In what might seem an already crowded scene, Soul Mama – in Stratford, east London – opened in September 2024 with quite a publicity fanfare. Given the chequered success story of jazz enterprises born of hope and enthusiasm, it was easy to wonder when financial reality might hit. But Soul Mama broke a Guinness World Record for funds raised by a restaurant through Kickstarter and now a second Soul Mama is planned on the Westfield side of Stratford for April 2026.
Soul Mama has some advantages, though. One way to help make live music (or even a pub) work is to offer food. Soul Mama does this – and seriously – with high-level service and cuisine. It also scores in focusing on an aspect of jazz – soul-funk – not much catered for in other London venues. So it’s got rarity, popularity and good food on its side.
Soul Mama’s co-founder, saxophonist YolanDa Brown, is known for her affinity with the soulful end of the jazz spectrum so her spirited and engaging embrace of the music promised by the venue’s name is genuine. But Soul Mama also covers other musical bases, including, for example, boogie-woogie (in the person of Axel Zwingenberger), jump jive (Ray Gelato) and big band (Syd Lawrence) as well as salsa, gospel, comedy and a touch of country picking (Albert Lee).
The venue’s attachment to good dining is genuine, too. The food is high quality and served in a professional restaurant setting. In fact, Soul Mama looks as much restaurant as jazz club, with neither the terraced arrangement of, say, Ronnie’s nor the cabaret-style seating often associated with jazz. This month it’s offering a three-course Christmas menu for £65 featuring such Caribbean flavours as NOLA-style crab gumbo, tiger prawns and salmon in jerk sauce. A piña colada completes the experience.
Music-wise, there’s a dedicated stage on one wall and and a professional mixing desk on the other. Around 8.30 a disembodied YolanDa Brown asked us to respect the music by controlling conversation – leaving no doubt this was a serious music venue. In the event it hardly seemed necessary, given the engagement of the audience.
This Friday night, 5 December, George Benson tribute band Give Me The Night, fronted by multi-tasking guitarist and singer Nat Augustin (he also does a Stevie and Luther show, among other things) came on with a four- (later six-, with bvox) piece band and was straight into a couple of Benson’s poppier numbers. The focus of the band’s repertoire is on the guitarist’s later chart material, including Give Me The Night, Never Give Up On A Good Thing, Love Times Love, Lady Love Me and Turn Your Love Around, so one didn’t expect guitar or improv to dominate. But the guitar became more prominent as Moody’s Mood (a James Moody line) and Nature Boy (dedicated to Nat Cole) dug deeper into a soul pocket and established a relaxed, creative groove. Even if the music never hit the jazz heights of Benson’s playing on such exceptional occasions as his 1968 Billie’s Bounce with Herbie Hancock, it was all extremely well executed.
After an excellent meal and entertainment we left for the two-minute walk to Stratford International and the 60-minute, 139-mph HS1 train to the coast. It probably wasn’t part of the plan, but Soul Mama is also superbly placed for the Kentish exodus that still craves the city music scene.
Soul Mama is at the Hilton Gantry Hotel, 40 Celebration Avenue, Stratford, E20 1DB. More details, including programme and menu at soulmama.co.uk or call 020 4519 6262.
