IMA’s Soul Christmas Fundraiser 2023 Coming Up December 10th
@ KOKO
Feat Odyssey, Tony Momrelle, Imaani, Louise Marshall & London Soul Choir
Raising money for Macmillan Cancer & Teenage Cancer Trust
All Proceeds & ticket sales go straight to these charities.
Check out IMA 2022 Soul event feat Mica Paris & Alison Limerick
Last year IMA raised over 23k
On 18 Dec 2022 at KOKO, London IMA hosted a night of soul music to support some awesome charities!
The legendary Mica Paris headlined the show supported by Alison Limerick, Imaani, Kevin Leo and London Soul Choir.
Producer: Barbara
Camera: IMA team & Barbara – OnTrax
Edited by OnTrax Jean-Philippe Bensoussan
CHRISTMAS SOUL NIGHT 2023 – ARTISTS BIOS:
Odyssey
THE GLORY DAYS of top vocal group Odyssey, one of the most successful soul/disco acts of the 70’s and 80’s had them scoring several Top Ten hits in Britain and throughout the world. From their debut album emerged their first smash single – “Native New Yorker”, an international hit late in 1977. A couple of years later, the group cut their “Hang Together” album. It contained the massive hit “Use It Up and Wear It Out”, while the flipside, “Don’t Tell Me, Tell Her” received major airplay on US Black Radio. In the UK, “Use It Up” shot to the top ten, followed by “If You’re Looking for a Way Out”, “Inside Out”, and the Lamont Dozier classic “Going Back To My Roots”, among others.
The group actually started out being billed as The Lopez Sisters when there were three of them: Lillian, Louise, and Carmen. An agent spotted them at a concert and booked them for a five month European tour. When they returned to the States, Carmen left the trio to marry, but Lillian and Louise resolved to continue, and so recruited Tony Reynolds as a replacement. Additionally, Lillian’s eldest son, Steven Collazo had become part of Odyssey behind the scenes – recording as a background vocalist, journeyman session musician and musical director for their live performances and tours.
Performing around the UK, Europe and the Middle East through the 80s and into the 90s, the journey continued. In 1994, Steven moved up to co-front the group while appearing with Lillian on television, touring the arenas, and festivals throughout the UK and Europe. Steven now continues his mother’s legacy, taking the “odyssey” forward alongside the superb vocals of Romina Johnson (known for her own success with producer Artful Dodger on the hit single “Movin Too Fast”) and Jerdene Wilson.
With their potent blend of infectious melodies and immaculate grooves that helped define the era disco and soul around the world, Odyssey still never fail to have concert halls and dancefloors jumping with energy and singing along, wherever they perform.
Tony Momrelle
Dubbed – ‘The 21st century Stevie Wonder’ by Paul Morley of The Guardian and with a music career spanning 20+ years, Tony Momrelle has played with some of the greatest artists in the world: Incognito, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, Janet, Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Sade, Gary Barlow, Andrea Bocelli, Gwen Stefani, Robert Palmer, Gospel music group Seven and many more.
Tony is lead male vocalist of the famous British Acid-jazz band Incognito for more than sixteen years before launching his solo career in 2015 with his acclaimed debut album ‘Keep Pushing’, an authentic and thoroughly contemporary interpretation of what British soul music means today. His later studio album ‘Best Is Yet To Come’ released in 2019 is arguably Tony’s finest album to date, truly demonstrating his exceptional prowess as a songwriter, as well as showcasing the outstanding vocal ability for which he is widely known.
Tony has toured world-wide, playing to sold-out audiences at venues and festivals in the UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Russia, France, Indonesia and many more. On home soil, he has dazzled audiences on the BBC One show ‘Later with Jools Holland’, with the Guy Barker Orchestra and Big Band for BBC Radio 2 and at the EFG London Jazz Festival and Cheltenham Jazz Festival for several years running.
Imaani
“When I was at school, I was always chosen to perform in the choir and my friends would constantly ask me to sing in the playground. That’s how I discovered I had a passion for it… I come from a musical family. My uncles had a band when I was growing up and I used to sneak into their rehearsals in my Grandma’s basement and long to be a part of it”
It wasn’t until Nottingham born Imaani moved to London in her late teens, that a chance meeting with a record producer led to her first recording. Her first paid gig was dancing as a shadow in one of Jocelyn Brown’s videos. She never looked back!
Gracing stages across the world Imaani’s live career is impressive. She has performed in numerous prestigious venues such as Tokyo’s famous Blue Note club, Switzerland’s Montreaux Jazz Festival and New York’s The Filmore. She has performed on television, in the studio, and live with artists including Nile Rodgers, Chaka Khan, Maceo Parker, Philip Bailey, Jimmy Cliff, UB40, Gloria Gaynor, Incognito, Betty Wright, Omar, Mica Paris, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Leon Ware and Aswad.
