Jazz Cafe Festival 2022: A Day of Music Magic in Burgess Park

From its permanent home in Camden Town to its temporary home in Burgess Park, the Jazz Cafe spread its wings for a second year running to host a sold out, one day festival. 

This felt like a day for real music fans. There were no obvious branded concessions, no sponsored stages and a very walkable site where you werent worried about clashing set times because you could always hop over to the next stage. The crowd were really there to experience the music, and not get too messy or agitated in the meantime. 

However, dont be fooled into thinking that it was all crooners and drum solos (although there was some of that too) because the line up was just as varied as any other London event. With four stages, two of which were DJ only, there was everything from contemporary jazz, to old school hip-hop, to alternative rap to dance music. 

The main stage headliner was saxophone-wielding and all-round performer, Masego. A crowd favourite, he is built for festivals and drew a large and engaged crowd. From his well-known tracks like Tadow and Queen, to lesser known but still upbeat and fun tracks that core fans knew, he commanded the stage the entire time, sometimes indulging us in a sax solo, or building a beat live on stage. 

Earlier in the day, Griselda co-founder Westside Gunn dominated the main stage. Although he arrived late, this was nothing compared to all the years his UK fans have waited to see him perform in the UK, this being the very first time. 

Whats better than one Griselda artist? Two. Benny the Butcher headlined the Plant Shed, which was a greenhouse-style stage packed out the whole day. Only catching the last few songs of this set, the energy was so deeply focused on the stage, you could have swung from the ceiling and no one would have noticed. 

We were lucky enough to catch up with two incredibly talented and rapidly rising artists of the moment, Elmiene and Lexa Gates. In this Part 1, we dig into our chat with Lexa&

LEXA GATES

Queens, NY artist Lexa Gates is prolific. Having released five albums, with a new one on the way, she is completely locked in. Before we spoke, we witnessed her take over the Plant Shed stage to a full crowd. Effortlessly gliding between tracks punctuated by her dry humour in between, she had London in the palm of her hand, converting new fans with every bar. 

Heres what we got into backstage after the set&

Photographer: Aisyah Octavia

Clash: How do you think it went out there today?

Lexa Gates: I felt really hot, I could feel my face getting red. Im like a robot at this point, I just know what I have to sing. It was really great, a huge crowd.

Whats your favourite song to perform right now?

My favourite is Stupid. We have some choreography for that one, and Staeys Chips, but thats it. I want to get better with the choreography&They dont have Stacys Chips out here, so everyone always thinks its some girl named Stacey, they think its fries like french chips. 

Youre from Queens, NY. Do you feel any pressure being a New York artist?

No, its a badge, I wear it with honour. It gives me confidence. I know that nothing has shit on New York. I already have done things there, you know what they say, If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Ive seen it all, I fucking kill roaches walking down the street, Im passing by hella crackheads. I used to do a bunch of bad stuff. So now Im just grateful for everything and how all of it has shifted into something positive.

I know youve been to London a few times. What do you think London can do better than New York?

I really love London. I dont want to say its better, but theres great fashion here, people have personal style. There are certain places in New York where everyones just copying shit from a Pinterest board, but out here, I feel like people dress with so much personality. 

You always dress amazingly, in your videos, on Instagram and your stage outfits. How do you want to represent your aesthetic?

I live somewhere where its not as gentrified, its really just old people on the street who are fly in their own way. I see a little bit of that here too&I feel really inspired by business people, people with money in the Lower East Side of FiDi. But at the same time, just the world like flowers, trees and art.

You always have flowers with you. Whats the significance of that?

Roses raise your vibration, right?&I always have fruit and flowers, and Hispanic people selling flowers and fruit outside, it feels cool, like some hustler shit. Also its part of the outfit, its cute. Im fucking with peonies right now.

You also produce some of your own tracks. Are you trying to increase that ratio a bit more?

I would love to, I know that production is a whole thing in itself though. My dream is to have an album thats all produced by me, but thats so much work.

What releases can we expect from you this year? Youre already prolific! 

I did a whole album, 16 songs. I really love releasing music, it really makes me happy, so Im always constantly having more things done.

Do you write mostly before you get to the studio?

I usually write there, on the spot. But Im writing on paper, super locked in.

What is success to you?

Financial freedom. To be in the back of a car and just be trapped there, or in a jet, and just super isolated from the entire world, I guess thats success. Just a big team, everybodys paid well. To be the best at what I do. 

Come back for Live Report Part 2, featuring our interview with Elmiene tomorrow.

Words: Nicola J Davies // @nicola_jdavies
Main Photo: Hannah Jeffries