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Review of Charanga del Norte gig Wakefield Jazz Club Added: April 25th, 2025
The Whitman Review: Charanga del Norte at Wakefield Jazz Club on 20 October 2023
“The tight interaction of the rhythm instruments—always percussion-rich but not percussion-heavy—is what drives the music forward. Sue Miller’s stamina was as remarkable as the quality of her flute-playing, since she was responsible for sustaining a clear and arresting melodic line above the sheer breadth and force of the rest of the band. Improvisationally, too, her flute playing was a wonderful demonstration of the possibilities that a truly creative player can open up.” -
New Review of Improvising Sabor – Cuban Dance Music in New York Added: April 25th, 2025
A new review by Professor Jairo Moreno of Sue Miller’s book Improvising Sabor – Cuban Dance Music in New York (University Press of Mississippi, 2021) https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/I/Improvising-Sabor
“This is strong historical work, joining a distinguished set of revisionary histories of New York City “Latin” music such as Salsa Rising (Juan Flores, 2016) and Arsenio Rodríguez and the Transnational Flows of Latin Popular Music (David Garcia, 2006)—research that offers a rich, inclusive, and diverse understanding of one of the great musical developments of twentieth-century American, Caribbean, and Latin American music.”
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Review of Charanga del Norte gig for Big Ideas by the Sea Added: December 1st, 2024
“When Leeds-based Charanga del Norte begin and invite their audience to dance, there is immediate compliance; a good number of the audience dance, and continue to weave their way around the floor, throughout the evening. As this band plays their way through a number of songs, some familiar and some less so, the vibe is quintessentially playful and filled with the joy of movement and music. Mac the Knife, Maravilloso, and more besides are on the set list; the percussive beats, lilting flute, slinky strings and rhythmic keys that are intrinsic to charanga, blend with ease and dynamism. The band are compelling and characterful, presenting the best of Cuban charanga style. Two hours pass in a heartbeat, as this Little Big Ideas by the Sea event plays to a sizeable and amicable audience of assembled groovers and latin-beat lovers.
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Conference – Broadening Music Performance in Higher Education 26 &27 June CfP Added: November 28th, 2024
This conference aims to address three overarching but inter-related questions:
How can we broaden the nature and scope of music performance (of any genre) in meaningful, inclusive and caring ways?
How can we strengthen community and belonging through music performance, in the face of adversity and unpredictability in higher education?
How can the provision of music performance within HE, or other settings relevant for performers’ training, adapt and respond to some of today’s complex challenges?
This event is open to audiences both within and outside of higher education or academia. From the higher education sector, participants may include music educators, instrumental/vocal tutors (engaged within HE) and researchers at any stage in their career. -
CHARANGA DEL NORTE GIG 26 OCTOBER SCARBOROUGH Added: August 2nd, 2024
“Scarborough Market Hall – Big Ideas By The Sea 26/10/2024 7.30pm Tickets available at ticketsource.co.uk/bibts
CHARANGA DEL NORTE PERFORM LIVE ON SATURDAY 26 OCTOBER SCARBOROUGH MARKET HALL as part of BIG IDEAS BY THE SEA
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Charanga del Norte perform at CLF London Saturday 15th June Added: April 1st, 2024
Save the date – Charanga del Norte return to CLF in Peckham on Saturday 15th June – save the date!
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Teaching music theory in UK higher education today: contexts and commentaries Added: April 1st, 2024
Teaching music theory in UK higher education today: contexts and commentaries
This multi-authored article offers accounts of how programmes for teaching music theory within the Western-notated tradition were created in two UK higher education institutions. These accounts are followed by two more discursive reflections on the nature and purpose of music education today, advocating the importance of listening skills and inclusive pedagogies. The article is framed by an introduction and conclusion contextualising the issues raised in relation to a selection of prior contributions to Music Education Research and comparing approaches to music literacy and theory teaching as represented in recent music theory conferences in the UK and the United States. -
New Book on Serge Gainsbourg Added: April 1st, 2024
“Latin” Gainsbourg and the Parisian Nightclub Scene
Sue Miller (Leeds Becket University)
That Serge Gainsbourg made use of Cuban music on recordings such as “Mambo Miam Miam” (mambo/chachachá), “L’Eau à la Bouche” and “Cha cha cha du Loup” (chachachá), and “Couleur Café” (Cuban son), is well known. Perhaps less explored, at least in terms of musical influence, is Gainsbourg’s background as a performer and musical director within the 1950s Paris nightclub scene and the important role his father Joseph Ginsburg had on his musical development. Both Joseph and Serge (Lucien) Ginsburg worked in Paris cabarets and the history of live music in Paris therefore holds a key to understanding Gainsbourg’s eclectic artistic output.
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Charanga del Norte at Club 85 Hitchin on 1st October 2023 Added: October 4th, 2023
We had a fantastic time joining forces with our conga player Raz Jayasuriya’s Garden City Samba on Sunday 1st October as part of our Arts Council funded UK tour
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Charanga del Norte play the Brudenell Saturday 7th October 2023 Added: October 4th, 2023