Cross The Tracks is one of London’s premiere one-day festivals, combining excellent curation with a laidback atmosphere. Rolling into Brockwell Park once more this weekend, the bill is topped by all-star American project NxWorries – Grammy winner Anderson .Paak and seminal production talent Knxwledge.
The full bill encompasses rap, jazz, dub reggae, and a whole spectrum of club flavours. Clash rounds up five must-see acts from this year’s bill.
Ravyn Lenae
Chicago vocalist Ravyn Lenae is a key voice in the evolution of American R&B. Her 2022 album ‘HYPNOS’ received ecstatic reviews, melding together left-field electronics with wonderful, bittersweet songwriting. Unafraid to place herself within her music, her work carries an autobiographical feel, one that leaves a lasting impact.
A superbly gifted vocalist, her COLORS session is one of the platform’s most popular, displaying her enchanting artistry. A rare visit to the UK, her set at Cross The Tracks is set to be a real highlight.
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Yazmin Lacey
Released earlier this year, Yazmin Lacey’s ‘Voice Notes’ is a superb display of her fastidious creativity. Neatly interwoven aspects, the soulful unity to Yazmin’s work rests on that voice – a gifted instrumentalist, the emotional allure of her performances are unrivalled.
Clash caught Yazmin Lacey performing a stripped back set at London’s Roundhouse recently – she’s on magical form right now.
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Roy Ayers
An old favourite with Cross The Tracks crowds, this year’s set from Roy Ayers promises to be something special. The jazz-funk kingpin has decided to stop touring, and his current batch of dates are dubbed a ‘farewell’ to fans.
Each performance is special, then, and something to be savoured. Last year he closed with a lengthy, emphatic take on ‘Everybody Loves The Sunshine’ – with the weather reports for London this weekend looking rosy, it’ll be an apt soundtrack.
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Secret Night Gang
Manchester street soul collective Secret Night Gang are key players in the city’s music scene. Blending hip-hop aspects with R&B and a growing jazz influence, songs like recent bumper ‘Out Of My Head’ have become bona fide anthems.
Secret Night Gang recently headlined London’s Jazz Cafe, and they’ve played prestigious live events such as North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz, and Primavera Sound. Catch them at Cross The Tracks – they could be your new favourite act.
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Ishmael Ensemble
There’s something in the water down Bristol way. The city does things on its own terms, and nowhere is that more apparent than the DIY communities who explore jazz and adjacent freedom musics. Ishmael Ensemble are one of Bristol’s leading lights in that regard, with studio albums ‘Visions Of Light’ and ‘State Of Flow’ gaining widespread recognition.
Aptly titled EP ‘New Era’ kicked off a fresh chapter from Ishmael Ensemble, and you can soak up their artistry in London this weekend.
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Cross The Tracks takes place on May 28th.
