Ese and the Vooduu People, Kinsella
KATE SHAW
I’ve been meaning to check out The Pig for months. So many people have told me it has a bit of a reputation as a music venue as well as a pub (and I’m told they do a mean Sunday lunch). So I headed down there to check out their latest offering.
The evening started with Kinsella: born, bred and still based in Hastings. Heavily influenced by the creative scene in her home town and her love of R&B, soul, drum and bass and hip-hop, Kinsella delivers a sound that is both melodic and meaningful, with a raw honesty to her lyrics. Songs that are likely to get stuck in your head! The best thing about performing in her home town? “Just look at the crowd: from 18 to 80 and everyone getting down!”
Next up is Ese and the Vooduu People, a dynamic collective of talented musicians hailing from diverse backgrounds. Chatting with their charismatic frontwoman Ese before the gig, I asked her to describe their sound. “Oh… well, it’s a bit funk, some soul, a bit of jazz, some rock and Afrobeat.” She says they have even been known to incorporate a sprinkling of opera into their set. So I was excited to see how this fusion of styles would work in practice.
Ese’s powerful vocals are a force of nature. Her voice glides effortlessly over the music, delivering heartfelt lyrics and engaging the crowd, so that we felt almost like a part of the band. Whether she’s belting out a soaring chorus or delicately weaving through a soulful ballad, her range and versatility are truly impressive.
But it’s not just Ese’s vocals that make this band notable. She is a talented guitarist and her stage presence radiates confidence. The three piece make a sound bigger than their number, from the infectious bass lines to the fiery guitar solos, and their musicianship is impressive. Together, they create a tight-knit, cohesive sound that had the audience grooving from the first note, and (at Ese’s insistence) I joined in, skanking along to Police and Thieves with the rest of the crowd. Whether you’re a fan of soul, funk, jazz or simply good music, Ese and the Vooduu People are a band worth checking out.
I am moved to reflect yet again: how lucky we are to live in a town that is so music-positive, with venues keen to promote new talent.
Kinsella’s latest single Intentions is out now. Our recent profile can be found at hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/articles/culture/arts/the-soul-of-kinsella/. Ese and the Vooduu People released an EP, Tainted Love, in February this year.
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