When: Saturday 5th July 2025
Where: Glynde Place, East Sussex, England
Yesterday’s bright blue skies and warm sunshine have given way to dark clouds and light drizzle, but the inclement weather conditions do nothing to dampen anyone’s spirits.
And this air of positivity is reflected in the music where the British-Colombian singer-songwriter Sasha Keable puts in an early bid for the most powerful and expressive voice of the day. Lonnie Jordan, founding member of the veteran American R&B, progressive soul, and original street band, WAR tells us they “will play some old songs we can’t remember…but we’ll do our best.” And their best is certainly more than good enough. ‘The Cisco Kid,’ ‘The World Is A Ghetto,’ and ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’ are all present and wonderfully correct.
If, like Glastonbury, there was a Legends slot at Love Supreme then it would stretch all the way from mid-afternoon to early evening, a timeframe that is jam-packed with genuine icons from the world of contemporary music.
There is the Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés, whose career spans over half a century; Brian Jackson, American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Gil Scott-Heron in the 1970s; the four-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, performer, composer, conductor, arranger, producer, and composer for recordings and film, as well as being one of the most celebrated acoustic and electric bass players in the world, Stanley Clarke; and the American hip-hop band, The Roots, who bring bags of energy and a huge sousaphone to the main stage.
And then there is Smokey Robinson, the Tamla Motown pioneer. “I don’t care what they think about me, and I don’t care what they say.” That he chooses to open with ‘Being With You’ in light of recent accusations made against him is an interesting move on his part, but anyone who can open with that song, ‘I Second That Emotion’ and ‘You Really Got a Hold on Me’ and still sound good at the age of 84 has got to be pretty impressive.
As great as all of these legendary performers are – and, believe me, they are – the absolute highlight of the day is the brilliant American jazz, funk, and R&B saxophonist, Lakecia Benjamin whose performance on the Supreme Standards stage is incendiary. It is refreshingly uncompromising, uplifting, and inspiring. Her almost demented take on John Coltrane’s ‘My Favorite Things’ has to be heard to be believed.
Follow that, Jacob Collier. In fairness to the young British musical prodigy, though, he does have a really good go, delivering a set full of vibrancy, colour, high energy, and unbridled enthusiasm, not to mention a bunch of top-quality, genre-defying tunes.
Photos: Simon Godley
More photos from Saturday at Love Supreme 2025
