This Friday Brighton Blue Note Bar, Hove actually will have singer, percussionist and guitarist Marcina Arnold kicking up a storm. There’s so much to say about this amazing international performer so here’s some info off her myspace page – British born with Scottish & South African roots, Marcinas first performance in the Edinburgh Festival at the age of 15 led The Scotsman to write an astonishing young lady from London who sings Bessie Smith blues in the mind boggling manner of a skilled veteran, who is sure to have the music world at her feet
Hugely talented and extremely versatile, Marcina has gained the respect of fellow musicians for her fresh and innovative approach. Blessed with a beautiful and highly distinctive singing voice, she is an accomplished percussionist, also playing piano and guitar and a distinctive songwriter/ composer.
Singing professionally since the age of fourteen, she has worked with the finest musicians in UK and abroad including Bheki Mseleku, Steve Williamson, Airto Moreira and Manu Ventura. She was vocalist / percussionist for the highly acclaimed band Quite Sane led by bassist Anthony Tidd which won Capital Radios Band of the Year Award and recently, vocalist for Jason Yardes Acoutastic Bombastic at the Cheltenham Jazz festival and Dangerous Duets (both recorded by BBC.) as well as lining up with Akram Khan, Incognito,Ty and Eska at Queen Elizabeth Halls tsunami gig
She has worked with an array of South African artists such as Mervyn Africa,Pops Mohammed, Busi Mhlongo,and Eugene Skeef and was a member of Pinise Sauls South African Gospel Singers playing the Royal Albert Hall and similar venues worldwide. She had a principal role in Fay Weldons A Small Green Space with English National Opera, and has written and performed extensively for educational organisations such as London Sinfonietta, Glyndeborne Opera & Education major UK orchestras and classical education bodies such as the LSO, RSNO, and London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Marcina is equally at ease performing Jazz,Folk,Soul R&B, Hip Hop (she performed in Jonzi D’s acclaimed hip hop extravaganza “Airoplane Man”) Reggae, Rock or Blues. Marcina is an experienced and lovely dancer performing classical Indian kathak and other styles regularly, she has trained with the best guru’s from India, Saswati Sen, Sushmita Ghosh and those established here in the UK recently performing for the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. She has performed in a variety of dance styles and choreographed extensively for carnivals including Nottinghill, St Patricks Day Dublin,Thames Mayors Festival and the Queens Golden Jubilee at Buckingham Palace for the Royal Family. she is a member of Shamaa dance company led by artistic director/ choreographer Sushma Mehta and studies currently with Abhay Shankar Misra. Music: As well as performing her own material, from a trio to 10 piece ensemble, Marcina is a member of the 12 piece djembe orchestra Moropa led by master drummer Thebe Lipere and vocalist / percussionist with Brighton based Latin fusion band Deep Mamboo, Marcina performs regularly with Brasilian Afro Sambo group Ere Afro Samba as vocalist and percussionist, she is a member of the F’Ire Big band which features the cream of Londons international jazz players. she has worked closely with bassist /composer Ricado Dos Santos the unsung hero of brasilian music in the UK. she is a regular guest with Mark de Clive Lowe FREESOUL sessions and is constantly feeding the live music scene with her voice, energy and vibe.
She has made numerous appearances on television and radio performed, recorded and written with various artists including Acid Jazz band Akimbo, Byron Wallens, Sound Advice, Pops Mohammed, Grupo Batuque with Far Out Records, The South African Gospel Choir, and Anthony Tidds Quite Sane debut album, as well as her own acappello group, Shades featuring Julie Dexter, Zena Edwards, Mpho Skeef, and guested with Louise Schumacher and Davina Wright.
This diversity has enabled Marcina to easily cross genres and goes some way to explaining the difficulty in labelling her own music, which draws on such a rich background. A prolific writer / composer, she has recorded a collection of her own songs , the album “TWISTED BLUE FOLK”whch is hailed as a classic album that Marcina describes as Global music with jazz / folk roots and strong rhythmic influences performed to a packed audience at Ronnie Scotts, the Brecon Jazz festival.
Also bringing the house down at the London Jazz Festival on the Jnoir Freestage with her quartet. Most recently performing at the Barbican Centre as part of the 2007 Soul Britannia and although not in the main bill everyone was feelinng her unique, mesmerising compositions and her “goose bump’ evoking stage presence. She has recorded her song and ode to Jean Charles Menezes tragically gunned down in Stockwell in 2006. Currently: Marcina is featured vocalist alongside Heidi Vogel with the F’ire big band who have a uk tour. Plus numerous dates with Marcina & the Love Rats and solo shows. Available on release: Twisted Blue Folk – Mouthy Music ltd Introducing Marcna Arnold – Counterpoint Records About Time- P Vine Records on import.
Marcina’s band will be kicking off at 10.30pm with Sam Glasson on drums, Terry Pack on bass and myself on guitar with Brighton Jazz School bands from 8pm. Free entry all night. Brighton Blue Note is the underground Jazz Lair beneath the Greenhouse Effect, 63 Church Rd, Hove, East Sussex.
