Modal! will be inviting a series of guests who are perhaps better known for their talents within electronic music but all share a real passion for music with its roots in black culture. They would like you to come and join us as they take a journey through some of the best record collections in the country.
The Sub Club caught up with Modal! resident and local Jazz master Rebecca Vasmant ahead of her long awaited launch party on Thursday.
For a long time I have been a huge fan of all music, but especially Jazz and all music that comes from Jazz roots.
I hoped for there to be less of a divide between the scene within electronic music, and the Jazz scene. There are many fans of Jazz and other black influenced music who are perhaps better known for there talents within electronic music, and after realising that a lot of DJs that we would not expect to be interested in this music are and do collect this music, So was only natural to want to bring an event like this to the Sub Club.
Music brings people of all cultures, age, and religion together. People have one thing in common, and that thing is music. It is a very deep love for something that has such a prolific history way back from the days when cavemen beat wooden sticks against trees to make rhythms and people would dance. This to me is deep. And this love of music to humans will always be here. Despite how technology changes us and makes us evolve, we will always have music.
It’s difficult to describe the way that some music makes me feel. It’s a completely cleansing experience, and the emotion it evokes allows us to feel emotion in a way that we don’t feel in our daily lives and that’s a beautiful thing. I really reconcile with the fact that music/musicians can make us feel like that – it almost puts me into a meditative state and I allow myself to purely focus on what that piece of music is saying, whether it’s classical, Jazz, Soul or Techno, the emotion is still the same. I’ve always allowed myself to play different styles of music whether it’s House, Techno or Jazz.
Music really is a privilege and I can honestly say that deep within my heart I am totally grateful for every piece of amazing music that I have been lucky enough to hear. I realise that even if we spent every waking minute of every day searching for music, we would not have enough time to discover it all.. and this thought is overwhelming.
I thank every musician, composer, maestro and Producer for every piece of music whether it has been noticed or unnoticed and wake up every day happy to be able to just take the time to just listen and appreciate music.
Here is five of my favourite Jazz Pieces of all time:
Bill Evans – Peace Piece
Stan Tracey Quartet – Starless And Bible Black
Greg Foat Group – For A Breath I Tarry
P.E Hewitt Jazz Ensemble – Ill Love Song
Jose James – Desire
Ahead of the event Rebecca recorded this excellent mix to celebrate the first ever Modal! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did…
£5 Tickets for Thursday’s event are on sale HERE.