MELANGE

An acoustic melting pot of  North African, Middle Eastern, Balkan and Central Asian music, and jazz infused improvisation... Formed by jazz and world music cellist Shirley Smart on returning from 10 years in Jerusalem playing and studying the musics of the region,  Melange seamlessly blend popular North African rai and chaabi songs, Gnawa music of the South Moroccan desert, exotic Middle Eastern and Turkish melodies and improvisations, Central  Asian folk melodies, and across to the firey Tango of Argentina and the street Choro, and warming bossa nova grooves of Brazil with jazz-infused improvisations into their own unique sound and take on traditional repetoire.......Recent performances include the Royal Albert Hall, National Portrait Gallery, National Theatre, Forge Camden, Green Note, St. Ethelburgas, SOAS, Vortex Jazz Club, Rich Mix, Wiltons Music Hall, Oxford and Notre Dame Universities,World Village Music Festival, Edge of the World Festival, Wiltong Music Hall and Brixton read more...