NATIVE DANCER (above) is a UK band (Frida Mariama Touray: Vocals, Sam Crowe: Keys, Josh Arcoleo: Saxophone, Jonathan Harvey: Bass and Dan See: Drums. )We believe they’re named for a 1975 album by Wayne Shorter and Milton Nascimento. Between them the band members have worked with people as diverse as Lianne La Havas, Little Simz, Jordan Rakei, NAO, The Cinematic Orchestra, Fatima, Joss Stone, Mathew Herbert. Their debut album ‘Tides’ was critically acclaimed fusing, as it did, hip-hop, trip-hop, jazz, R&B and electronic pop.
Next month, Native Dancer will have the honour of being just the third artists to have an album released on the new Pizza Express label . The LP is imaginatively titled ‘Native Dancer At Pizza Express Live In London’ and it’s collection of covers including versions of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, Donald Byrd’s ‘Cristo Redentor’ and Joni Mitchell’s ‘Hejira’ as well as a selection of the band’s own compositions including ‘Seven of Swords’, ‘Noise Above Our Heads’ and ‘Full Moon Syndrome’ which has just been released as the LP heralding single. It’s a complex tune that allows the band (notably sax man Josh Arcoleo) and vocalist Frida Mariama Touray to really stretch out.
