Zimbe! “Come, sing the songs of Africa!” – Alexander L’Estrange

We start our Silver Jubilee year with a very special concert of Alexander L'Estrange's Zimbe! at St Mary's Burwell, Sat.9th March, 7pm. Zimbe! is a brilliant fusion of traditional African song and jazz for SATB chorus, children's and jazz quintet with percussion.

We are delighted to be back in Burwell having not performed in the village during 2012. However, as this amazing choral piece suggests this time we are not alone... being joined by the collective singers from Burwell Village College Year 6 and Perse Girls Junior School choirs. A musical collaboration that should not only delight the combined choirs during rehearsal, but also you as our prospective concert audience! Please do come along to support this special musical event for Ely Consort in 2013. Tickets are now on sale from: Burwell PO, CentrePeace, Jack Hurrell Butchers, Manchetts Budgens & Tina's. Or please contact Ely Consort:

£6, £3 (16-12s), U12s free

Within 4 years of its world premiere in 2008, Zimbe! has already drawn fans from across the globe in more than 100 performances. Composer Alexander L'Estrange, himself a highly regarded jazz pianist and bass player, has chosen songs from all over Africa and arranged them wonderfully, interleaving the choral writing with the instruments of the jazz ensemble. This is a work which forges links between adult choirs and children's choirs, placing singing at the heart of the community as it always has been in Africa. And, since jazz grew out of blues which itself sprang from the mouths of African people, what better accompaniment for these songs than a jazz quintet? Zimbe! is at times touching and moving, at other times funky and grooving and all of the time incredibly uplifting both for performers and audiences alike. To find out more about Zimbe and listen to some of the music that will be performed please visit: http://tinyurl.com/b2ehl7j

In the first half of the concert we will perform a medley of songs from Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, along with other music on an American theme.

Date: Saturday, March 09, 2013