Wednesday 11 November, 7.30pm
£23 (£21 concessions | £8 under 35)

It’s easy to assume that the world’s most exciting music is born in the usual hotspots — the sun-soaked studios of California, the gritty soul of Detroit, the electric pulse of Chicago blues, the polished global machine of K-Pop in South Korea, or the romantic swirl of gypsy jazz drifting through Paris.

But few would point to the quiet, rolling countryside of Harewood — a place better known for its stately home and sleepy lanes — as the beating heart of a truly global musical phenomenon.

Yet that’s exactly where Talking Spirits begins.

Led by composer, musician and visionary James Lascelles, Talking Spirits is less a band and more a musical convergence — a collective of world-class artists whose combined experience reads like a hall of fame of modern music. Between them, members of Talking Spirits have performed, recorded, and collaborated with an astonishing roster of legends: from the avant-garde genius of Frank Zappa to the pioneering violinist L. Shankar; from rock theatricality with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel to the soulful songwriting of Joan Armatrading.

Their musical fingerprints stretch further still — touching the sounds of Steve Winwood, the guitar mastery of Jeff Beck, the dub innovations of Lee “Scratch” Perry, the modern soul of Joss Stone, and the blues legacy of Mick Taylor.

And that’s only part of the story.
Threads of reggae royalty appear through connections to Bob Marley, while global influences flow from artists like Shusha, acid jazz pioneers Incognito, and composer Paul Buckmaster. The experimental edge is sharpened by ties to Annette Peacock, while deep cultural roots extend to Cymande and the mystical traditions of the Bauls of Bengal. It’s a network of influence that spans continents, genres, and generations — yet somehow converges in a single, unexpected place.

At its core, Talking Spirits is about musical dialogue: rhythms from one culture speaking to melodies from another, improvisation meeting tradition, and global experience distilled into something immediate and alive. Rehearsals in Harewood might begin with a groove rooted in West Africa, drift through Indian classical phrasing, and resolve in something resembling jazz, rock, or something entirely new. For Lascelles, Harewood isn’t a contradiction — it’s a catalyst. Away from the noise of major cities, the rural calm provides space for experimentation, collaboration, and deep listening. “It’s not about where you are,” the philosophy suggests, “but who you bring together — and what you’re open to creating.”

In an era where music is often shaped by algorithms and trends, Talking Spirits stands apart as a reminder that true innovation still comes from human connection — from musicians in a
room, sharing stories through sound. And perhaps that’s the real surprise. Not that world-class music can come from anywhere — but that, sometimes, the most extraordinary sounds begin in the most unexpected places.

Even a quiet village near Leeds.

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