Double Header: an intimate evening of genre-bending global music from Scottish-Zambian singer and songwriter, Namvula, and British-Congolese artist, Liz Ikamba
Ear Trumpet Music Presents: Regular intimate, sit-down gigs with some of the greatest musicians from around the globe.
NAMVULA
Namvula is a singer and songwriter whose artistic journey is an exploration of cultural intersections and heartfelt storytelling. Her music reflects the nuances and complexities of her mixed Zambian and Scottish heritage, and a restlessness born of her diasporic upbringing.
Weaving together a global soundscape that takes inspiration from the deep grooves of Africa, the lyrical sensibility of folk-pop, and the improvisational freedom of jazz, Namvula transports listeners into different worlds with refreshing honesty, crossing boundaries with sonic sensitivity and evocative lyricism.
Namvula pens emotive and thought-provoking songs. She sings about the beauty and ugliness of life, its creativity, its tenderness and cruelty, and the power of the stories that it holds, both simple and complex. Her music invites listeners to join her on this journey of introspection and connection. Her admiration for the strong women who populate her lineage has informed her interest in and sensitivity to broader politics including feminism, the climate emergency, and migration.
At the core, Namvula is a storyteller with an over-arching hope in our capacity as humans to touch each other’s hearts and to fill the world with a little more grace, and a little more love.
Join us for a beautiful, intimate evening of song and word and soul and heart and humanness at its most essential.
“A true original…a soulful performer. An adventurous and impressive set that blends African styles with jazz.”
★★★★ The Guardian
“Melodies that speak to the heart.”
★★★★ Sunday Times
LIZ IKAMBA
“Congolese-tilted Afro-soul fusion to make your heart soar and your body groove! This is genre-bending and timeless music.“
British-Congolese (DRC) artist Liz Ikamba serves up a distinctive sound that fuses inspiration from across the diaspora, from Congo folk music and traditional African rhythms to dub-reggae, jazz, soul and hip-hop. Think Nina Simone, Sade and Erykah Badu with a Congolese twist!
Loop pedal layers and beats, groove-driven riffs and soul-infused vocals combine to create an irresistibly joyous and deep, as well as soothing sound. Singing in both English and Lingala, Liz weaves together a personal and ancestral story that touches on universal themes of connection and yearning, taking us on a breath-taking voyage back and forth between DR Congo and the UK. Delivering a truly unforgettable and interactive show, Liz creates a shared feeling of belonging to a borderless musical community.
