Les Spaine, godfather of UK funk DJs, rare set and Q&A in Woodbridge
We have teamed up with Ipswich Art Centre and Aspire Black Suffolk for our next Live at The Riverside event to present a night of music and visuals plus a Q&A with funk and soul legend Les Spaine.
As well as playing an ultra rare DJ set, with a brand new Noise of Art AV show, Les will be talking to DJ Ben Osborne about the role US Airforces bases in Suffolk played in the development of funk and soul music in Britain.
The event is taking place next door to the former US Airforce base in Rendlesham and is part of the launch of Aspire Black Suffolk, a season of events celebrating black culture in East Anglia, running alongside Ipswich Museum's Power of Stories exhibition.
Les will talk about a career that saw him become resident DJ at the legendary Timepiece funk club, the 1970s all-night super club in Liverpool. The club became a magnet for touring American soul and funk acts, and led to Les heading-up Motown Records in the UK and working with such greats as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Jacksons, Kraftwerk, David Bowie, Maze, Aswad and many more.
American bases in the cold war became a channel for getting soul and funk music into the UK. Les will recall his time DJing at US Airforce bases in Suffolk, when he was in demand with US troops as one of the few funk DJs in the UK.
The night will also feature DJ sets from Ben Osborne, with Your Mum and more to be announced.
Proceeds from the night will go to the Save The Riverside campaign and to fighting prostate cancer.