"Sarah McDonald effortlessly segues from applying a dash of tropical swelter to thirties standards, tinkering with Thelonius Monk torch songs to a soul jazz rendition of an Amy Winehouse classic." 

Joel Shortman, Rathdowne Records.

"..deceptively laid back and self-assured, with an undercurrent of emotions waiting to sweep you by. When she sings “Rusted brandy in a diamond glass”, it’s the rust she focuses on, not the diamond. Tom Waits would approve...

..There’s a lot of nostalgic glamour associated with the ’20s and ’30’s era. Singers who choose to sing this material often end up as replicas of the sultry divas of the past, dressing up in satin gowns and pearls and stale femininity. Not Sarah McDonald. She approaches her material with a tomboyish attitude, phrasing the classic jazz and obscure torch songs that comprise her set list with a punk sensitivity and a kind of modern-day angst delivered by this beautiful, soulful chili-infused chocolate voice of hers. When she opens her mouth, she showers her audience with raw emotion. No pretense, no polished femininity, no nonsense. It helps that she’s sexy as hell when she does it; and that she’s surrounded by a killer band: Ron Romero on tenor sax, Kumar Shome on guitar, Ben Hanlon on the bass and Lewis Pierre-Humbert on the drums. As these musicians spew fire from their instruments, people get up and dance to her singing, even if she sings Monk’s “I mean you” (not the most danceable song out there)."

Nikos Fotakis, australianjazz.net

Sarah McDonald evokes cool smoky jazz club atmosphere with expressive melifluous phrasing contrasting with rhythmic dexterity.  She is a singer who has been as influenced by horn players and drummers as she has by the great vocalists. Having delved deeply into music, she draws from the greats of the history of jazz, blues and soul and selects choice standards, along with original, contemporary and more esoteric repertoire that she infuses with a soulful authenticity.

She has had a wealth of experience performing original music in various guises, playing in a range of contemporary original bands, world music ensembles and playing music for circus, theatre and film.

She also plays flute and sings in Tarab Ensemble, playing classical Arabic music:

https://www.facebook.com/thisistarab/


For bookings contact: iiiiilk.type.kind@gmail.com

London’s community voice, broadcasting live from a converted shipping container atop of Netil Market

"Between the Beautiful & the Obscure"

1/3 @riolabel
1/3 @pastforward
1/3 Dolphins - https://pinkman.bandcamp.com/album/40g

◆ 2025 ⇣

25.01 - Past Forward at Cashmereradio
01.02 - Tendance, Prag
21.02 - Bruit Rose, Fribourg
22.02 - Kegelbahn, Luzern
28.02 - OTB, Berlin
22.03 - Past Forward #100 at Cashmereradio
29.03 - 90mil, Berlin
11.04 - OTB, Berlin
29.04 - Mutant Radio
09.05 - 10 Years Cashmere Radio Party
15.05 - Heiner’s, Berlin
17.05 - Past Forward at Cashmereradio
23.05 - Sameheads, Berlin
01.06 - KuH Festival, Bad Wildbad
06.06 - 90mil, Berlin
12.06 - Zweiners, Berlin
29.06 - Fusion Festival, Lärz
12.07 - Past Forward #104 at Cashmereradio
26.07 - 90mil, Berlin
10.08 - Listen Listen Festival, near Berlin 
30.08 - Arkaoda, Berlin

◆ 2024 ⇣

26.01 - R.i.O. at Sameheads, Berlin
23.03 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
31.03 - Listen Listen, Schrippe 
12.04 - OTB, Berlin
04.05 - Libken Werkschau, Uckermark
31.05 - Arkaoda, Berlin
15.06  - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
27.06 - Fusion Festival, Dubstation
13.07 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
19.07 - Nation Of Gondwana
26.07 - Phantom Bar, Berlin
03.08 - Cosmic Gathering
16.08 - Bulvikis, Neringa LT
30.08 - tba
07.09 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
19.09 - Sameheads, Berlin
28.09 - OTB, Berlin
02.10 - Schanki, Berlin
05.10 - R.i.O. Release Party, Sameheads
02.11 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
29.11 - HAKEN, Hamburg
15.12 - Cosmic Tiki, Cashmere HQ
20.12 - OTB, Berlin


