The final day of this years fabulous Love Supreme is here – Europe’s largest outdoor jazz festival, held at Glynde Place in beautiful East Sussex – and it has definitely lived up to its “supreme” title for a third consecutive day.
The 2025 edition [its 12th year] has a stunning lineup across eight stages, including Motown legend Smokey Robinson on Saturday night on his first return to the UK for 15 years. Seven-time Grammy winning Jacob Collier and neo-soul superstar Maxwell performed their only UK shows of the year.
If that were not enough to whet the appetite, there’s Nile Rodgers and Chic, The Roots, En Vogue, War, Thee Sacred Souls, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Clarke, and lots more.
Love Supreme is definitely one of the sparkling jewels in the crown of UK music festivals, which saw more than 60,000 music fans flock to the picturesque East Sussex site across the three day event.
Saturday night delivered an electrifying main stage [North Downs] headline slot for Jacob Collier. While the legendary Motown star Smokey Robinson topped the bill on the South Downs stage with a masterclass of smooth old school soul; still in great voice at 85-years-old. Sunday was the turn of Maxwell to headline the North Downs stage, and Sampa The Great on the South Downs stage.
* Sunday we caught excellent sets by: Maxwell [UK exclusive], José James, Branford Marsalis, En Vogue, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Sampa The Great, Pete Roth Trio with Bill Bruford on drums, Central Line, Amy Gadiaga, DJ Trevor Nelson, and corto.alto
Wow! A stunning performance on Sunday night headlining the South Downs stage.
Sampa the Great is an award-winning Zambian-Australian rapper, singer, and songwriter whose genre-blending sound fuses hip-hop, soul, and African influences to create a powerful and unique voice in modern music. Born in Zambia and raised in Australia, her music is deeply rooted in her cultural heritage.
Her debut album “The Return “(2019) received critical acclaim for its dynamic production, rich storytelling, and fusion of African rhythms with contemporary hip-hop.
With a mission to break boundaries and challenge conventions, Sampa the Great continues to redefine the sound of modern hip-hop, blending diverse influences and giving voice to underrepresented narrative.
Nile Rodgers’ contribution to popular music has been extremely significant, so much more than the signature style he developed as a rhythm guitarist in Chic and with a host of stars.
The musician penned some of the most progressive and popular songs of the disco era with , who topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “Le Freak” and the hip-hop catalyst “Good Times,” and released platinum albums such as “C’est Chic” (1978) and “Risqué” (1979).
Nile has since produced dozens of hits, over several decades, for a wide variety of other artists, including Dian Ross: “Upside Down,”, David |Bowie: “Let’s Dance,” Madonna: “Like a Virgin,” and Daft Punk feat Pharrell Williams: “Get Lucky,” and has remained an inspiration for aspiring musicians born long after disco’s supposed death.
Maxwell is a UK exclusive for Love Supreme, topping the bill on the main stage on Sunday night in fine, fine style.
Maxwell has released five studio albums across two decades, since he redefined soul music in 1996 with his critically acclaimed debut, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.” It earned Grammy nominations, double platinum status, and RIAA gold for the single, “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).”
The platinum albums “Embrya” (1998) and “Now” (2001) followed. In 2009, Maxwell’s “BLACK summers’ night” debuted at No. 1 on the US chart, earning two Grammy awards, including Best R&B Album.
With a total of four platinum album certifications, Maxwell’s latest album, “black SUMMERS’ night,” earned him a third Grammy (Best R&B Song for “Lake By The Ocean”),an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Male Artist), and a Soul Train Award (Best R&B/Soul Male Artist).
Central Line, award-winning pioneers of Brit Funk have delivered US and UK Top 20 hits, such as “Walking into Sunshine” which achieved big US success.
Their second album “Choice” scored a UK Top 20 hit with “Nature Boy” and international chart success with “Don’t Tell Me”, “You’ve Said Enough”, “I Need Your Love”, “You Know You Can Do It”, “Surprise Surprise” and “Lovely Day”.
They have been sampled by multi-platinum selling artists such as Lil Wayne. Musiq Soulchild, Force MD’s, Angie Martinez, Nina Skyy – and “Walking Into Sunshine” is featured on the global gaming programme GT Auto.
