From Soweto with hope… get crowd-funding!

The last song

IT was an explosive encore from Africa Entsha. We got a great deal of audience participation, too. And  the boys ended up with tartan scarves.

This is the 'sedate' bit at the beginning... We'll see if we can run out another couple of clips a bit later.

Another great turn-out in Edinburgh

JUST Festival 2013 has exceeded expectations in terms of ticket sales once more, and we are extremely grateful for all who have turned up at our shows, talks, performances and events.

It's wonderful once more to have a packed house for the Festival swansong from the acclaimed Africa Entsha - who, you may remember, previously went under the name Soweto Entsha. The change represents a homage to the wider influences on their continent, as well as love of their homeland, South Africa.

The rhythm of life...

A SHORT video clip of Africa Entsha stamping out the beat from the side behind the stage... a view you won't normally get.

Africa Entsha... a grand finale for Just Festival!

IT'S been a long journey, but we are almost at the end of Just Festival 2013. 

Hundreds of performances, hours and hours of art and conversation, 70,000 tickets sold. And what better way to end  than with the globally-renowned ensemble who have almost become our 'house band'.

LAST PERFORMANCE TODAY Africa Entsha

FOR another year, Africa Entsha have thrilled and delighted at Just Festival, with a heady mix of township, gospel, blues, jazz and more. 

Plus, they have all the moves!  They gave a further taster of what they are capable of at the official closing celebration for Just 2013 at St John's Church last night.

Don't miss them today, 8pm, again at St John's.

Tickets, which are available from the cash-only box office at the venue, can be purchased for £10, £8 concessions. Bring friends!

LAST PERFORMANCE TODAY Sacred Earth

SACRED Earth explores the interconnectedness between human emotions and the environments that shape them.

Inspired by the philosophies behind the ephemeral arts of Kolam and Warli and the Tamil Sangam literature of India, the captivating performance is accompanied by evocative live music.

The Ragamala company's artistic directors Ranee and Aparna Ramaswamy, who are mother and daughter, create visceral, universally recognisable experiences that use Indian art forms to express their contemporary point of view.

"We can't wait to have Ragamala Dance back at Just," says director Katherine Newbigging, who is enjoying another record-breaking year with Edinburgh's most innovative festival.

And indeed it is an image from this production which has been used for the front of the 2013 Just Festival programme catalogue.

Sacred Earth offers a singular vision of the beautiful, fragile relationship between nature and humanity - one that is under pressure or even threat in many parts of the globe at the moment.

The emphasis on relations rather than things or products is spiritual at its core, but appreciation of Sacred Earth does not depend upon any one religious or non-religious outlook.

The show has drawn deep appreciation from Christians, humanists and people from a variety of Western and Easter belief backgrounds.

The music, an important part of the performance, is provided by Alison Kirwin (nattuvangam), Resmi Kunjun Saraswathy (vocals), Rajna Swaminathan (mridangam, south Indian drum), and Anjna Swaminathan (violin).

Sacred earth runs from 19-24 August, and again on 26th, running from 18:00 – 19:15. On 25th August it is two hours earlier, 16:00 – 17:15. Prices are £12 (£10 concessions).

Full details and booking here.

LAST CHANCE Come and be bewitched...

"COME and be bewitched by Martin AElred and Sandy Moffat in Canto del Paradiso at 2pm today," writes Yvonne Smith on the Just Festival Facebook page. We're happy to agree!

The Canto concerts, which continue today, are featuring “live art” created during the performance in “real time” by special guest artist, Alexander Moffat - who is former Head of Painting at Glasgow School of Art and co-author of Arts of Resistance: Poets, Portraits and Landscapes of Modern Scotland.​

​Martin Aelred is a renowned Scottish tenor and classical guitarist. Motivated by a desire to make our world a better place by uniting people through music, he compares himself to “a 17th Century monk in a 21st Century body”.

Martin’s recent audiences have included the Dalai Lama, where he sang at The Usher and Caird Halls on the Scottish portion of the tour by Prince Charles, accompanied by a choir of Alzheimer sufferers.​

Canto del Paradiso has made a great impression at the opening event for Just, at St John's Church on 4th August. Come and see the last performance today, Monday 26th August, 4pm in the church. 

