‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ – ‘LOVE SUPREME’, GLYNDE PLACE, GLYNDE 6.7.25
Europe’s biggest outdoor jazz festival ‘Love Supreme’ returned to the beautiful Sussex countryside setting of Glynde Place in the heart of South Downs from 4th to 6th July. The annual three-day festival highlights the best of Jazz, Funk, Soul and Blues from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.
You don’t need to be a fan of Jazz to revel in ‘Love Supreme’, there was so much musical choice and something for everyone, no matter their taste and age! I’m sure as you can see that there were literally too many acts appearing for us to cover with a limited team, but we’ve done our best, and so without further ado, here’s our account of the acts that we did see……………
(This article refers to artists who were covered only on Sunday 6th July. Part 1 on the acts that performed on Friday 4th July can be found HERE and Part 2 on the acts that performed on Saturday 5th July can be found HERE).
Sunday 6th July:
CORTO.ALTO
SOUTH DOWNS STAGE 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Championed by a multitude of my favourite tastemakers and radio stations, Corto.alto ticked all the right boxes for the perfect start to the day. Glasgow-based Liam Shortall, the man behind Carto.alto brought together some of the U.K.’s best young talent. This includes pianist Fergus McCreadie, trumpet player James Copus, and drummer Graham Costello. Together they took the Corto.alto sound in a fresh direction on the ‘Bad With Names’ album. Horn player Mateusz Sobieski joined Shortall (trombone, bass, effects) and his album bandmates.
When Shortall came on stage, they told the audience they had woken up in Barcelona that morning. They only managed one hour of sleep before flying back to the U.K. to perform. He thanked everyone for showing up. The group consists of talented musicians, each with their own projects. Together, they brought a fresh outlook to contemporary jazz. Blending inspired improvisation, electronic production, broken beat bounce and bass-heavy dub. With Shortall’s funny and sincere audience interaction, the set was a delight to kick off the day. Tracks included ‘Creeks’, ‘Latency’, and ‘Slope’ from ‘Bad With Names’.
Near the end of the set, Shortall shared that he had considered leaving music after COVID. But, performing at ‘Love Supreme’ changed his mind. He thanked the audience for their support. He felt honoured to return to the festival, to play jazz in the U.K., and to see so many people at the jazz festival. A class act from throughout Carto.Alto is currently touring the U.K., Europe, and the U.S.
(Jess Kemp)
CLOSE COUNTERS
SUPREME STANDARDS STAGE 2:45pm – 3:30pm
Allan McConnell and Finn Rees from Close Counters hail from Tasmania. Their studies enabled them to hone their skills as musicians; music technology and jazz piano respectively. Within 10 years of starting out, Close Counters were awarded the Music Victoria Award in 2023 for Soulacoaster II.
Allan and Finn both on keyboards were accompanied by a special guest singer Sara for their ‘Love Supreme’ set. Her powerful vocals were a great complement to the electronica and bass lines. There was a mix of genres, Latin, neo-soul, funk, disco and there was even a bit of Marvin Gaye thrown in. The crowd danced and sang along on cue.
The title track ‘Soulacoaster’ is an uplifting, synth and bass heavy with a funky 70s feel. Overall Close Counters are great to dance to with expansive summery soundscapes. Perfect for a rainy afternoon at ‘Love Supreme’ and certainly a band to watch out for in the future.
(Rinee Sinharay)
RAVYN LENAE
NORTH DOWNS STAGE 3:45pm – 4:45pm
Sunday’s schedule on the North Downs Stage ran significantly behind, with soundchecks for Ravyn Lenae beginning at 3:30pm, making the planned 3:45pm start time blatantly unfeasible. Taking to the stage forty-five minutes late, the gen-z star polarised the audience with her dreamy, pop style performance.
Lenae’s performance was largely characterised by soft vocals, a sharp contrast to many of the powerhouse acts I’d seen over the weekend. Brimming with confidence, the vocals were delivered with purpose and precision, her vocal style akin to contemporary pop icons like Ariana Grande and Doja Cat, her mannerisms and stage presence also reflecting the makings of a modern-day popstar.
Her act drew in a younger, largely female audience, while many older attendees, particularly those holding out for Nile Rodgers & Chic, appeared bemused. Some confused parents stood by as their children sang along, while others filtered out in search of music more aligned with their tastes.