BBC TV and radio presenter and DJ Trevor Nelson packed the ‘room’ [Supreme Standards Late Night stage] for his Sunday night slot at 10.30pm for a banger-filled 90 minute set.
En Vogue the legendary US r&b female vocal group have had a slew of hits since they formed in 1989 – such as chart-topping singles like “Hold On,” “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” and “Free Your Mind.”
With multiple platinum albums and seven Grammy nominations, En Vogue remain icons of contemporary r&b.
The amazing cross-genre talent that is José James is back in the UK soon for Love Supreme two shows at the iconic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. Performing tracks from many of his dozen LPs, including from his most recent album release, the acclaimed “1978”.
The internationally acclaimed jazz singer for the hip-hop generation, released “1978” on Rainbow Blonde Records, named after the year he was born in Minneapolis. It features collaborations with Brazilian rising star and Latin Grammy-nominee Xênia França, as well as Congolese Belgian rapper/filmmaker Baloji.
After recent recordings found the forward looking singer paying tribute to such iconic singer/songwriters as Billie Holiday, Bill Withers and Erykah Badu, José James has returned to a self-focused project relying on his songwriting, bandleading, and for the first time since 2008’s “The Dreamer”, entirely his own production skills.
Most certainly one of the highlights of Sunday’s Love Supreme lineup and a fabulous and classy set from JJ.
- Check out our exclusive “Track Record” interview with US singer / songwriter / producer José James, here: https://musicrepublicmagazine.com/2025/06/38783/
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis has spent more than four decades in the international spotlight, earning acclaim as an instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and of course, a member of the Marsalis family musical dynasty.
A three-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master, Marsalis is celebrated for his versatility and creative integrity. His Branford Marsalis Quartet, formed in 1986, is a cornerstone of modern jazz, renowned for its dynamic range and melodic strength. Beyond jazz, Marsalis has collaborated with icons across genres, from Sting and the Grateful Dead to leading classical composers and orchestras worldwide.
He scored Tony-nominated Broadway productions, co-founded the Musicians’ Village in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina, and established Marsalis Music, a platform for artistic growth. His educational impact spans workshops and university residencies, reinforcing his dedication to nurturing future talent.
Amy Gadiaga was one of the most enjoyable artists of the festival on her Sunday lunchtime spot on the Supreme Standards stage with her fresh and unique style that bridges the old school jazz tradition of musicians such as Betty Carter and Wayne Shorter with the raw, rootsy modern sound of artists such as D’Angelo, Stevie Wonder and Twinkie Clark.
Born to parents of Senegalese, Gambian, and Malian descent, and hailing from the outskirts of Paris, the multit-talented Amy Gadiaga has been making waves in the UK music industry since she moved to London aged 18. Definitely one to watch out for…
Scottish composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist corto.alto has been described as ‘a traditional jazz head raised in the age of the internet.’ The moniker of Glasgow-based Liam Shortall, corto.alto brings a fresh perspective to a mix of improvisation, electronic production, broken beat bounce and bass-heavy dub.
His 2023 debut album “Bad With Names” was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2024. Championed by Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, BBC 6 Music, KCRW, Jazzwise, Fip radio in France and RRR in Australia to name a few, “Bad With Names” brings together some of the UK’s finest young players.
The Pete Roth Trio features leader Pete on guitar, Mike Pratt on bass, and the legendary drummer Bill Bruford, who has played with many huge names across many decades, such as Yes, King Crimson, Genesis and many more.
He came out of retirement in 2022 to join the Pete Roth Trio. The band creates jazz for “a new generation of music enthusiasts, exploring beyond traditional jazz conventions.”
Roth’s original compositions, such as “Dancing with Grace,” the Trio’s collaborative works like “Trio in Five” and “Looking Forward to Looking Back,” or their reinterpretation of masterworks like Anton Dvorak’s “Largo from Symphony #9,” offer just a few gateways into the creative world of the Pete Roth Trio.
* Check out the coverage of Friday and Saturday in our Live Zone….
Photos by Manja Williams
Words by Steve Best
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