Full details and booking. 

TONIGHT AT 8pm: Just together... a celebration!

TONIGHT at 8pm, we celebrate what has been another extraordinary and record-breaking Just Festival (formerly the Festival of Spirituality and Peace) with a 'wrap event' at St John's Church.

Scots pipers will welcome us in and see us out. There will be a swansong or two for Just from the amazing Africa Entsha - of course - along with dance from Ragmala, Polish music, a cameo from Creepie Stool, a reflection from Rabbi Rosen, the Just Festival volunteers bursting into song, and more...

We also look forward to hearing from festival director Katherine Newbigging and chair of the hard-working board, Raymond Baudon.  There will be refreshments in the church hall afterwards.

But don't get the idea that this is the end of Just for 2013!

We will still have a full day left, Monday 26th August. That will be your last chance to see the moving Tejas Verdes, to reflect on Living Our Values, to meet Young Peacemakers, to hear the Canto del Paradiso, to be moved by Sacred Earth, to hear Africa Entsha, to see Creepie Stool... and to answer the question (in a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-belief society), "More Tea Imam?"

Also, of course, you can have a final peak at the remarkable In Sight of Peace photo-exhibition: Ian Berry of Magnum offers a unique view of South Africa, past and present, in its quest to leave apartheid behind - without forgetting the torment, and while learning the lessons.

Further previews of all of those events coming up soon here on Just Festival News...

Meantime, Just Together, the official closing event - tonight, 8pm, St John's Church Edinburgh (corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road, venue 127).

It's free, but donations to our charities, Mary's Meals and Waverley Care, and to the ongoing work of Just, will be welcome.

Just Festival Volunteers Ensemble... yay!

YEP, you're going to get their world premier tonight... the Just Festival volunteers have kept the whole show on the road, and now they're going to sing about it, just for you. And a few hundred other people.

Just Festival News has not enjoyed an exclusive preview ahead of the Just Together event (tonight, Sunday 25th August, 8pm at St John's Church Edinburgh, refreshments at 9pm)... but those who have tell us that X-factor can eat it's heart out. Welcome to Just-Factor!

Not much more to say, other than BE THERE!  But thanks to Adam Millerchip for this little video of the percussion section tuning up over supper. It's going to be awesome, folks...

An energising journey with Bach

THE first performance of Bach's famous Cello Suites at St John's Church, as part of Just Festival, on Sunday 18th August, has been very warmly welcomed.

Bronwen Naish's delivery of six preludes and suite no. 1 was described by one audience member as "simply gorgeous". And the good news is that she will continue to perform them on Monday 19th, Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st, with a break on 22nd and two final performances on 23rd and 24th August.

The six suites for unaccompanied cello by Johann Sebastian Bach are some of the most frequently performed and recognizable solo compositions ever written for cello. They were most likely composed during the period 1717–1723, when Bach served as a Kapellmeister in Köthen.

The suites have been transcribed for a whole variety of instruments. They have been performed and recorded by many renowned cellists, including Pablo Casals, János Starker, Pierre Fournier, Paul Tortelier, Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Mischa Maisky and Daniil Shafran, among others.

The Cello Suites are normally performed as single suites, travelling through the prelude and dances in their conventional order.

But what happens when all the Preludes are played in sequence, all the Allemandes in sequence and so on through all the six works?

Their extraordinary inventiveness and variety is suddenly highlighted in a new way. The key changes present a different experience for the listener as do the resulting changes of mood.

Because this is Festival time, Bronwen will finish each appearance with a number on the musical saw, (but not by Bach!)

Full Performance information:

18th: 6 Preludes + Suite no 1
19th: 6 Allemandes + Suite no 2
20th: 6 Courantes + Suite no 3
21st: 6 Sarabandes + Suite no 4
23rd: 4 Minuets, 4 Bourrees 4 Gavottes + Suite no 5
24th: 6 Gigues + Suite no 6

Venue: St John's Church (venue 27), corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road, Edinburgh. Price: £5. There is a cash box office at the venue.

