The Verse’s Gem Turner reviews The Jalapeno Bop at The Old Market on 1st December 2018.
Bringing the heat with their winter edition, Soul Casserole and Jalapeno Records served their hottest offering yet with an outstanding line-up.
Brighton based The Soul Steppers opened the show, frontwoman Lizzie Boyd delivered an outstanding performance with tracks like ‘Boss Lady’ and ‘Expressway To Your Heart’ alongside a 10 piece band. The whole venue was dancing and there were even some Northern soul dancers stepping their way through the crowd. Throughout their performance, Dj Cheeba offered his A/V skills, mapping visuals and scenes from Soul Train to accompany The Soul Steppers flawless set.
Myles Sanko, joined by his band, is fresh off of supporting the legendary Gregory Porter’s European tour. Opening with Jazz flute, Sanko entered the stage to huge applause, there are some die-hard fans in the audience. The audience is varied in age with some singing every word back to a humble Sanko. For me, the set started off slow. But it was clear by the audience’s response that he knew what he was doing.
He was musically conversing like you would with an old friend. It was Sanko’s first time in Brighton, and neither party left disappointed. “I dreamed in black and white, and now I see colour… my inspiration” Sanko sang in his silky tones, soul flowing effortlessly through him. Sanko has the charisma of the oldest of soul legends, with clear influence from the Isley Brothers, Temptations and his tour companion Gregory Porter, Sanko wowed the audience with tracks like “I’m Just Being Me” and “Forgot Me Not”.
Addressing the audience Sanko explains “Soul music, comes from the heart and we must share it” and asks “Is their love in the house tonight?” The audience responded with cheer as he applauded “right on!”. Sanko is a true showman, interacting with the audience and his band throughout the whole set. He claimed that the evening was a “love affair”. Sanko incorporates jazz, soul, and swing into each of his tracks.
Accompanied by horns, percussion, keys, guitar and bass, Sanko asks “Are you ready to save some souls?”. Sanko has the audience accompany him on backing vocals, conducting a call and answer response. Sanko closes the set with “believe in your dreams, because without dreams we are nothing”. He then exited the stage, leaving his band to wrap up. “We want more” his adorning fans chanted.
DJ Cheeba followed opening with a skit from Trailer Park Boys and straight into David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”… and everyone did, they danced the whole night.
