We got down to Rough Trade Nottingham to check out the fifth Jazz Recovery Session with DJ Daddio and Ex-Friendly...
Jazz, the genre long associated in the mainstream as something to drink hard liquor to in neon lit bars or as background music for modern coffee shops is experiencing an underground revolution in Nottingham.
Hosted at Rough Trade by DJs, Ex-Friendly and DJ Daddio, the Jazz Recovery Sessions have hit underground popularity after their first event in the start of 2018. The event features a unique edge, being an amalgamation of jazz and club nights; rather than listening quietly to a trio of well-dressed musicians we instead see DJs behind the decks spinning upbeat vinyl records for a diverse crowd to dance or chill to.
Reminiscent of Rough Trade’s past Swing and Bass – jazz combined with drum 'n' bass – events, these sessions evoke a pulsing energy to be immersed in. Jazz is timeless, and this is apparent in the wide range of ages present; from university students to older music heads, the monthly sessions are a welcoming universal meeting ground for all things jazz.
Incorporating their love of the genre with a reliable but delightfully obscure record collection, the two runners of the event DJ Daddio and Ex-Friendly are occasionally accompanied by special guests to feature new and versatile music; this week’s being fedora-wearing DJ Joff Casciani, who brought with him a selection of tasteful tunes for the night.
Starting off the night, Rough Trade’s intimate upstairs became a jazz bar, with people relaxing and sipping tentatively at their Hop House lager, but as the clock hit 9.30pm, a transformation took place, and a new breed suddenly appeared: the dancers. Now this isn’t a night solely populated by head bopping and the occasional gun finger, no, it’s also a night to bear witness to bold bodily expression; from a Karl Marx doppelganger shuffling old-school style to the fluid salsa moves of a lady lost in the music, the dancefloor was a stage for the soul.
The music itself was a combination of various subgenres, even venturing outside jazz at times to provide a little funk and they all shared the same upbeat theme, keeping the electric atmosphere alive. From jazz-funk classics like George Duke’s Festival to Latin works akin to Malena’s More Afro, the wide selection of famous and hidden gems from different eras ensured consistent variety throughout the night and abundant foot tapping. An unforgettable experience indeed, and as it was finishing ‘round midnight a wave of encores were silently willed by the galvanized dancers, only to be satisfied in next month’s session…
Jazz Recovery Session #5 took place at Rough Trade Nottingham on Friday 11 May 2018.
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