“One of the most wonderful and memorable voices…” Bluey
Featuring on no less than twelve studio and three live albums by the celebrated Jazz Funk band Incognito including “Beneath The Surface”, “Bees & Things & Flowers, ‘Surreal’, ‘Amplified Soul’ and ‘Tomorrow’s New Dream’, Imaani has become a long-standing favourite with the fans. As a long-term member of Incognito, she has also completed several world tours and continues to tour extensively with the band. Her emotive lead vocal contributions also appear on the Urban Species album “Blanket”, Reel People’s ‘Seven ways to wonder’ album and Down to the Bone’s album ‘The Main Ingredients’.
“…Imaani’s beautiful vocals are the standout element” JjazzproJect
Imaani has also had British chart success with Tru Faith & Dub Conspiracy’s ‘Freak Like Me’ and has featured on nine singles for dance outfit Copyright with tracks including anthems like ‘Wizeman’ and ‘Nobody’. Her tracks with The Layabouts, ‘Fearless’ and ‘Too Late’ feature on their album ‘Future Retro. Both of her solo house music singles, ‘Found My Light’ and ‘Live Without Love’ placed No.1 Traxsource download chart. Her current single ‘Best of My Love’ a collaboration with Revival is currently riding high and is playlisted on several radio stations including Radio 2 where it’s on heavy rotation.
“Standing Tall’ has given this fine singer her very own musical canvas to paint, or embroider, her own musical pictures in our minds…” Soulwalking.co.uk
As a recording artist, Imaani’s success spans across genres. Her debut solo album ‘Standing Tall’ has been met with critical acclaim. It is a body of work that celebrates all of the styles of music that Imaani loves and combines them with strong hooks, soulful melodies and distinct production.
“…She knows how to use her powerful soul voice, and even managed to give every song an individual and clear mood” – H P Ostermunchner
Imaani’s solo album ‘Standing Tall’ is available on iTunes, Amazon and all online music retailers.
Louise Marshall
Louise Clare Marshall has been singing since she was 15 months old, beginning piano lessons at five, singing in the Oldham Girls Choir and studying Piano at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester joining the Chamber Choir and was a member of the National Youth Choir from 1990 to 1996.
Louise won a Scholarship to The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and learned her trade singing with bands, West End Shows including ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Whistle down the Wind’, various session work for many recordings for TV, Radio and Films such as ‘Little Mermaids, ‘Beauty and The Beast’ and ‘Ray’.
Currently a featured singer with Jools Holland and his Orchestra, Louise has toured worldwide and worked alongside David Gilmour, Marc Almond, Soft Cell, Paul Weller, Chaka Khan, Beverley Knight, Dionne Warwick, Michael Ball, Roy Ayers, Tom Jones, Rag & Bone Man, Ed Sheeran and The BBC Big Band to name but a few.
Last Summer, Louise was the voice on the No. 1 single, ‘Afraid to Feel’ by LF System. The Double Platinum track was No.1 for 8 weeks and was nominated for a Brit Award for ‘Song of the Year’, performing the song on Jools Holland’s Hootenanny last year. She sings the nation into the New Year with ‘Auld Lang Syne’.
Louise has produced two original albums “Wait for you” and “Beautiful”, a collection of her own original songs alongside some ‘gem’ covers. She is a regular performer at various London venues such as The 606 Club, Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express, The Crazy Coqs & Boisdales with her two bands ‘The Brethren’ and her ‘Seriously Mendes’ projects.
Earlier this year, Louise gave a workshop for the UK Soul Choir and is overjoyed to sing with them for IMA Christmas Soul Night at @kokocamden
London Soul Choir
From the humble beginnings of a single choir in Greenwich with just four members, UK Soul Choirs now feature 10 branches in London and the South East with 500 members singing together weekly. They are also opening four new choirs in January 2024 in London and the South East. It’s free to try out ANY of the UK Soul Choir branches and no experience is needed.
Abi Gilchrist, a highly experienced vocal coach and seasoned performer in her own right, was compelled to start Soul Choirs in 2010 because of her love of the genre and the thrill of bringing people together through singing.
UK Soul Choirs use their performance opportunities to collect money for many charities. Over the years, they are proud to say that they have collected tens of thousands for both local and national organisations such as Mind, Parkinsons UK, Tommy’s, UK Food Banks, Mind, Disasters Emergency Committee for Ukraine and The British Heart Foundation to name but a few.
Over the years, Soul Choirs has been fortunate to have performed alongside Soul Legends such as Mica Paris, Alison Limerick, Lamar and Jocelyn Brown. They’ve sung at Blackheath Festival, Dreamland, Camp Bestival, Greenwich and Docklands Festival, The Southbank Centre, KOKO and the Camden Electric Ballroom. They’ve been featured on LBC, Radio 3, Good Morning Britain and they were onscreen as the community choir of choice for a Christmas M&S advert 2023.
Music & art is the universal language we all share. #TalentwithNoJudgement.
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Producer: Barbara
Camera: IMA team & Barbara – OnTrax
Edited by OnTrax Jean-Philippe Bensoussan
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