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The Spirit of Jazz

The Spirit of Jazz

Posted on the

We are still elated after the EFG London Jazz Festival concert at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs last week. This sold-out show was the first ever jazz festival event inside a prison, and saw a group of performers from Scrubs share the stage with Grammy-Award winning musician Rhiannon Giddens.

One member of ‘The Ensemble’ from the prison, reviewed the experience:

It can be argued that jazz music has its roots in suffering and despair. It gave the pioneers of jazz music a platform to express a freeness of spirit and a way out of despondency. When I think of tonight’s amazing performance, I can’t help but realise that suffering has its rewards and that reward is that you can use that suffering to help others who are suffering also.

In a world of inequality, injustice, incarcerations and institutionalisation, there is an intrinsic value that shines forth, like a ray of sunshine and warms the hearts of those in need. Let us just imagine for a moment that your mind is a garden, and your thoughts are the seeds, with tonight’s ray of sunshine performance, you can start to grow flowers and pull up the weeds.

This performance held at HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs chapel epitomises the spirit of jazz. The headline act for the evening, Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi, performed outstandingly. The dynamic, vibrant, rich, emotional vocals of Ms Giddens – simply breath-taking.

“Wow, what have I just witnessed? That was amazing!”

-Member of ‘The Ensemble’ from HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs

The majority of ‘The Ensemble’ had never tried before to create anything musical, let alone perform to a live audience. Their collaborations of ‘Tree Without Roots’, ‘Waves Keep Rolling’ and ‘One Day I Will Leave With Tomorrow’ all received standing ovations and planted the seeds of fruitful beginnings. And that my friend, is the spirit of jazz.