15 Years of Surge 2003 - 2018
Surge in Spring is part of World Creativity and Innovation Day. Click here for more info.
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Juice Aleem &
Surge Orchestra 
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Rivers of Love, a new commission for Juice Aleem & Surge Orchestra,
marks 50 years since 1968! A combined interest in struggle, chaos, complexity and magical realism makes for an exciting setting. Lyrically intelligent rap set to the exuberance and complexity of Sid Peacock’s Surge Orchestra will provide powerful introduction to the Surge in Spring II Festival. Juice Aleem is long acknowledged as one of the finest and distinctive MCs the UK has ever produced. This Birmingham native has been responsible for laying some of the scene’s foundations whilst continuing to create music which pushes the art form light years ahead of the curve. “…Juice Aleem’s 2009 classic Jerusalem Come is one of my favourite hip-hop albums by anyone. Ever…” That Tom Robinson (BBC 6). Surge stands for Sidist Utopian Revolutionary Groove Ensemble and is driven by the understanding that music can bring about fundamental shifts in our perception of reality. Hallucination, visions, outer space alien invasions whilst you're doing a bit of gardening along with many other tales of everyday madness. These provide the inspiration for uplifting, chaotic and emotionally charged music. Surge started in Birmingham in 2003 with a commission from Paul Murphy to mark St Patrick’s Day. They have performed regularly in Birmingham, Belfast, Cheltenham and London festivals. “wildly creative music of avant-garde bite yet emotional weight” Independent on Sunday. “Peacock deranges the senses with a lot of charm” Manchester Evening News. Supported by PRSF - The Open Fund and Arts Council England |
Terrace Gallery 14.00 - 16.00 free
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Integra Lab
A selection of electronic and acoustic works from this Royal Birmingham Conservatoire project. Integra is a music interaction and design research group whose research connects technologists, designers and musicians with the goal of transforming human creativity through design-led approaches to music and technology. With Melinda Maxwell on oboe. 
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Ideas of Noise
Sarah Farmer, Andrew Woodhead and friends create a space to play with DIY instruments, everyday sounds and electronics to create new musical landscapes. Open to families and children of all ages and anyone wanting to make some sounds. This event is a taster of their own Ideas Of Noise Festival, coming up in August 2018. 
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Culture Dub Quartet
Like the main band, with dub firmly at the core, its music explores a range of cultures, religions, backgrounds and musical styles. A running tabla/bass section, guitar and violin deliver a euphoric soundscape utilising textures and delays breaking out into jazz styled solos through out all coming together to take your mind on a spiritual nomadic journey. 
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Hexagon Theatre 14.00 - 16.00 free
Millicent Chapanda
& Chartwell Shorayi Dutiro Millicent Chapanda is a cultural artist with a vibrant mission to bring the lived experience of women in Zimbabwe onto international world music stages.Chartwell Shorayi Dutiro is a musician, singer, songwriter, composer, author and teacher. He is one of the most remarkable masters of the Zimbabwean Shona mbira. |
Liz Berry
& Steve Tromans An exciting first collaboration of two exceptional Black Country artists. Liz’s first book of poems, Black Country, won both Somerset Maugham and Geoffrey Faber Awards. Pianist Steve is well known for brilliant improvisational playing and has set the Beat Poets to music as well as working with the songs of Victor Jara.
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Didier Kisala
& The Froe Congolese vocalist Didier Kisala joins with English folk string quartet The Froe - Helen Lancaster, Ruth Angell, Emma Capp & Charlie Heys to create a unique blend of intricate sounds from fiddles, viola, cello, guitar, harmonium and vocals, playing original self-penned music with traditional and classical influences. |
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A new commission by TDE Promotions creating a new ensemble led by two of the UK’s most prolific and accomplished improvisers. The ensemble will perform new compositions to include spoken word on the theme of American novelist and social critic James Baldwin declaimed by Debbie Sanders. Mark Sanders has had a career taking in many styles and genres, this informs his now mainly free improvisation based work, but he also works in theatre, dance, contemporary classical and conceptual art. He has played with many renowned improvising musicians including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey, Henry Grimes, Roswell Rudd, Okkyung Lee, Barry Guy, Jah Wobble, Charles Gayle, Peter Evans, Trevor Watts, William Parker, Nate Wooley, Ivo Perelman and Nicole Mitchell. Rachel Musson is a saxophonist, improviser and composer involved with a variety of improvisation projects, including a trio with Hannah Marshall and Julie Kjaer, a duo with vibraphonist Corey Mwamba, and a trio with Mark Sanders and John Edwards. She has released two albums, one featuring Liam Noble and Mark Sanders (Tatterdemalion, Babel Records), and one featuring her ensemble Skein (Flight Line, F-ire Recorded Music). She also plays with the London Improvisers Orchestra and Alex Ward’s Quintet and Sextet, and has performed with a diverse range of musicians on the fluid European improvising scene. Rachel Musson tenor saxophone, Mark Sanders drums and percussion, Sarah Farmer violin, Richard Scott violin, Hannah Marshall cello, Lee Griffiths alto sax, Xhosa Cole saxophone and flute, Chris Mapp bass and electronics, Debbie Sanders voice. Supported by TDE Promotions, Fizzle and the Arts Council.
