Miguel Atwood Ferguson: Suite for Ma Dukes

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: Suite for Ma Dukes

The music of the massively influential American producer, DJ and rapper J Dilla is re-created as a radical take on contemporary chamber music by LA composer Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. Originally conceived a decade ago, the project was re-invented with a specially assembled 17-piece ensemble for a sold-out, ecstatically received night at the Barbican during the 2017 EFG London Jazz Festival – one the hottest tickets at last year’s Festival. This is music that demands to be heard again – and will play one London date on July 6 at Koko.

This time with a 14-piece group made up of some of today’s most highly talented musicians for this incredible project featuring; 

Gareth Lockrane - Flute
Mikey Sluman – Oboe
Tony Kofi – Alto Saxophone
Tom Walsh - Trumpet
George Crowley - Tenor Saxophone
Dave Lee - French Horn
Trevor Mires - Trombone
Richard Henry - Bass Trombone 
Alina Bzhezhinska - Harp
Ed Riches - Guitar
Mark de Clive-Lowe - Keyboards
Gabe Noel - Bass Guitar
Jamire Williams - Drums
Miguel Atwood-Ferguson - violin, conductor, arranger 

 
Cited as an influence on everyone from Mos Def to Flying Lotus, J Dilla’s compositions were years ahead of their time, bursting with unusual samples lifted from their original context and used to create entirely new music, with tricky rhythms and complex time signatures. Starting out as a studio project, Suite for Ma Dukes rearranges Dilla’s music for live instruments, highlighting the breadth and depth of his compositions and showing just how versatile and intricate his music is, even when translated into a wholly different musical language.
 
The perfect artist to tackle re-arranging J Dilla’s sprawling compositions, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson’s own CV covers an immense amount of musical experience – having worked with everyone from Outkast, Flying Lotus and Gilles Peterson to Sly Stone and Ray Charles, Wayne Shorter and Mulatu Astatke.
 
'As the set progressed, the energy levels crept up and the visceral side of Dilla’s music, the sex and the sleaze, began to emerge…..Atwood-Ferguson’s violin was fire and ice, slicing through the groove’ (Jazz Standard)