Ayanna Witter-Johnson & Friends @ Jazz Cafe
Following the release of her Black Panther EP, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ayanna Witter-Johnson headlined London’s iconic Jazz Cafe for a special Ayanna & Friends show.
Of course, the night was dedicated to the talents of one Ayanna Witter-Johnson. The Trinity College of Music graduate has spent much of the last 12 months gaining momentum as a solo artist in her own right. As she graced the stage the entire venue fell silent. Ayanna commanded the room and held the audience in the palms of her delicate hands by just her voice. It’s something that, even some of the most seasoned of artists struggle with and for her to be able to do that so early in her career is rather remarkable.
Ayanna’s talents transcend further than just her voice. As a classically trained cellist, she has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and is nothing short of a seasoned vet. Throughout her set, she was sure to remind us all of her incredible talents, even taking on live renditions of her much discussed SBTV sessions where he uses her keyboard and cello at the same time. It’s truly a remarkable experience. Kudos should also be given to her band, which played pitch perfectly throughout the entire set.
It wouldn’t be Ayanna and Friends without a few surprises and for her final song, she was joined by rapper & wordsmith Akala and the House Gospel Choir who are making their own headlines as one of the most exciting choirs to emerge in years. It was an interesting combination that really worked well in practice and on paper. Here’s hoping they can do some more collaborations in the near future.
