Acclaimed composer/arranger/bandleader/multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier brought his mammoth Djesse world tour through New York City this past week for headlining shows at Terminal 5 (5/4), Brooklyn Steel (5/6), and Irving Plaza (5/7).
While he rose to prominence with his one-man-band performances and self-layered harmonies, Collier enlisted the help of a versatile backing band for the tour featuring Christian Euman (drums/vocals), Robin Mullarkey (bass), Alita Moses (percussion/vocals), Emily Elbert (guitar/vocals), and Bryn Bliska (keys/vocals). With this highly capable outfit behind him, the London native is free to explore his many musical proclivities onstage, taking virtually every instrument for a spin in addition to singing both lead and harmony vocals.
In Brooklyn, he even managed to turn the audience into an instrument, directing the makeshift chorus through some impressively blended multi-part harmony at will. Of note, that “crowd instrument” on Friday in Brooklyn included Lawrence, the fast-rising NYC soul-pop outfit led by outspoken Collier fans Clyde and Gracie Lawrence. Though they did not perform with Jacob Collier and company, they did take the stage late in the set, decked out in Djesse merch, to add both an amusing dose of banter and a charmingly local, intimate touch to the performance.
The North American leg of Jacob Collier’s Djesse world tour continues throughout this month with shows in Toronto, ON (5/10, early and late show); Montreal, QC (5/11); Cleveland, OH (5/13); Detroit, MI (5/14); Chicago, IL (5/15); Minneapolis, MN (5/17); Kansas City, MO (5/19); Nashville, TN (5/20); and Columbus, OH (5/21).
From there, Collier will head to the U.K. and Ireland for a run of June shows followed by a stretch of European tour dates throughout the month of July. After a late-summer break, Jacob Collier will resumer the Djesse world tour with another brief run of European dates in late October and early November. Collier’s tour schedule also lists a number of dates in South America, Australia, and more for which the dates have not yet been revealed. For a full list of upcoming Jacob Collier tour dates, head here.
Scroll down to watch a selection of videos from the Friday, May 6th show in Brooklyn via YouTube user NYC Jazz Fan and check out a gallery of images from the performance via photographer Ken Spielman.
Jacob Collier Plays The Audience – Brooklyn Steel – 5/6/22
[Video: NYC Jazz Fan]
Jacob Collier – “Blackbird” (The Beatles) – Brooklyn Steel – 5/6/22
[Videos: NYC Jazz Fan]
