Tomorrow’s Warriors announced today Nu Civilisation Orchestra: Hejira and Mingus – an exciting and distinctive six date tour of the UK this November, to celebrate the jazz legend Charles Mingus’ centenary. The tour will be across six cities, including London’s Southbank Centre during EFG London Jazz Festival, plus Liverpool, Brighton, Poole, Bristol and Sunderland, with tickets on sale now.
The Nu Civilisation Orchestra: Hejira and Mingus UK tour will feature the acclaimed vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and Tomorrow’s Warriors alumna ESKA, and will explore the music of two legends: Joni Mitchell, through her classic, jazz-influenced album ‘Hejira’,and Mitchell’s work with the great Charles Mingus, that was recorded shortly before his death.
Gifted pianist, composer and musical director Peter Edwards will once again lead new innovations and creative collaborations, via a 19-piece Nu Civilisation Orchestra (NCO) featuring players such as Jay Darwish (bass), Sarah Tandy (piano), Rosie Turton (trombone), Kianja (vocals), Loucin (vocals), Eddie Hick (drums), Tello Morado (percussion) and more.
ESKA said “I’m really honoured to be a part of the Hejira and Mingus tour. Both Mitchell and Mingus are huge influences and inspirations to me, and it will be an honour to pay tribute and homage to the true Jazz great Charles Mingus on his centenary year. Having come through the Tomorrow’s Warriors incredible Learning Programme in my early career, I know the breadth, value and impact of their work, so when I was invited to be a part of this tour I jumped at the chance. It’s been five years since we last celebrated Hejira for a one-off event, so it’s wonderful to expand the concept properly and make it a six date tour. I can’t wait to hit the road with the Tomorrow’s Warriors and Nu Civilisation Orchestra.”
When Joni Mitchell released ‘Hejira’ in 1976, she was already established as one of the great voices of her generation. ‘Hejira’ saw Mitchell embark on a new journey, away from her folk roots, towards the freer, jazz-inspired music of her later work. By 1978, Mitchell’s jazz-influenced work was pushed further through an unlikely collaboration with one of the most imposing jazz musicians to ever take the stage, Charles Mingus. Mitchell’s Mingus took the great man’s compositions as the inspiration for her own lyrics. The result stands as one of the most emotionally intense and unexpected of musical collaborations.
