Renell Shaw's Jazz Trilogy Explores Black British History Through Family Testimony

Renell Shaw, an Ivor Novello-winning musician, has created a jazz trilogy based on his family's experiences as part of the Windrush generation. The first two works, The Windrush Suite and Echo in the Bones, will be performed live at Kings Place in London on June 25, 2026, as part of the Memory Unwrapped season. Shaw, 38, incorporates recorded testimonies from his grandparents into the music using an MPC One drum machine. The Windrush Suite, which won an Ivor Novello award in 2020, was originally performed virtually during the pandemic. The sequel, Echo in the Bones, addresses police brutality and the SUS laws of the 1980s, drawing on interviews with Shaw's parents. The third and final chapter, Remember Us Tomorrow, premieres on October 9, 2026, focusing on newer generations of Black Britons. Shaw's 12-piece ensemble spans ages 30 to 65, including marimba player Orphy Robinson and drummer Romarna Campbell. The music blends jazz, classical strings, and funk. Shaw aims to present the Windrush generation's story as one of growth and love, not just struggle.