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SOLD OUT: AJO – EFG London Jazz Festival 2022

Fri 11 November, 20:00
£17 + bf

Kosovan singer-songwriter AJO brings her band to West London’s most spectacular setting for the opening night of London Jazz Festival.

AJO is a Kosovo-born, London-based singer-songwriter whose Albanian heritage inspires her unique sound. She draws inspiration from her roots in music and performance, elevating the craft and emotion of traditional folk music into jazz-infused territory.

After filling venues at Rich Mix and Royal Albert Hall in 2021, AJO returns to London to perform her highly-acclaimed EP Besa – her first work in 17 years. The album explores themes such as honour, betrayal, joy, pain, politics as a woman and the Albanian concept of ‘Besa’—an oath of trust passed down the centuries.

The evening is presented by Arts Canteen in collaboration with Grand Junction, as part of the London Jazz Festival.

BOOK TICKET

“To match the story her voice is honey-sweet, punctuated by quick catches that suggest a cry of sorrow. Yet she can soar with the angels and continues to sing a story of hope, and life, as it is, full of low and high points”

Debbie Burke - American Jazz Author and Journalist

Band Members

Vjollca Robelli Mripa – Ajo – vocals
Christian prior – piano
Mike Redfern – guitar
Arthur Newell – Drums
Rhys Lovel – double bass
Aurel Qirijo – violin

 

About AJO

AJO is well known for her distinctive voice and recently achieved international success with the release of her latest EP “Besa”, after a long hiatus. The demand for AJO’s live performances has rocketed in the recent years while 2021 saw her perform at some of the world’s most renowned venues such as Royal Albert Hall and Rich Mix in London,where her shows were sold out. She also performed in other venues and festivals such as FemArt, Kino Armata, and Kino Lumbardhi in Kosovo, Oda Theatre, as well as concerts in different countries of Europe.  

She has a unique ability to touch audiences with her own written and composed materials, advocating for Albanian heritage. With her work, she passionately evolves around the culture of her motherland and through music she incorporates the dances, folktales, costumes and traditions of her land – elevating the craft and emotion of traditional folk into the innovative jazz infused territory.  

 AJO moved to London in 2004 to study vocal, music and media management, and eventually settled here to raise four children – which reflects in her most recent work, as motherhood is an important theme in her EP ‘Besa’. 

For AJO It is an excitement to perform this gig for one of the pioneering UK Music scene  EFG London Jazz festival, a chance to bring this special project featuring folk traditional music of Albania and Kosovo into an infused jazz territory for a wider audience of the world in the heart of London.  

London Jazz Festival

The EFG London Jazz Festival is the capital’s biggest pan-city music festival, taking place annually in November, and long acclaimed for showcasing a heady mix of talent from around the globe. Widely acknowledged for delivering world-class artists and emerging stars, the Festival continues to take jazz to a massive audience, in one of UK’s landmark music events. The festival is produced by Serious, one of the UK’s leading producers and curators of live jazz, international and new music.

Date: 11 November 2022

Start Time: 20:00

Doors: 19:00

Bar:  Open from 19:00. We serve a selection of craft beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks.

Length: approx. 2 hours

Tickets: £17 + bf

We recommend pre-booking tickets to guarantee entry. Booking on the door will result in an additional fee of £1.

Venue: Grand Junction is a venue for the community, arts and culture based at St Mary Magdalene Church. We also have a café serving delicious food overlooking the canal.

Closest Stations: Royal Oak (Circle and Hammersmith & City line) 0.3 miles

Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo line) 0.4 miles

Paddington Station (National Rail services and Circle, District, Bakerloo, Hammersmith & City line) 0.9 miles

 

Covid-19 Policy 

As of 24 February the government is removing all remaining Covid-19 restrictions.

At Grand Junction we will continue to do a number of things to keep our staff and audiences as safe as possible.

While you are no longer legally required to self-isolate if you test positive for COVID-19, it is still advised that you stay at home to avoid contact with other people. Please bear this in mind before travelling to an event at Grand Junction if you have tested positive for COVID-19.

We welcome audience members and staff wearing face coverings if they wish to do so.

Hand sanitiser stations are positioned around the building.

Careful consideration of entry and exit points to avoid crowding. We will check your ticket at the entrance to the venue to avoid queuing and crowds forming indoors.

Regular cleaning and regular ventilation of the space, to ensure a flow of clean air.

Click here to view Grand Junction’s full Covid-safety information. Please feel free to contact us at info@grandjunction.org.uk if you have any further questions.

 

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