Art Terry & the Black Bohemians are touring the Self Isolation Songbook.

Terry, whose piano playing was described by the New York Times as ‘terrific,’ fuses gospel transcendence with punk playfulness and skilfully orchestrated funk.

Preceding each performance there is a screening of the Self Isolation Songbook, a 30min short music film made by Helena Smith during lockdown, which features Art Terry performing a song a day for 52 days, as he battles COVID-19 and the existential crisis of self isolation.

The band then interpret these songs live, harnessing comedy, anxiety and philosophy to interpret the times we are in. Los Angeles-born Terry channels the ecstatic release of the gospel music he was steeped in as a child, as well as the thinking of inspirational figures such as Angela Davis.

This is a special opportunity to hear an improbably big band and virtuoso musicianship. Complementing Terry’s keyboard talent and singer-songwriter bravado, audiences will hear an outstanding gospel choir, improvised theremin solos, upright bass, brass, clarinet and percussion.

Art Terry and the Black Bohemians deliver a strong shot of arthouse funk: get ready to dance.

The Self Isolation Songbook was selected by Doc’n Roll to premiere at Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here Festival. Since then, the Songbook has been screened and performed at the CCA in Glasgow, the Peckham Free Film Festival, Totnes Cinema, the Rose Hill in Brighton, Stereo in Glasgow, Summerhall in Edinburgh and the Tolbooth in Stirling.

More performances to be announced soon. To book a performance, email AltSoul Records or call +44(0)7939 470070.

Images Hasna Taayar

The Self Isolation Songbook reviewed

Groovy, passionate and colourful are just three words to describe this gig, avoiding the obvious word choice: fantastic. 

The performance consisted of an intriguing and intimate half hour short film before the live music began. The film is entitled ‘The Self Isolation Songbook’. It was a collection of short songs, all filmed during the first fifty-two days of Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. Terry created all the songs and performed them by himself in the film.

The band consisted of four vocalists, a violist, a bassist, a trumpeter, a drummer, a clarinetist, and Art Terry himself, vocalist and pianist. There was also a theremin brought out for a couple of songs, a treat the audience visibly appreciated. The contrast of watching the songs performed solely by Terry [in the film] and then with a powerfully talented band was delectable. 

A selection of songs were played live, but the crowd favourite was blatantly the track dedicated to American political activist, Angela Davis. What started as a swaying ballad turned into a gospel foot stomper. The stands were quivering with the dancing bodies, mops of hair banging as the band played chorus after chorus of this appreciative kind of love song.

During another ballad about the loss of soul in the world, the vocalists and theremin along with the rest of the band created the most beautifully haunting wails. It was a sound I’d have thought only possible through physically grieving vocal cords, but the instruments were manipulated in such a way that they accentuated and mirrored the true genuine cries of the vocalists. It was true art.  

The audience will be forever grateful that when lockdown started, Terry’s thought was “if you’re feeling locked out during lock down... get funky with it!”, making a musical experience to define the Covid-19 era. 

If you ever have the chance to see Art Terry live, definitely go for it – you won’t regret it.  

Alex Paterson, Discovery Music