the love unlimited synth orchestra
celebrating the music of barry white
The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra will play Grace Jones’ Meltdown Festival Wednesday 15 June 2022
Barry White was one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time and his back catalogue continues to be adored across the globe.
The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra paid homage to his extraordinary songs with a live show at Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. Conducted by Charles Hazlewood, The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra featured a spectacular line-up of guest artists including Gruff Rhys, Nadine Shah, Larry Heard, Ibibio Sound Machine’s Eno Williams, YolanDa Brown, Lianne La Havas, Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Clive Deamer (Radiohead).
This stellar line-up of musical friends performed alongside musicians from The British Paraorchestra, Army of Generals and a bank of synth players, in celebration of the sultry sounds of a soul and funk icon.
“With so many players crammed on to the stage, it could have been a jumble but the result – led by conductor Charles Hazlewood, resplendent in a loud jacquard suit – was a gloriously uplifting take on Barry White’s baby-makers. ”
Despite his cult status, Barry White never made it to the stages of Glastonbury Festival before his untimely death in 2003. The Love Unlimited Synth Orchestra reinstated White’s overlooked genius as a composer with a party-starting premiere on Saturday 29th June on The Park Stage, Glastonbury Festival 2019.
Photography: Paul Blakemore