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Terrace Gallery 17.00 - 19.00 free
Nifeco De Costa
Nifeco Costa is a Guinea-Bissau/Portuguese musician whose recording career began at the National Broadcasting Studio of Guinea-Bissau. Costa has participated in various festivals in Europe, Africa and USA, and made television appearances in Portugal and since moving to the UK he has formed his new band Babcock Jazz. |
Jazzlines Ensemble
Providing young musicians from Birmingham with the chance to develop their playing skills and learn more about jazz and improvisation through regular workshops and masterclasses. Sessions are open to young musicians of all abilities and are free to musicians aged between 11 and 19 from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. |
Franki Dodwell
New young vocalist Franki Dodwell’s quintet explores the relationship between traditional middle eastern and contemporary Jazz music, taking inspiration from Avishia Cohen, John Zorn and Omer Avital. Line up includes Christos Stylianides trumpet, Steve Tromans - piano , James Owston - bass and Tymek Joswiak - drums. |
Hexagon Theatre 17.00 - 19.00 free
Tymek Jozwiak’s Torso
Torso is a group led by Birmingham based drummer Tymek Jozwiak. The band will perform a set of freely improvised music with some elements of written material. The quartet will feature the talents of Alex Bonney on trumpet, Mark Hanslip on tenor saxophone , Dave Kane on double bass and Tymek Jozwiak on drums. |
Tabla Tarang-Marimba
A unique collaboration between two of Birmingham’s most accomplished percussionists. Both highly respected and sought after in their respective fields Medi Singh and Jason Huxtable present a sensational combination of Tabla Tarang, marimba and hand held percussion.
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Jasmine Moon Duo
Performing their own favourites from the vast and beautiful world of traditional Chinese Music, The Jasmine Moon Duo are Ling Peng on Erhu (and other string instruments) and Max Gittings on Dizi (and other Chinese Flutes). they are all set to take the listener on a musical tour of the music of the Middle Kingdom.
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We are delighted to bring Palestinian composer, clarinettist & ney player Mohamed Najem to Surge in Spring II. Mohamed Najem & Friends move effortlessly between Arabic music and jazz, retelling the music of the Middle East into a new musical language. Formed in 2016, the quartet have already become a hit on the Paris jazz scene and have appeared at festivals across France and as far away as Gabon and Qatar. Their music draws inspiration from numerous travels with shades of Oriental, classical, jazz and contemporary flavours. Born in Jerusalem, he started his music studies at the Edward Saïd National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM) in Palestine, and then obtained a music degree from the Conservatory of Angers, in France. From 2011 to 2014, Mohamed became the first Palestinian professional clarinet teacher. He taught clarinet and ney at the ESNCM in Ramallah, Nablus, and Bethlehem. Mohamed is one of the founding members of the Palestine National Orchestra, created in 2011. Now based in Paris, Mohamed’s solo performances have included the Ravello and Florence Festivals, Teatro San Carlo (Genoa), UNESCO (Paris), and the Montreux Jazz Festival. His first album, Floor No. 4, was released in Palestine in 2014. It is a collection of cultures and identities gained in Palestine and France. This performance will see Mohamed & Friends joined by members of Surge Orchestra presenting large ensemble interpretations of Mohamed’s music. Mohamed Najem clarinet, ney, Clément Prioul piano, Arthur Henn double bass, Baptiste Castets drums. Special thanks to Dr Alan Kessedjian for his support in making this concert possible.
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