The brainchild of drummer/producer Chiminyo, NRG is more than just an album, label or event. It’s a concept. Born out of a conversation about the UK Jazz scene (is it really jazz?) Chiminyo concluded that this musical expression is less about ‘jazz’ and more about energy (NRG). 

 

So with this in mind, he set about to explore, celebrate and harness this NRG in its purest form. No labels, no promoters, no industry, no control. Just Chiminyo and members of his musical community exchanging (strictly improvised) NRG with audiences and capturing the spontaneous beauty to be shared with the world. 

 

This first edition, NRG 1, features an all-star line-up (band members of Jorja Smith, Nubyan Twist, Gary Bartz, Nightmares on Wax, Yussef Kamaal) and you can really feel the vibrant NRG of the capital pulsating throughout. Tunes like ‘Raze’ and ‘Purple/Green’ and their whirling, high octane, jungle/brokenbeat aesthetic are balanced beautifully by tunes like the smooth, sexy, R&B anthem ‘SLK’ and the downtempo, ambient, latin-house ‘Eleguá’, a Yoruba prayer, led by trumpet player Yelfris Valdés, cleansing the room and bringing positive vibes to the band and the audience. It is incredible to think this music is improvised, because each tune comes across as a carefully sculpted master-piece, a clear testament to the incredible musicians on the line-up

 

Chiminyo - Drums 

Yelfris Valdés - Trumpet

Amané Suganami - Synthesisers

Luke Wynter - Bass 

 

+ featured vocalists

Temesgen Samuel (Free Form)

Clara Serra Lopez (Lost my Breath)