Written by Becca Hemens
With the heatwave prevailing and the stages set, Love Supreme returned to Glynde Place for its 10th year of celebrating all things jazz, funk and soul. The three day festival boasted a broad range of entertainment from live music, artist panels, food and shopping experiences to late night DJ sets which saw audiences dancing into the early hours.
The festival hosted an impressively extensive line up, with a plethora of stages demonstrating its growing range of genres, while still paying homage to its jazz roots. The South Downs Tent saw The Cavemen, a Highlife sibling duo, perform their unique sound of afrobeat and jazz as crowds flocked to find the source of Kingsley Okorie’s powerful vocals. Meanwhile, across the site, the Supreme Standards tent was taken over by Leeds-based composer and saxophonist Jasmine Myra who performed her euphorically technical arrangement of Horizons, much to the joy of more traditional jazz fans. Yaya Bey later graced this tent with her blissful blend of R&B and soul, which was elevated by her raw emotion and candid conversations, showing even the most angelic performers struggle through heartbreak.
As the day went on, it was time to head to the Main Stage, which was blessed with London-based performer Green Tea Peng, who strutted her stuff in a top hat and fur throw, chanting her neo-soul classic ‘Downers’ and ‘Nah It Ain’t The Same’. Then, finishing the evening was Saturday headliner Little Simz, who ushered in crowds of all ages to unanimously chant hits from her acclaimed album ‘Sometimes I Might Be Introvert’ and her newest release ‘NO THANK YOU’. Starting with nothing but vibrantly hypnotic graphics accompanying her on the stage, Little Simz hypnotised audiences who screamed at the barriers as she climbed down to her adoring fans, begging for a moment of eye contact from the performer. As she closed with her seminal hit ‘Woman’ her humble and present nature was enough to win over all jazz heads.
With the sun setting and the carousels slowing, crowds were called to the woods where Mr Bongo took over the decks and filled up the tent with his latin inspired grooves. Festival-goers two-stepped into the night and revelled in the music of the tightly packed venue, which was a far cry from the jazz-based instrumentals of the day. Drinks were in the air and dancers were shoulder to shoulder, ensuring it to be “A Night To Remember”, as headliners Shalamar would say.
From the mushroom pad thai and the crispy duck pancakes to the Tanqueray spritz and the Brooklyn Pilsner, Love Supreme proved itself to be a festival that ticked all the boxes. With simple travel connections making the journey from Brighton and London seamless, and endless camping options for those wanting to enjoy the whole weekend, there was nothing to worry about but staying on top of your sunscreen. Whether you attended for a nuanced jazz experience or simply a good time, Glynde showed it was the only place to be. Perhaps put best by acid-jazz band Incognito in their afternoon set, “beyond colour and beyond creed, we are one nation under the groove”.
