Once more we attended the jazz, soul & blues festival at Glynde Place in Sussex, as usual held across the first weekend in July.
It was good but lacked the wow moments of previous years provided by the likes of Chick Corea, Snarky Puppy or Mica Millar.
The Music
The organisers have followed a formula in recent years in trying to appeal to young and older, with Saturday & Sunday headliners offering quite a contrast.
Erika Baydou & Gregory Porter in 2022, Little Simz & Grace Jones last year, Olivia Dean & Chaka Khan this year.
Highlights this year were provided by the amazing Christone Kingfish Ingrahm, Kool & The Gang, Joel Culpepper and Joss Stone.
Duds included Dionne Warwick (a legend but well past it in her mid 80s), Terence Trent Darby (performing under his real name Sananda Maitreya) and the aforementioned Chaka Khan (celebrating 50 years in the music biz).
The Vibe
Whether the worse than normal weather (windy & partly cloudy) had anything to do with it I don’t know, but for the first time I did not leave the festival with the feeling that I could not wait to return.
The audience is getting younger, drunker, more exhibitionist & smoking hash was commonplace, or perhaps I am just getting older & less tolerant.
The main three venues were the usual main stage plus two big tops – great atmosphere, excellent acoustics, lovely smell of grass, the refreshment varied, tasty and fast, the funfair colourful as ever.
Next Year
I usually book super early bird tickets and accommodation a year in advance.
We will wait for line ups to be announced next time before committing, and maybe even a lay year is needed to rekindle my love for Love Supreme.
What a fascinating read, Wilbur’s Travels! The way you described the atmosphere and community at the festival reminds me of my recent experience at Burning Man. It truly is a surreal journey where creativity and self-expression thrive. If you’re interested, you can check out my reflections on the event [here](https://exaltedarticlesbykathleen.wordpress.com/2024/11/04/beyond-the-flames-a-journey-through-the-surreal-experience-of-burning-man-festival/). I’d love to hear your thoughts!
We really are blessed with some wonderful festivals in UK. I will check your post out. Wilbur.
You are! I can’t wait til I can visit the UK again.. One of my absolute favorite spots I’ve traveled to so far