◇ 2023

11.02 - OTB w Lars Noll, Berlin
25.02 - w Sally Evans at Cashmere Radio
03.03 - OTB w Cid Hohner, Berlin
10.03 - Sameheads, Berlin
16.03 - Arkaoda upstairs w/ CV Vision
25.03 - w Hendrik Stein at Cashmere Radio
01.05 - Malka Tuti at Ziegra11, Berlin
04.05 - OTB, Berlin
13.05 - 10 Jahre Humboldthain, Berlin
17.05 - Crack Bellmer, Berlin
20.05 - 10 Jahre KAOS, Berlin
27.05 - Past Forward at Arkaoda, Berlin
02.07 - Fusion Festival, Lärz
15.07 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
21.07 - Nation Of Gondwana
04.08 - Klunkerkranich, Berlin
11.08 - Zmar Festival, CZ
23.08 - Tanzhaus West (Dolphins DJ), Frankfurt
25.08 - Sameheads, Berlin
27.08 - Palais Palett, Dresden
28.08 - Warning, Berlin
01.09 - Phantom Bar
08.09 - R.i.O. at Arkaoda, Berlin
14.09 - Haus 1, Berlin
03.11 - Sameheads, Berlin
04.11 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
25.11 - Lisa, Lissabon
02.12 - Past Forward at Cashmere Radio
06.12 - 8mm, Berlin
08.12 - OTB, Berlin
31.12 - NYE at Sameheads, Berlin

A collection of mixes for typing, for thinking.

04.05. Modem Festival, Croatia
04.04. Mutant Radio, Tbilisi, Georgia
30.05. KuH Festival
25.04. Arkaoda, Berlin
23.04. Mutant Radio Berlin
12.04. Salon Des Amateurs, Düsseldorf

your favourite storyteller

+ @riolabel @initinit

24.5. b2b with NVST, Kauz Zürich
10.05. Säälchen, Berlin
26.04. Zentralwäscherei, Zürich
25.04. b2b Philipp Otterbach, Arkaoda, Berlin
04.04. Sameheads, Berlin
13.03. Säule, Berlin
22.02. Kegelbahn, Luzern
21.02. Fribourg, CH

---- BYE24

17.12. Kiosk Radio,  Bxl
15.12. Curly Teeth b2b w. NVST, Bxl
30.11. Panorama Bar, Berlin
16.11. La Culottee, Paris
19.10. LAF, Pforzhyme
05.10. Sameheads, Berlin
28.09. Buka, Milan
21.09. Chemiefabrik, Zürich
14.09. Ausland, Berlin
16.08. Salon Des Amateurs, Düsseldorf
21.07. Am Bach Festival, Lucerne
05.07. Kappa Futur Festival, Turin
14.06. Masters, Zagreb
18.05. Outracena, Lisbon
27.04. Arkaoda, Berlin
24.02. Macadam, Nantes
26.01. Sameheads, Berlin

Introducing Aubrey Fry, a visionary luminary of electronic music, whose narrative unfolds with the same riveting intensity as his pulsating beats. With prestigious signings to DJ Sasha's Last Night On Earth, John Digweed's Bedrock Records, and Nick Warren's The Sound Garden, Aubrey's sonic creations have captivated audiences across the globe, from the streets of Miami to the neon-lit alleys of Tokyo.

Beyond his accolades as an accomplished electronic music producer, Aubrey's prowess extends to his electrifying DJ sets, where he takes listeners on a transcendent journey through the depths of sound. Sharing stages with legends like John Digweed, Dave Clarke, Jody Wisternoff and Guy J, Aubrey's sets are a masterclass in sonic diversity, effortlessly traversing genres from breaks to house to techno with finesse and flair.

Prepare to be swept away as Aubrey Fry unveils a sonic tapestry unlike any other. Strap in and let the music carry you to new heights as you embark on an unforgettable journey into the heart of electronic euphoria.

R.i.O. is a record label founded by @freybenedikt @menqui & @daloworks . With their shared passion for a broad range of music they established this new outlet in order to shift perceptions of reality.

DJ-sets, remixes & tracks by Christian S from Cologne.

GeoGans is following