Eight-piece neo-soul group Orchard performed music from their debut EP Where We’re Calling From – with some absolutely lush vocals from Evie Hill. This versatile band – who will also be at Love Supreme Jazz Festival this weekend – covered a wide range of styles including writing inspired by Stevie Wonder, Roy Hargrove and Kokoroko, as well as covers by D’Angelo and Mark Kavuma and The Banger Factory. The music was well received by the room right from the very first song, ‘Honesty’.
A wonderful feature of Orchard is the horn section, adding such gorgeous harmonies and improvisations to the sound of the group. The audience loved their beautiful interludes and solo trading. It’s also always inspiring to see female horn players on the front line – featured in the band are Jemima Whyte on alto saxophone, Jess Bull Anderson on trombone – alongside Matthew Hill on trumpet.
The band’s talented rhythm section provided a whole load of groove and vibe. A highlight was ‘D’s Riff’, a tune featuring on their upcoming release.
Overall, a truly enjoyable evening of new music, at an exciting time for this band. This was the perfect blend of accessible, beautiful music, with incredible improvisation and creativity. I can’t wait to see what they do in the next year and beyond!
LOVE SUPREME: Orchard will be appearing on the New Generation stage on Friday 4 July at 6.45pm
