Meredith Davis’ cultural highlights

Meredith Davis is a writer, producer and events host based in London. Her work has been published in Frieze, WORMS Magazine and more.

Lecture: ‘The Strangeness of Dub’ by Edward George

A few weeks ago, I had the sensorially immersive experience of Edward George’s sonic essay ‘The Strangeness of Dub’ in the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre. George mapped us seamlessly through decades of evolving dub music with an erudite swagger that was beautifully punctuated by his playing tracks over the state-of-the-art soundsystem. If you’re an audiophile, I recommend attending an event in this theatre to witness its beauty in action. Curved walnut acoustic panels, shining stainless steel fixtures against the fine-grain black leather seats. George utilized the set up expertly, sliding between narrative and tracks with ease, the evolution of the sound, incremental and slight, elucidated by the depth of his technical knowledge. The vibrations of the music flooded me with the energy of performance, while his learning left me feeling enriched and refreshed.

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/sonic-essays-edward-george/

Book: The Grass Arena (1988) by John Healy 

John Healy’s The Grass Arena has an incredible tale behind it. Healy, who lived on the streets of London for 15 years in the ‘60s and ‘70s, suffered violence as a child and became an alcoholic, leading a homeless adult life just as stricken with abuse. Whilst serving time in HMP Pentonville, he was introduced to chess, going on to become a national champion and leaving behind addiction. The book itself has a tumultuous history, due to personal clashes between Healy and his original publishers, before Penguin re-released it in 2008. Because of the disruption to its public reception, I am always keen to recommend it to anyone I can. It is a miraculous story, told with equal parts clear-eyed brutality and picaresque humour. 

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57589/the-grass-arena-by-john-healy-afterword–colin-maccabe/9780141189598

Film: Summer of Soul (2022) directed by directed by Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson

The Summer of Soul is a must-see. Documenting a series of day festivals attended by thousands in Harlem in the summer of 1969, it is a moving and incredible insight into New York City history in the year after the most active period of the campaign for civil rights. With awe-inspiring performances from almost every name known to a soul lover, it’s an uplifting watch. The tapes had been forgotten and unreleased until now, and director Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson certainly made the most of showcasing them to the world with his thoughtful presentation of the music in step with the politics of the moment.

https://www.searchlightpictures.com/summerofsoul/

Venue: Mu on Kingsland Road, London 

Going to jazz bars alone is my equivalent of eating sweets for dinner. Ever since I realised, fully and practically, that I could go and enjoy jazz whenever I pleased, I have been using these metropolitan expeditions as a salve to boredom, stress or loneliness. I picked up this habit in New York, when I found myself with a free evening alone whilst visiting friends years ago (my New York favourites are Lunatico, Smalls and Ornithology). Having moved recently to London, I’m on a mission to tread a path through as many jazz venues I can find – suggestions welcome. A strong new contender is Mu on Kingsland Road. Open seven nights a week, the bar has a clean, slick feel, whilst the music programming offers a well-textured variety across the week.

https://mu-ldn.com/

Favourite WritersMosaic writer

I had the pleasure of seeing Vanessa Kisuule live in Bristol earlier this year. Her performance was split into two – she appeared at the start of the event, and again at the end. In the meantime, she had woven prompts from audience members into a poem that she reappeared to deliver. I was deeply moved and impressed – it felt like some sort of magic trick. Everyone should see her perform!

Meredith Davis

Meredith Davis is a writer, producer and events host based in London.