Unfortunately, the singer’s set was also cursed with sudden downpour on an unprepared audience. Many of us, me included, had naively trusted the forecast, I stood in a soaked denim jacket as rain scattered the crowd scrambling towards shelter. The nearby Supreme Standards tent benefited from the exodus, with Close Counters gaining a larger than anticipated turnout.
Despite the weather and mismatched crowd, Lenae persevered. Encouraging crowd engagement with upbeat crowd calls: “Everybody dance!” and “Say woo”, and in between songs offering personal anecdotes and candid vulnerability. Lenae shared an earnest story about her struggles with her father, before performing ‘One Wish’, which the track was reportedly about.
Her soft vocals were visually matched by forest-like, sparkly visuals on the stage screens, reinforcing the pop-girl aesthetic she embodies. While some of the audience remained unconvinced, the atmosphere seemed to shift on her last song, a performance of the TikTok viral, globally charting ‘Love Me Not’, which earnt singalongs and cheers from the now rain-soaked crowd.
(Sophie Tebb)
EN VOGUE
NORTH DOWNS STAGE 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Making our way to the North Downs Stage to ensure we did not miss the scheduled start of the set resulted in a long wait without any idea of the reason for delay, or when they would take the stage. Eventually we found out that over the course of the day the published schedule had slipped by three quarters of an hour. In the end En Vogue and their band went on at 18:15pm by my reckoning.
Despite the delay the crowd were not disappointed. Fresh from their performance at ‘Glastonbury’ the original, Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones and Rhona Bennett took the stage. Led on stage wearing geisha style waterfall headdresses and co-ordinated suits they made quite the entrance. Running straight into a back-to-back medley of hits including, ‘My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It).’, ‘You Don’t Have To Worry’ (shortened), and ‘Lies’ (shortened), we wondered if the set would be pulled back, but no they did not sell the audience short, rewarding the crowd gathered at the North Downs Stage for their patience.
Their domination of the charts in the ‘90s ensured that most of the gathered audience sang along in word perfect nostalgia. The R&B vocal group are known for their powerful harmonies and hits which have stood the test of time. Their fourteen-track set included several medleys ensuring that the band packed in as many tracks from their back catalogue as possible. They also included several covers from the likes of the Beatles, Salt & Peppa and Silk Sonic, which they booked ended with classics ‘Don’t Go’ and ‘Free Your Mind’. They delivered a dynamic and flawless performance and empowering anthems for the Girl Power generation. Thankfully, the well-oiled machine that is Nile Rodgers and Chic pulled back any lost time from the schedule, taking the stage at once after En Vogue left as we made our way over to the South Downs Stage.
(Jess Kemp)
AROOJ AFTAB
SOUTH DOWNS STAGE 6:15pm – 7:30pm
Arooj was dressed in black. She seemed quite unassuming, except the sunglasses alluding to her superstar status. At 40 years old, she is indeed a superstar. She is the first person from Pakistan to receive a Grammy. She received the award for ‘Mohabbat’ which won in the Best Global Music category in 2022. That song also made it onto Obama’s summer playlist in 2021.
To describe Arooj’s music as East meets West is simplistic and cliched. Her setlist consisted mainly of songs in a poetic form, Urdu ghazals, with one track sung in English ‘Whiskey’. She takes her inspiration from a wide range of sources including Jeff Buckley and Rumi. There is a distinctive Middle Eastern feel to her vocals with the mood shifting from light and breezy to meditative and melancholy. Her ethereal soaring vocals are complemented by the drums and double bass. The music is beautiful and atmospheric. As a performer, she was mesmerising.
Her album ‘Vulture Prince’ was critically acclaimed when released in 2021. It was followed by ‘Night Reign’ in 2024 which she described as being “more fun”. With a mix of jazz, folk, modern and classical music and Urdu poetry, among others, Arooj’s music will stir the emotions as well as defy genres.
(Rinee Sinharay)
NILE RODGERS & CHIC
NORTH DOWNS STAGE 7:15pm – 8:30pm
On a rainy Sunday at ‘Love Supreme’, few artists could lift spirits and shift the increasingly muddy ground into a spectacle of a dancefloor like Nile Rodgers & Chic. They were just the crew for the job. Following a Star Wars inspired intro on the stage screens, Rodgers walked on stage with a smile and a mission: “Dance, party, and have a good time!” he declared, before launching into the unmissable groove of ‘Le Freak’.
