sequence is subtle brilliance

The entire set was compelling but something about this sequence has stayed with me @saulwilliams @joy_guidry @natcyet @georgenelsonphotography