The Grammy-winning singer will deliver some R&B anthems, while the hip hop pioneers arrive fresh from their own Grammy nomination, plus Nathan Fake, Lower Than Atlantis and Hazel O'Connor.
John Ward Band
The Cut, Halesworth, March 3, 7.30pm, £8, 0300 3033211, newcut.org
Suffolk singer/songwriter John Ward brings his full five-piece band to play a refreshingly eclectic mix of lyrical music across a wide range of styles. Expect folk tunes, folk rock, acoustic pop, blues and jazz influenced songs covering topics that matter in our changing times - celebrity culture, children, parents, hard times and injustice, and the threat to our environment - tides, ships, mountains and oceans, toil, soil and miners. The set will include songs taken from John's new album, Sargasso, plus familiar material from previous releases. The band uses a variety of instrumentation - guitars, double bass, mandolin, cajon, whistles, bodhran, harmonica, plus rich vocal harmony.
Ashanti
LCR, UEA, Norwich, March 5, 7pm, £28, 01603 508050, ueaticketbookings.co.uk
American Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Ashanti arrives in Norwich to deliver some mid-noughties R&B anthems. Ashanti burst onto the music scene with her chart-topping self-titled debut album that set a first week sales record by a debut female artist in the R&B US chart. She arrives still riding the momentum of her highly successful joint tour with Ja Rule which took her all over the US and sold out just about every venue. Their 2001 duet song Always on Time became a worldwide hit. She has been working on new music, which will be released as the follow-up album to 2014's Braveheart. With some 15 or 16 songs already recorded for the as-yet-untitled album, expect some new tunes as well as the hits.
Soma
Milestones Jazz, Hotel Hatfield, Esplanade, Lowestoft, March 5, 8pm, £7 (£6 cons), 01502 568684, www.milestonesjazzclub.co.uk
A highly creative quartet led by top local trumpeter Dan Friend, featuring pianist Matt Hodges, Owen Morgan on double-bass, and drummer Jesse Barrett. The thoughtful and melodic trumpeter returns to Milestones Jazz leading the band through a choice selection of lesser-known jazz standards. All noted players and composers in their own right, they will also be playing a choice selection of some of their own tunes, influenced by Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett, Hendrix and Bach among many others.
Nathan Fake
Norwich Arts Centre, March 7, 8pm, £7 adv/£9 door, 01603 660352, www.norwichartscentre.co.uk
Norfolk electronic artist Nathan Fake, who has previously released on James Holden's Border Community label, Traum and most recently his own Cambria Instruments imprint, returns for a home county gig to coincide with the release of his fourth album, Providence, his first to be released on Ninja Tunes. The album sees the re-invigorated producer collaborate with vocalists for the first time, joining forces with Raphaelle Standell-Preston from Braids and Prurient (aka Vatican Shadow) on the track DEGREELESSNESS, a compelling dancefloor oddity founded on clanking dub-delayed drums and a heaving arpeggiated synth line. Support from Wax Stag and Sunda Arc.
De La Soul
LCR, UEA, Norwich, March 8, 7.30pm, £25, 01603 508050, www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk
Hip hop pioneers who, with their classic 3 Feet High and Rising album, were a quirky Daisy Age alternative to 1980s gangster rap. Formed in 1987, Posdnuos, Dave & Maseo used eclectic samples and quirky lyrics to create their signature style. The trio also played a huge part of rap music's crossover to the pop-and-rock-crowd. More recently they won a Grammy for their collaboration with Gorillaz on Feel Good Inc. With a cult following to their name, 'and the Anonymous Nobody...', their latest full-length album, funded in just 10 hours on Kickstarter, received a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 2017 Grammys. Support from East Anglia MCs Chrome and Illinspired.
Lower Than Atlantis
LCR, UEA, Norwich, March 9, 7.30pm, £16, 01603 508050, www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk
Watford rockers Lower Than Atlantis return as part of their biggest UK tour to date in support of their fifth studio album, Safe In Sound, a decent attempt at hitting the mark in the arena of radio friendly heavy(ish) rock. It is the follow-up to the band's most successful album to date, 2014's self-titled release, that sold over double their previous record sales. The Hertfordshire four-piece's new album starts as it means to go on with opening track Had Enough a rip-roaring ride, while Could Be Worse begins with a fun, jumpy riff that is tailor-made to be played live. Support from Young Guns, Hands Like Houses and Roam.
Hazel O'Connor
Fisher Theatre, Bungay, March 9, 7.30pm, £20, 01986 897130, www.fishertheatre.org
Striding into the spotlight with the cult movie Breaking Glass in 1980, Hazel O'Connor immediately became an iconic figure. The film, starring Phil Daniels, fresh off Quadrophenia and a yet-to-be-discovered Jim Broadbent, told the story of a singer who lets nothing stand in her way. The soundtrack spawned the singles Eighth Day and Will You, famous for its poignant lyrics and haunting saxophone solo. She returns for another special up-close and personal evening exploring old and new songs and stories accompanied here by former Communards and David Bowie virtuoso Clare Hirst on sax and vocals and Sarah Fisher on keyboards and vocals.
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