{"id":40911,"date":"2025-01-04T15:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-01-04T15:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/?p=40911"},"modified":"2025-01-08T15:06:49","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T15:06:49","slug":"an-evening-of-jazz-with-dominic-miller-and-maria-semushkina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/an-evening-of-jazz-with-dominic-miller-and-maria-semushkina\/","title":{"rendered":"An Evening of Jazz with Dominic Miller and Maria Semushkina"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

And of course, there it was: “Shape of My Heart” (after all, it\u2019s hard to forget that this iconic hit was co-written by Sting and Miller). But this time, Dominic didn\u2019t play the over-familiar version that 90s romantics had worn out. Instead, he performed a clever trick: starting with the recognisable theme, he deconstructed it into fragments, only to reassemble it as a hybrid of jazz, folk, and sounds reminiscent of Buenos Aires streets. This wasn\u2019t the old, well-known hit but its deconstruction, with the shadow of the original surfacing only occasionally.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9<\/strong> Valya Korabelnikova<\/a>\u00a0\u0434\u043b\u044f\u00a0Semushkina CultLab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The entire concert grew and transformed before the audience\u2019s eyes, like a living being. Every musician in the band had the chance to shine, yet even individual solos never felt isolated, constantly showcasing how seamlessly the group\u2019s relationships were built\u2014each member wrapped in the supportive accompaniment of the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, unexpectedly, Miller\u2019s daughter Misty stepped up to the microphone. \u201cIt\u2019s a family business,\u201d Dominic joked. But there was no pragmatism here: her voice was deep and passionate, and the song choices were perfect: “Yesterday Once More” (1973) by The Carpenters and “Misty,” famously performed by Ella Fitzgerald.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9<\/strong> Valya Korabelnikova<\/a>\u00a0\u0434\u043b\u044f\u00a0Semushkina CultLab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After roaring applause, Dylan Fowler, an old friend of Dominic\u2019s (with whom he released a collaborative album of Latin American and jazz compositions in 1984), joined him on stage. Decades later, their layered guitar interplay sounded like a dialogue between two people who have long understood that life\u2019s beauty lies not in competition but in collaboration\u2014sharp, delicate, beautiful, and deeply human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, there was “Ripped Nylon” from the album November, reminiscent of a carousel of jazz, blues, and early Pink Floyd-style progressive rock, followed by the tender “Valium” from Silent Night. (Dominic quipped with a smile that he didn\u2019t even know why he named the piece \u201cValium\u201d\u2014he\u2019s never tried it.) A solo piano piece in the style of the late 1940s morphed into something alt-rock-esque with a synthesiser and a rich bass riff. There was also a composition clearly inspired by The Beatles\u2019 “A Day in the Life,” but with a guitar that led into a melancholic trance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finale? Miller dedicated it to Argentina, the country where he was born and spent his childhood, and to a local card game that, according to him, involves shouting, cheating, and madness. The perfect conclusion! The entire evening had been just like that: chaos turned into art, ruled by improvisation. It wasn\u2019t a concert for those seeking cozy hits but for those who love experiencing the strange and the vibrant. And it was worth it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/h4>\n\n\n
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\u00a9<\/strong> Valya Korabelnikova<\/a>\u00a0\u0434\u043b\u044f\u00a0Semushkina CultLab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After the concert, we spoke with Maria Semushkina, the international producer and organiser of Dominic and his band\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria, critics consider Dominic<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s music to have a unique atmospheric and even cinematic quality. Why did you decide that King<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Place was the right venue for this concert?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I chose it from the perspective of a music producer who always strives to present artists in the best sound quality. In my experience (and I\u2019ve seen many concerts in this hall), King\u2019s Place has always been attractive, especially acoustically, for jazz. London has a wide variety of venues, but the combination of intimacy and acoustic excellence made King\u2019s Place perfect for Dominic\u2019s music. He told me he really appreciated the high-quality sound and was delighted to play here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was there anything unique or challenging about organising this performance compared to other artists you<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>ve worked with?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not at all. Working with him and his team was very comfortable, even though the musicians are currently on an extensive tour. Everything went smoothly on both sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why was this the only concert in the UK?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s probably because the tour is very long, and it\u2019s hard to fit in additional dates. Moreover, we were fortunate to secure an available venue. Believe me, organising concerts in London often involves challenges with venue availability and costs. Additionally, Dominic\u2019s musicians are from different countries, and many are heading off for Christmas holidays\u2014to Paris, Tel Aviv, and elsewhere. It\u2019s a very international band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that Dominic would focus not on presenting the album (his tour supports Vagabond) but on improvisation and unpredictability, or was that a surprise for you too?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

His guests were a surprise for us\u2014for instance, I didn\u2019t know his daughter and Dylan Fowler would perform. So yes, it was unexpected, but a pleasant surprise!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9<\/strong> tania naiden<\/a>\u00a0\u0434\u043b\u044f\u00a0Semushkina CultLab<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s next in your plans?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right now, I\u2019m focusing on working with a range of international artists. For instance, we\u2019re negotiating with several musicians in the improvisational jazz genre. There are plans to create a festival combining contemporary jazz with artificial intelligence. This is a new concept I\u2019ve devised: visual content generated by AI based on the music, projecting the jazz sounds onto a screen. The project is in development, and we plan to host the event in a large concert club in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope this will grow into a major open-air event similar to \u201cUsadba Jazz\u201d. But this would be in 2026. I\u2019ve already found a suitable venue near London and want to hold a large festival, introducing my unique organisational approach. I\u2019ve been attending many events, observing, and realising how much my experience could contribute to the British scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m also planning to continue the Music Saves the World project, a festival supporting musical nomads. I think we\u2019ll be able to repeat it in London next year with a new program and later bring it to Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris. And this won\u2019t just be about Russian-speaking musicians. I\u2019m gradually introducing collaborations. Let\u2019s say musical nomads are a truly global concept\u2014they might flee wars, repression, regimes, ecological disasters, or simply move around the world trying to find their audience. So Music Saves the World is a humanitarian mission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dominic Miller, the legendary guitarist and collaborator of Sting, Tina Turner, and Genesis, took to the stage at London\u2019s King\u2019s Place without a setlist, without predictability, and seemingly without a plan\u2014and it was magnificent! A light ambient soundscape emerged with piano and guitar gently complementing each other. But soon, the barely audible melody disappeared, as bass and drums entered, adding density and boldness. Miller didn\u2019t dominate with his guitar\u2014he steered the flow like a ship\u2019s captain, confidently setting the course without being overbearing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":40586,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"0","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[86],"tags":[],"type_post":[184],"column":[],"class_list":["post-40911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40911"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40911\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40911"},{"taxonomy":"type_post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_post?post=40911"},{"taxonomy":"column","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/column?post=40911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}