The band were as tight and polished as ever, well-rehearsed and bustling with enthusiasm. Their good vibes infectious, the large crowd, undefeated by the drizzle, responded eagerly to Rodgers commands of “Everybody dance!”. As the track ended, the band all gathered round the drum kit, with their backs to the audience, a stylish and effortlessly cool end point.
These moments’ sophistication were balanced occasionally with some veering into cliche, like discussions of “Maximum funkocity”, with a mock volume meter, drummer Ralph Rolle encouraged the crowd to reach 100%, just as they had at ‘Glastonbury’ the week prior. Whether or not the crowd in Glynde quite reached those levels is up for debate, but the moment brought energy and triumph, exactly what the damp and devoted crowd needed. The playful tone maintained the charm so core to the act.
The performance was a masterclass in pop and disco history, a showcase of Chic and Rodger’s undeniable roster. Each song was a hit and played with absolute coolness. Rodgers, rightfully, took moments to boast on the talent he has worked with over the years name dropping: Beyonce, Bowie, Madonna, Diana Ross, the list goes on…With some of the best pop songs in history under his belt, each mention reminded the audience of his greatness and influence on music.
The powerful vocals from the singers, slap bass, and a crowd singing the words: “I Love Supreme”, as instructed by Rodgers, gave nod to the monumental Studio 54. Song after song, hit after hit, the band delivered with conviction, spirit and groove. The rain was no match for the absolute joy pouring from the stage to the crowd.
(Sophie Tebb)
SAMPA THE GREAT
SOUTH DOWNS STAGE 8:15pm – 9:15pm
Over the course of the festival there had been less stagecraft and choreographed performance than in previous years. Sampa The Great’s set corrected this error with aplomb. The award-winning Zambian/ Australian rapper, singer, and songwriter specialises in genre-blending. Fusing contemporary hip-hop, soul, and African rhythms.
Touted as “one of the most exciting artists in the global music scene”, they had been on my to-see list for some time. Taking the stage only after her dancers had set the tone for the rest of the set, Sampa arrived to take centre stage and command the audience. Sampa’s presentation fused the same influences as her music, creating a performance that it was impossible to take your eyes off. The stage itself was simple, given over entirely to Sampa and her dancers, with her band off to one side. Clever use of lighting pulled the focus onto the performers, who mesmerised. The performance was ferocious, then tender; the set was a barnstormer. Sampa’s hold over the audience was complete as she discussed politics and the changes needed, which was refreshing and empowering in equal measure. Featuring tracks including ‘Bona’,’ Shadows’ and ‘Black Girl Magic’, Sampa’s set was one of the most talked about of the weekend for all the right reasons.
(Jess Kemp)
MAXWELL
NORTH DOWNS STAGE 9:15pm – 10:30pm
Back in 1996, Maxwell released ‘Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite’. I was in my early twenties, and my listening tastes ensured that it entirely passed me by.
However, his critically acclaimed début album earned Grammy nominations and went double platinum. I can remember the promotional campaigns and the images from the posters and album covers. Like most artists from that year, Maxwell has continued to resonate with his fans and entertain them for more than two decades. Gaining a total of 4 platinum albums and multiple awards along the way, not to mention countless fans, as the gathered crowd at the North Downs Stage attested. Even the miserable weather did not deter them.
After opening with a cover of the Al Green song, ‘Simply Beautiful’, Maxwell spoke briefly to the audience, mentioning his Haitian Mother and his Puerto Rican father, the latter of whom passed away when he was just three years old. He seemed slightly awed by the turnout at the main stage, his backing singers taking the lead until he found his feet with the second song, ‘Get To Know Ya’.
From there on in, Maxwell and his formidable band did not let the crowd down. Delivering a total of eighteen songs covering his back catalogue, many of which the crowd surrounding me sang along word for word. The setlist meandered through his discography, ending with his first hit, ‘Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)’, followed by an encore of ‘Pretty Wings’, sending the audience home on a high.
(Jess Kemp)
‘Love Supreme’ will be returning to Glynde Place on Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July 2026, where they will be taking things to the next level. For the first time ever, the Main North Downs Stage will be open on the Friday – kicking off the weekend with a Friday night headliner and a host of huge names across all three days.
Super Early Bird tickets go on sale this Thursday 10th July 2025. You can find more information HERE.
BONUS PHOTOS OF OTHER ACTS PLAYING TODAY:
