Discover an evening of deep listening, rare grooves and carefully curated selections at Grow Hackney. More than background music, it’s a chance to slow down, tune in and experience the craft of selectors.
SET FOCUS
Digging deep into Japanese jazz and exploring the far reaches of jazz funk, fusion, modal and spiritual jazz, all from original vinyl. Selecting the very best cuts from a collection amassed over 30 years. The level of production, playing and overall musical excellence on Japanese jazz records is unmatched and most of it is super rare and hard to find.
ABOUT THE SELECTOR
Since 2018, together with friend Mike Peden, Tony has worked with UK label BBE, curating four ‘J Jazz’ compilations of Japanese modern jazz and producing numerous full album reissues in the ‘J Jazz Masterclass Series’. Tony’s most recent project with Mike and BBE has been the book ‘J Jazz: Free and Modern Jazz Albums from Japan 1954-1988’, a full-colour 400-page guide to 500 jazz records made in Japan.
Alongside his work with BBE on ‘J Jazz’, Tony is executive producer for the ‘British Jazz Explosion’ series for Universal Music/Decca, reissuing the best and rarest British jazz from the 1960s and 1970s. Tony has also worked closely with DJ/Broadcaster Gilles Peterson’s Arc label producing a series of deluxe reissues by Max Roach, Yusef Lateef and Roberta Flack.
Tony’s record collection has been amassed over forty years and encompasses jazz, funk, soul, reggae, Latin, disco, hip hop and house, as well as psych, rock, folk and pop. He also collects – and DJs – original 78rpm shellac discs of jump blues, black rock n roll, blues and jazz from the 1940s – 1950s.
ABOUT THE SERIES
From The Crates is a free DJ series at Grow Hackney designed for anyone who wants to listen deeply and discover music in a way you cannot get from streaming services. Each night takes you on a journey through a carefully chosen theme, whether a genre, label, city, movement, or moment in time, uncovering rare gems and hidden sounds along the way.
Listeners can expect to be immersed in an intimate, canal-side bar setting where the focus is on atmosphere, mood, and connection. From jazz, funk, soul, psych, dub, ambient, early electronica, highlife, MPB, and beyond, each set offers something new to hear, feel, and experience.
It is a chance to slow down, pay attention, and truly experience music, to discover tracks, explore traditions, and enjoy a story told through sound. From The Crates is about creating moments that stay with you long after the night ends.
JOIN US
Book a table, settle in with friends and enjoy an evening of handpicked sounds in our canal-side bar.
Free entry, all night.