Yolanda Brown - Very Saxy
[This article was originally published in MNPR Magazine]
YolanDa Brown is something of a renaissance woman. She is a broadcaster on tv and radio, has 2 Masters degrees, loves to race fast cars, is an ambassador for multiple charities and is writing a series of children's books. Oh, and she's the UK's premiere saxophonist.
Her current worldwide tour celebrates 10 years of this phenomenal artist in music - she was awarded her first MOBO in 2008 as Best Jazz act, and is the only artist to have won the award in consecutive years. Just back from the Australian leg of her tour, her first stop was at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen where MNPR was fortunate to catch her performance.
YolanDa engages a room the second she walks into it - you can't help but be won over by her blend of modern style and relaxed charm. With her trademark black inlaid saxophone in hand she was supported on stage by sublimely understated performances on keyboard, drums, guitar and bass. Her set consisted of a mixture of her own material, both new and loved, as well as some fantastic renditions from the greats in both jazz and reggae - styles which YolanDa navigates with ease.
YolanDa played several tracks from her latest album, Love Politics War, leading out early in her set with Million Billion Love. A soulful jazz number fused with a simple reggae undercurrent which speaks to her Jamaican roots. The blend of styles, and subtle supporting arrangements, showed off her performance to its fullest. The crowd moved and swayed, with all the cares of the day put aside for 4 minutes. The tone that YolanDa is able to conjure from whichever of her saxophones is in her hands is incredible - providing a lilting quality that wouldn't be amiss in smooth jazz, but which doesn't overpower or push in that direction.
The momentary lapse of judgement which resulted in the crowd decimating the chorus of Bob Marley's Is This Love was quickly overshadowed by a return to phenomenal performances that carried the audience through the rest of a magical evening. Fortunately there is more where that came from, and you can catch her at several UK festivals before she heads to the US in October.
YolanDa Brown could well be the talent of her generation, and with the number of options open to her, we had all better hope she chooses to pursue another 10 years in music.
