Changing Tides - SAIL from Queenborough to Benfleet

Changing Tides is a public cultural programme aboard Sailing Barge Raybel inspired by the cultural diversity of the heritage and communities of the Thames, and celebrating social movements and expressions of rebellion, freedom and joy.

It nurtures critical discussions about the uneven historical legacies of maritime trade and the manifold consequences of post-industrial decline in contemporary Britain.

The programme has been devised by artist and musician Benjin, in collaboration with Raybel Charters.

This is one of two 'On the Move’ events of the programme, for which guest artists have been invited to create work whilst under sail on a traditional Sailing Barge between Isle of Sheppey and Canvey Island. There is also a series of live music events aboard Thames Sailing Barge Raybel at Queenborough Harbour and Benfleet Yacht Club, please see separate event listings for those.

Benjin: The Last Days of Sail

Benjin is a multi-instrumentalist, artist and story teller. His solo compositions use classical guitar, cello, harp, clarinet, vocals, nyckelharpa, field recordings and found sounds. Aside from regular concert performances, benjin's music has been featured on BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio 3 and at the TATE Galleries.

He will perform ‘Last Days of Sail’, exploring the multiple ways in which his instrumental compositions, song poems, and dense sound collage improvisations have been informed (and quite literally formed) through a lifetime of working on the Thames Estuary. Drawing upon pieces written for cello, classical guitar, nyckelharpa and voice the programme will highlight the importance of immersed 'authentic' perspectives within folk music traditions.

Mataoi Austin Dean

Mataoi Austin Dean sings folksong primarily from the South of England. He is best known for his work as a member of the nine-piece folk group, Shovel Dance Collective. He sees his singing of folksong as part of a decolonial process: centring notions of locality, class solidarity, and international exchange, and rejecting totalising, imperialistic structures of Britishness and whiteness. Born in 1996 to a Guyanese mother and an English father, and educated at the Slade School of Fine Art, Mataio’s practice extends across visual art, poetry, music, and activism. He creates images, often intaglio prints, which explore England and Guyana’s darkly intertwined histories, throwing light upon moments of resistance whilst unearthing stories of coloniality and rebellion embedded in English landscape and architecture.

Mataio will perform work specifically developed and produced for Estuary festival, based on his artistic research and ground breaking work on sea shanty songs and their African origins. Expect acapella, critical discussion and poetic reflections on the politics of folk music in contemporary culture

Sonny Brazil

Sonny Brazil is a Folk singer and Squeeze Box Player from the south east of England. Sonny lives entrenched in the world of english folk culture, working as a crew member on Thames Sailing Barges and living on the Canals; they are one of the founding members of the folk collective Goblin Band described by Martin Carthy as "The band we've been waiting for".

Sonny's unique style of folk performance stems from the Queer folk scene in south London. In keeping folk music alive and viewing it through a queer, anti colonial, anti capitalist lens, Sonny does their bit to carry on the living tradition in a way that sparks new energy into the old songs.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Sunday 22 June, 17:00-20:00 – SAIL: Benjin with SAIL Benjin, Mataoi Austin Dean & Sonny Brazil. Depart Queenborough Harbour arrive Benfleet Yacht Club

Project Image: the barge Raybel photographed by Michaela Freeman.