Album: Shabaka & the Ancestors - We are Sent Here by History

★★★★★ SHAMBAKA & THE ANCESTORS - WE ARE SENT HERE BY HISTORY Struggle and aspiration from the Londoner's South African ensemble

Spiritual and political struggle and aspiration from the Londoner's South African ensemble

Londoner Shabaka Hutchings's other main groups, The Comet Is Coming and Sons Of Kemet, are pretty modernist. They incorporate dub, post-rock, post punk and rhythm patterns that recall London pirate radio sounds into the playing of his ensembles, with thrillingly adrenalised and / or cosmic results.

The Photograph review - star-powered romance mostly simmers, sometimes soars

★★★ THE PHOTOGRAPH Star-powered romance mostly simmers, sometimes soars

Lakeith Stanfield and Issa Rae star in Stella Meghie's light-soaked love story

The Photograph, from writer-director Stella Meghie, tells twin tales. The first is all flashback and follows Christine (Chanté Adams, pictured below with Y'lan Noel), a young photographer balancing love and ambition.

Pass Over, Kiln Theatre review - fierce critique of racist brutality

★★★★ PASS OVER, KILN THEATRE A fierce critique of racist brutality

Waiting for Godot meets Exodus in American drama about Black Lives Matter

The Black Lives Matter movement is such an important international protest that it is odd how few contemporary plays even mention it. Since the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter has been around since 2013, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman who shot African-American teenager Trayvon Martin in February 2012, there is little excuse.

Just Mercy review - soul-stirring true story about race and justice in America

Biopic retells a powerful narrative about perseverance in the face of injustice

Just Mercy, the latest film from Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12), is based on a New York Times bestseller. It has a star-studded cast. It’s emotionally moving as well as intellectually accessible. But it’s no easy film to watch.

Fairview, Young Vic review - questioning the assumptions of race

New American drama directs a rapier wit at black stereotypes

Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Fairview comes to the Young Vic with the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama under its belt, and a reputation for putting audiences on their mettle through a build-up of theatrical surprises that culminate in a denouement about which the playwright has urged all who have seen the pla

Is this Jimi Hendrix’s greatest posthumous release? Producer Eddie Kramer talks about a legendary live album

★★★★★ JIMI HENDRIX'S GREATEST POSTHUMOUS RELEASE? Five-CD set of Band of Gypsys at the Fillmore East in 1969-70

The complete set of Hendrix's Band of Gypsys performances at the Fillmore East is released this week

This week, one of the finest gems in the entire Hendrix catalogue finally sees the light of day in its full unedited glory – Songs for Groovy Children comprises all four sets from the Band of Gypsys New Year’s Eve 1969-70 residency at the Fillmore East in New York City.

Shuck 'n' Jive, Soho Theatre review - a mixed bag, lots of promise

★★★ SHUCK 'N' JIVE, SOHO THEATRE 'Performative wokeness festival' is a mixed bag with promise

A self-described 'performative wokeness festival' doesn't quite hit sweet spot but gets close

Shuck 'n' Jive is an hour-long two-hander about writing a play about being black in a white industry. The industry? Theatre. Performance. The stage.

Romesh Ranganathan, Brighton Dome review - transgressive, edgy and very likeable

★★★★ ROMESH RANGANATHAN, BRIGHTON DOME Transgressive, edgy and very likeable

The TV favourite hits the ground running at the start of his Cynic's Mixtape tour

One question springs immediately to mind on hearing that Romesh Ranganathan’s new stand-up show, The Cynic’s Mixtape, is touring: how does he find the time? Ranganathan has overtaken Jack Whitehall as Britain’s most media ubiquitous comic, with a deluge of TV shows and appearances, a column in the Guardian newspaper and even a recent autobiography. However, his TV CV is hit’n’miss, which leads to a second question: can he still cut it in the live arena?