Cassie Kinoshi
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2020}}
{{Short description|British composer and saxophonist}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Cassie Kinoshi
| image =
| caption =
| origin = Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
| instrument = Alto Saxophone
| associated_acts = {{hlist|Nérija|SEED Ensemble|Nubya Garcia|Kwes}}
| website = {{URL|cassiekinoshi.co.uk}}
| label = {{hlist|Jazz re:freshed|Brownswood|Domino}}
| current_member_of = SEED Ensemble, Brown Penny
| past_member_of = Kokoroko, Nérija
}}
Cassie Kinoshi is a British composer, saxophonist and bandleader who leads the group SEED Ensemble, who were nominated for a Mercury Prize award in 2019.
Biography
Kinoshi grew up in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, and attended Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (Composition) as well as Tomorrow's Warriors. Cassie attended St. George's School, Harpenden for sixth form where she completed her A level in music. {{Cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2019/09/18/cassie-kinoshi-seed-ensembles-driftglass-interview-2019-hyundai-mercury-prize|title="I write about what I feel" - Cassie Kinoshi talks SEED Ensemble's debut 'Driftglass'|last=Subscribe|website=DIY|date=18 September 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}}
Kinoshi formed SEED Ensemble in 2016 as a way of celebrating Britain's diversity, and the group has been praised for its conscious look at British society and culture.{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/music/cassie-kinoshi-interview-mercury-prize-jazz-a4240006.html|title=Cassie Kinoshi on sci-fi, Sun Ra and her Mercury Prize nomination|date=2019-09-18|newspaper=Evening Standard|language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}} SEED Ensemble combine jazz with West African and Caribbean music, and Kinoshi told Vinyl Factory: "It's important to me that I shine a light on political subject matter which is often disregarded by the masses and highlight what it means to exist as a young Black British citizen today."{{Cite web|url=https://thevinylfactory.com/news/saxophonist-cassie-kinoshi-seed-ensemble-debut-album-driftglass-vinyl/|title=Saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi's SEED Ensemble announces debut album, Driftglass|date=16 January 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}}
Kinoshi was also a member of the Afrobeat group Kokoroko, and the seven-piece (inactive since 2020{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/nerijamusic/?hl=en |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=www.instagram.com}}) jazz group Nérija. Her six-piece Brown Penny played at SXSW in Austin, Texas, in early 2022 and was due to take part in the EFG London Jazz Festival in November 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/jazz/brown-penny/|title=Brown Penny|website=kingsplace.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2022-08-06}} She left Kokoroko in 2022 to focus on her work with SEED Ensemble.{{Cite web |last=Jazz |first=All About |date=2024-04-08 |title=Cassie Kinoshi: Letting The Sunshine In article @ All About Jazz |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cassie-kinoshi-letting-the-sunshine-in-cassie-kinoshi#:~:text=In%202022,%20Kinoshi%20left%20Kokoroko,and%20on%20her%20compositional%20career. |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=All About Jazz |language=en}}
In 2019, SEED Ensemble were nominated for a Mercury Prize award for their album Driftglass.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2019/09/19/rapper-dave-becomes-star-to-watch-with-mercury-prize-victory/|title=Rapper Dave Becomes Star To Watch With Mercury Prize Victory|last=Beech|first=Mark|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}} Kinoshi told DIY that she "screamed really high pitch and ran around in circles" when she heard about the nomination.{{Cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2019/07/25/cassie-kinoshi-seed-ensemble-hyundai-mercury-prize|title=Cassie Kinoshi "screamed really high pitch" following SEED Ensemble's Hyundai Mercury Prize nod|last=Subscribe|website=DIY|date=25 July 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}} The album received an 85% jump in sales as a result of the nomination.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/we-don-t-need-to-win-it-shortlisted-mercury-acts-reflect-on-the-impact-of-the-prize/077500|title='We don't need to win it': Shortlisted Mercury acts reflect on the impact of the prize|website=Musicweek.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-14}}
Kinoshi is also a composer who writes for theatre, including the National Theatre (Top Girls), the Old Vic Theatre and the London Symphony Orchestra.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2020/deluxe-balletboyz/|title=Deluxe - BalletBoyz|website=Lighthouse|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2018/cassie-kinoshi-cameron-mackintosh-composer/|title=Cassie Kinoshi named Cameron Mackintosh resident composer {{!}} News|last=Hemley|first=Matthew|date=2018-10-25|website=The Stage|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-22}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/radar/read/on-the-radar-seed-ensemble/077159|title=On The Radar: Seed Ensemble|website=Musicweek.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://lso.co.uk/more/news/855-2018-panufnik-composers-announced.html|title=London Symphony Orchestra - 2018 Panufnik Composers Announced|website=lso.co.uk|access-date=2019-10-22}}{{Cite web|url=https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/composer/cassie-kinoshi|title=Cassie Kinoshi|first=Adama |last=Jalloh|date=2018-01-31|website=British Music Collection|language=en|access-date=2019-10-22}}
References
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Category:Alumni of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Category:British jazz alto saxophonists
Category:British jazz saxophonists
Category:British musical theatre composers
Category:British jazz composers
Category:British women jazz musicians
Category:British women composers
Category:Tomorrow's Warriors alumni