Category: CQAF22 Fri 6

Rescheduled from OTL ’22

By the age of 17, Ruth McGinley had already gained widespread recognition as one of Ireland’s leading pianists, winning countless accolades including both the piano finals of both the BBC and RTÉ Young Musician of the Year awards. Since then, her career has been wide-ranging and daring, collaborating with some of the most acclaimed teachers and musicians working today, and straying from the typical classical-pianist journey.

The Derry native studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and Royal Academy in London before being awarded a Postgraduate in Solo Performance from the Royal College in London. She has performed as soloist with many orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra and Ulster Orchestra and as a solo recitalist throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Ruth broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, BBC Radio Ulster and RTE, and was honoured to be invited to perform as soloist at the BBC Proms in the Park.

But it is perhaps the spaces between where Ruth’s interests really lie. A determination to walk her own path, Ruth’s love of music goes far beyond the classical world. A highly sought-after collaborator, Ruth works with musicians from many backgrounds including jazz, folk, electronic and other.

This concert programme will feature classical works by Arvo Pärt, Erik Satie, Chick Corea and reimagined folk songs by Neil Martin.

‘Stylistic variety is seamlessly blended throughout in intelligently proportioned playing as sincere as it is supple. More please!’  Michael Quinn, CLASSICAL EAR. 

It was with regret that we’ve received the news that Richard Hawley’s Irish Tour has been cancelled for health reasons.

Richard has sent the following;

‘It is with huge regret that due to unforeseen health issues Richard Hawley has been forced to postpone his Irish tour in May 2022.

He apologizes to all the fans that have bought tickets and promises the shows will be rearranged later in the year.

After a long pandemic and many cancelled shows we are sure everyone can imagine it’s the last thing he wanted to do but it’s unavoidable.

Richard looks forward to being back to full health in the next few months and to be able to fulfill all the dates.

Please look out for further announcements and you will be contacted with rescheduled dates as soon as they are confirmed.’

All tickets are currently being refunded.

Very disappointing news to return to after the Easter break but there are still many great shows to be enjoyed at this year’s CQAF and we hope you can join us for a show or two.

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One of the shows we had been most looking forward to in CQAF 2020 was the performance by Richard Hawley. Then COVID-19 struck and the rest is history. We’re delighted therefore to welcome Richard to the closing weekend of CQAF 2022.

Pre-COVID, 2020 had been a landmark year for Richard with his ninth studio album, Further, slamming into the UK album charts at No.3 in the same year he celebrated his twentieth anniversary as a solo artist.

In the two decades that have elapsed since Hawley jettisoned band life, first with The Longpigs and then as Pulp’s guitarist, the 52-year-old songwriter has forged one of the most singular and diverse careers in modern music.

His ability to cut across styles, time and, in some instances, place, is down to Hawley’s deep and intuitive understanding of music itself, his grounding stemming back to his childhood when his father, a musician himself, introduced Richard to country, blues and rock’n’roll.

Talk to him about his blues heroes, and he is likely to list Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup (“the master!”) and Freddie King as personal favourites.

At heart, though, Hawley remains in love with rock’n’roll in its purest form and he sports the quiff to prove it. “People often ask me why I still have a quiff. I always tell them it’s because I still can,” he deadpans.

His appearance in Belfast promises to be a special show from a musician that has a knack for creating poignant and powerful songs like Tonight the Streets are Ours and The Ocean.

Doors 7:30pm | Unreserved Seating

Ayanna Witter-Johnson is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, pianist and cellist. She has a phenomenal mastery for seamlessly crossing the boundaries of classical, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B, to imprint her unique musical signature with her virtuosic tap, strum and bow with her cello into her sound.

An acclaimed and celebrated performer, Ayanna has collaborated with many stellar artists, including Anoushka Shankar, Nitin Sawhney, Andrea Bocelli and Jools Holland. She has also toured extensively across the UK, Europe and the US.

As a composer, Ayanna has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet and The Hip-Hop Shakespeare Company to name but a few. She was also selected as an arranger/orchestrator for the London Symphony Orchestra (Hugh Masekela, Belief) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Urban Classic).

Ayanna has released three EPs and put out her debut album Road Runner in 2019, with its two subsequent singles Nothing Less and Crossroads. With her January 2021 surprise-released EP Rise Up, Ayanna again combined reggae, classical, jazz and R&B to celebrate black culture and identity to uplift and inspire the next generation. The stunning collection of three tracks and videos featuring Akala on Rise Up, Cleveland Watkiss on Declaration Of Rights and the Rise Up Riddim have received a huge amount of critical acclaim.

Many of Ayanna’s remarkable tracks have received airplay on radio stations, including BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, 2, 3, 4, 6, BBC Radio London, BBC Manchester, Jazz FM and Scala Radio. Her TV credits include BBC One, London Live, Channel 4 (Sing It Loud: Black and Proud), BBC Proms and a stunning performance on Later…with Jools Holland (BBC One).

2021 has been a stellar year for Ayanna. She is currently working on her sophomore album and collaborating with Solem Quartet as part of their Beethoven Bartok Now series. 2021 also saw Ayanna returning to the live stage, headlining at London’s iconic Jazz Café and Kings Place. She also made additional performances supporting Nubiyan Twist on their UK tour, participating in ‘Jazz Voice’ (the opening of the London Jazz Festival) at the Royal Festival Hall and a 22-date US tour with Opera superstar Andrea Bocelli.

As a performer of extraordinary versatility, Ayanna’s live shows are intimate journeys that chronicle her experience as a female artist in the 21st century. Due to her musical prowess, mesmerising vocals, non-compromising lyrics, and ability to deftly reinterpret songs on the cello. Ayanna Witter Johnson is the very definition of eclectic soul.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved Seating/ Standing 

 

Rescheduled from OTL ’22

Gwenifer Raymond began playing guitar at the age of eight shortly after having been first exposed to punk and grunge. After years of playing around the Welsh valleys in various punk outfits she began listening more to pre-war blues musicians as well as Appalachian folk players, eventually leading into the guitar players of the American Primitive genre.

In 2017 she released her first single Sometimes There’s Blood and released her debut album You Never Were Much of a Dancer in June of 2018 to worldwide acclaim.

What followed was much international touring. Gwenifer headlined shows across much of Europe, debuted at several summer festivals including Green Man, Black Deer, Supernormal, Shambala to name but a fraction. She also played a number of support slots for artists such as Michael Chapman, Michael Hurley, Xylouris White and Charlie Parr.

The release of Strange Lights Over Garth Mountain has been highly anticipated after Gwenifer’s debut album, You Were Never Much of a Dancer, received critical acclaim from numerous publications including The Guardian.

Listeners who enjoyed her unmistakable virtuosity on the guitar and banjo, as well as the adventurous musical journey her debut album travelled through, can expect nothing less from this new release.

Doors 7.30pm | Unreserved Seating

Celebrating 20 years of action, Explosion Sound System, Belfast’s greatest purveyors of all things Reggae and Dub are having a night of bass-heavy sounds in the Ulster Sports Club.

Joining them for the night will be the legendary Ras Tenda, (Roots Tradition Round Beat Sound System).