ON LIBERATION Street

Imagine there’s a street in East London called Liberation Street.

Imagine that living on this street are families from all over the world.

Imagine they organise a street party where people swap stories of what brought them to London.

Imagine them telling these stories through music.

Photo of Grand Union Orchestra performing On Liberation Street

Now imagine what music you might hear...

  • Latin-American and Caribbean rhythms

  • African drumming and township music

  • traditional Turkish songs

  • bhangra and the music of India and Bangladesh blending with European harmony

  • exhilarating jazz

  • ravishing instrumental textures

This is the inspiration for On Liberation Street, another ambitious and spectacular large-scale show written by Tony Haynes.

Originally commissioned in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, On Liberation Street dramatises the experience of people caught up in world-changing events across three generations:

  • Post-war immigration in the late 1940s/early 1950s

  • Three very different struggles of the 1970s on three different continents

  • Parts of Eastern Europe and the Middle East in the 21st century

Artwork for our On Liberation Street show

Like all Grand Union shows, the power of On Liberation Street lies in its authenticity.

Many of the lyricists – Vladimir Vega (Chile), Manuel Alegre (Portugal), John Matshikiza (South Africa), and Mohammad Rafiquzzaman (Bangladesh) – themselves experienced the events portrayed. Several Grand Union musicians, and the families of some of the young musicians taking part, came to Britain as economic migrants, or to escape social and political upheavals across the world.

Photo of Grand Union Orchestra performing On Liberation Street

MUSICIANS FEATURED

  • Alison Crookendale (England) voice

  • Lucy Rahman (Bangladesh) voice, harmonium

  • Richard Scott (England) voice, tenor saxophone, flute

  • Xavier Osmir (Brazil) voice, Latin percussion

  • Yousuf Ali Khan (Bangladesh) tabla, dholak

  • Claude Deppa (South Africa) trumpet, percussion

  • Shanti Jayasinha (Sri Lanka/Scotland) trumpet, flugelhorn, cello

  • Chris Biscoe (England) alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, alto clarinet

  • Louise Elliott (Australia) tenor saxophone, flute

  • Ros Davies (Wales) trombone, flute, voice

  • Tim Smart (England) trombone, dijeridu

  • Tony Haynes (England) trombone, piano

  • Andy Grappy (England/Caribbean) tuba

  • Gerry Hunt (England) guitar, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, violin

  • Andres Lafone (Uruguay) bass guitar

  • Brian Abrahams (South Africa) drums, voice

Artwork for On Liberation Street