Preview

This sensational seven-piece band play what's been referred to as "worldbeat jazz" - they combine global dance rhythms and jazz improvisations , born of the band members' collective affinity for a dazzling array of musical styles, encompassing South African township music, salsa, samba, jazz, funk, reggae, rock, blues, ska, folk, North, West and East African and Asian musics. All members of the band are composers, providing a repertoire of awesome diversity. The brass front line play seven horns between them, while the bass/drums/keyboards rhythm section have experience in everything from straight-ahead jazz to Cajun, trad to Tex-Mex. Many bands claim to play world music, but this band deserves the label more than any other!

For more than a decade Zubop have thrilled audiences in all corners of Britain as well as on seven tours of Germany and Switzerland; the frequency with which they receive return bookings testifies to their ability to delight crowds in all sorts of venues - tonight, it's Tregaron's turn! Whether your preference is for dancing or just standing and marvelling at their supreme musicianship, Zubop are guaranteed to knock you out.

"All bases, from South American through the Carribean and Africa to India, were touched ... Zubop are the genuine article: musical travellers." - The Times

Review

Despite a disappointingly low turnout, the dance floor was full almost the entire evening for this superb world music band. Based in London, but with a musical heart that encompasses South Africa, Senegal, the West Indies, Louisiana and all places in between (sometimes in the space of one song!), Zubop proved that they weren't just musical magpies, but a band with their own unique brand of world dance music.

With a front line of three brass players, who between them played seven horns, and a water-tight rhythm section that had some fine invention from guitar and keyboard, they gave the audience a driving dance beat, and plenty to please the ears of the discerning listener. Although virtually all songs were originals by members of the band, the sheer joyousness of the sound and the sense of fun in the performance seemed to bring the audience straight into the party atmosphere.

As I said, the crowd turnout was sadly down on recent gigs, but it will definitely not be the last of Zubop in Tregaron. As several people said after the gig, 'they would be ideal to open the festival!' - well we shall see.......................