Evolve Commission Premiere: Kitchen Prayer/Let It Stay Here
Saxophonist and composer Chelsea Carmichael is an understated innovator and educator, quietly adding her own contribution to the iteration of jazz that has evolved on these islands.
She grew up in Warrington, dipping into her dad’s record collection where she found her love of music and began the journey of absorbing the musical culture of the Jamaican side of her family.
“When we talk of Windrush, a lot of the conversations are centred around the experiences of those moving to major cities like London. Whilst these stories are invaluable, the experiences of those who moved to more rural, less diverse areas of the UK are often overlooked. This Evolve commission explores the histories of those who travelled to smaller villages and towns in the North of England, like Lancaster. It’s an incredibly personal project to me – having grown up in Culcheth, Warrington, my story and my Father’s story is something that I have found differs a lot from the experiences of my peers and their parents where I live now, in London.”
Through conversations with Caribbean elders, and connecting with her own families’ journey to the UK, the music will reflect the unique experiences of this generation, and stories that aren’t often told.
She will be bringing a sextet of musicians to perform a suite of music called ‘Kitchen Prayer/Let It Stay Here’.