Full details and booking here.

Last chance to see Soweto Melodic Voices!

TODAY at 4pm is the last chance to see five-star ★★★★★ rated Soweto Melodic Voices at the Just Festival. Don't miss out!

The ensemble, backed on their tour by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, who sent a special video message to the Festival at the beginning of the month, have been described as "an amazing burst of energy, talent and joy each and every day."

Soweto Melodic Voices offer a vibrant, life-affirming, celebration of traditional and contemporary African music, dance and song.  Reviews for them have been outstanding.

Their members are young adults who have grown up amidst the poverty of Soweto and have experienced first-hand hardships and bereavement through HIV/AIDS.

Transcending these hardships by friendship, mutual support and the joys for performing, the group raises funds for the prevention, treatment and orphans of HIV/AIDS.

The performance is at 4pm in the hall at St John's Church (venue 127, corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road), Edinburgh. Tickets are £12 (£10 concessions), and are available from the cash-only box office at the venue.

More details here.

Discover the sound of new African a cappella

WHAT more can be said about the amazing Africa Entsha? If you haven't seen them already, you really are missing out... so book those tickets now!

The Fringe says: "Discovered busking in parts of Johannesburg rarely visited, Africa Entsha now travel the world sharing their irrepressible energy and spectacular musical talents. Fantastic a cappella performances combine traditional African melodies with the contemporary, coupled with breathtaking dancing. Skilfully mixing humour and heart-breaking emotion, you will be won over by the infectiously playful and unique chemistry of the performers.

"An irresistibly positive, feel-good experience for all ages, you'll be dazzled by the talent, moved by the magic, and end up dancing in the aisles. Discover the sound of new African a cappella - simply Soweto! Unmissable!"

“Sparkling South African voices. A sound sensation that uplifts and inspires”, declares The Scotsman. That about sums it up...

August 20-21 • 20:00–21:00; 23-24, 26 • 20:00–21:00; 22 • 16:00-17:00.

Full booking details here.

Singing hope: Soweto Melodic Voices

THE South African dimension of Just Festival is further re-inforced by the presence of the enchanting Soweto Melodic voices, who are here with particular backing from Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

A special message from Dr Tutu was given by video at the official opening of Just at the beginning of the month.

Soweto Melodic Voices offer a vibrant, life-affirming, celebration of traditional and contemporary African music, dance and song. Performing in Edinburgh for the first time, following international success, they promise audiences a visual and sonic delight.

​ The group say: "Our members are young adults who have grown up amidst the poverty of Soweto and have experienced first-hand hardships and bereavement through HIV/AIDS."

Seeking to transcend these hardships by friendship, mutual support and the joys for performing, the group raises funds for the prevention, treatment and orphans of HIV/AIDS. An uplifting and affirmative experience showcasing the power of community.​

You can hear and see them from 16:00 – 17:00 at St John's Church again today, Tuesday 20th August, then 21st (22nd from 14:00 – 15:00), and finally on 23rd. Full details and booking here.

Glasgow Gospel Choir... raising money for Africa

HERE'S another performance not to miss at Just Festival 2013 - the Glasgow Gospel Choir, who are singing their hearts out at St John's Church tonight (Saturday 17th August, 6pm).

The choir has been described as possessing "an energetic mix of talent". Thoroughly community-based, it was established 14 years ago by Jerry Boweh – originally from Liberia – and brings a taste of soulful gospel to Glasgow.

Styles on display this evening will include African, Gospel, Motown and Blues. ​ Something for everyone!

Just as importantly, all profits raised go to the African Youth Development Action Project.  Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions).

Full details and booking here. Also a cash box office at the venue.

Africa in sound and movement

AFRICA Entsha, who are taking Edinburgh by storm for the third year running at Just Festival, have been on top form yet again tonight.

Here's a brief snippet of what they offer, from tonight through to the end of the festival. Whatever you do, don't miss them!

Africa Entsha are back!

SINGING sensations Africa Entsha have taken Edinburgh by storm over the past couple of years, and they are set to do so again in 2013 as part of the Just Festival.Take a look at them in action here...