Kidsamonium (Live Music)

28 May 2008

The jazz began on Sunday with a mini-festival called Kidsamonium: part workshop, part gig, and a whole lot of fun for kids and oldsters.
Led by Scottish drummer Tom Bancroft, dressed in a purple jumpsuit even Elvis wouldn’t wear, he brought with him several top British musicians including guitarist Billy Jenkins, saxophonist Jason Yarde and trumpeter Claude Deppa, some of whom were wearing chicken suits, all of whom contributed blazing solos.
The joyous affair was very well attended by kids of all ages, from toddlers banging drums to teens with saxes and trumpets and smiling parents.
It offered training to the older kids, but what it really did was communicate to all ages the sense of rhythm and improvisation central to jazz; it was a brilliant idea executed with great flair.

Review by Charley.