Last gig of the season and we have the following delights for your ears as the year draws to a close…
Matt Fisher & Dee Byrne
Plumbing the depths with percussion and alto saxophone/electronics.
mattfisherdrums.com | deebyrnemusic.com
Olie Brice String Project
First outing of new compositions penned for strings.
oliebrice.com
Bill Thompson & Cath Roberts
A voyage into live electronics.
billthompson.org | cathrobots.co.uk
For our last gig of the season we welcome trumpeter and composer Loz Speyer and his group Inner Space Music. Join us for a night of new composition and improvisation before the Lumefish goes on holiday for a well-earned break! Music starts at 8.30pm. Entry: One Bank of England note of your choice.
Inner Space Music
In the footsteps of the likes of Ellington, Mingus and Ornette Coleman, Inner Space Music takes improvisation into new territory, and frames it within a set of strongly melodic tunes with references going back into jazz history. Compositions such as Rocket Science and From A to B to Infinity play around with a combination of fast, slow and free time, as a flexible framework for improvising, exploring the fine line between structure and freedom that is a central theme in the jazz tradition.
Loz Speyer trumpet, flugelhorn
Chris Biscoe alto sax, alto clarinet
Rachel Musson tenor/soprano sax
Olie Brice double bass
Gary Willcox drums
‘There was something utterly warm and personal about this gig, and very moving. Though the leader’s trumpet was often to the fore, his role seemed as much to create situations that forced the band to think on their feet or to stitch together fragments of a tune with frantic signalling as the moment dictated…’ – Mike Collins, Jazzyblogman
They’re back! Leeds’ finest iconoclastic sextet return to Long White Cloud on their UK tour. When they told us they were coming through London promoting their new album, we couldn’t resist inviting them back. Come with us on a joyous journey into musical chaos, as the band unleash their violent cocktail of Zornish style collisions and freewheeling improv, negotiating a path from the beautiful to the sinister, humorous and surreal. An essential gig…make sure you get here early!
Michael Bardon bass/electronics
Ollie Dover sax/clarinet
Joost Hendrickx drums/electronics
Andrew Lisle drums
Johnny Richards keys/electronics
Craig Scott guitar/electronics
It’s double LUME week once again, and we have an array of interesting projects for your ears…
2nd April @ Long White Cloud: Last Summer’s Tealights & Penelope Dreaming
This week another exciting double bill with Last Summer’s Tealights – playing compositions inspired by an eclectic mix of musical genres – and Penelope Dreaming, the latest project by improvising vibraphonist Martin Pyne.
Last Summer’s Tealights
Strong melodies, jazz harmonies and a potent sense of nostalgia are some of the words associated with the music of Last Summer’s Tealights. Part classical, part folk, part pop, part hymnal, the music is a peculiar hotchpotch of shared influences.The idea for LST was conceived through a series of saxophone/marimba duets emerging during a winter spent in Scotland, which were eventually expanded under more southern skies. LST brings together experienced players from a diverse range of musical backgrounds, including jazz, classical, flamenco and middle-eastern.
Joe Browne sax
Hal Hutchison marimba and Piano
Shirley Smart cello
Demi Garcia Sabat percussion
Penelope Dreaming
This trio revolves around the rich textures, grooves and soundscapes conjured up by Martin Pyne’s largely electronic percussion set up,which he has used on two solo albums. These provide fertile musical soil for the improvised explorations of Tony Woods and Nette Robinson.
Tony Woods saxophones / flutes
Nette Robinson vocals
Martin Pyne percussion / electronics
Tony Woods is a leading figure in West London’s Way Out West collective. He leads his own quintet – Tony Woods Project, and collaborates regularly with musicians such as Tim Whitehead, Pete Churchill and Mike Outram. He’s also very good at sailing.
Nette Robinson had an acclaimed collaboration with the late Mike Garrick – their album “Remembered Time” garnered rave reviews, and penetrated beyond the jazz ghetto to the pages of Mojo. She’s also very good at chess.
Martin Pyne plays vibraphone, drums, and percussion, and also makes extensive use of electronics in his work. He has worked across the range of contemporary music, but his primary focus has been on improvised music, and especially on collaborations with dancers. His trio Busnoys released their third album last year, and he recently established a duo with fellow vibes player Corey Mwamba. He’s also very good at going to the cinema.
5th April @ ‘LUME Presents…’, Vortex Jazz Club: Zonica & Aye-Aye
Electronic explorations and vibrant new composition tonight at ‘LUME Presents…’
Zonica
Zonica is an experimental improvising ensemble using a mixture of acoustic instruments and electronics. The group creates a spontaneous narrative of soundscapes, riffs and themes taking the listener on a cosmic, sonic adventure. With a heavy-weight line up from the UK jazz/creative scene, prepare yourself for a spontaneous electro-acoustic cocktail of epic proportions!
Dee Byrne alto saxophone/effects
Ed Riches guitar/effects
Elliot Galvin keyboard/effects
Tom McCredie bass/effects
Pat Davey drums
Aye-Aye
An intriguing new trio of harp, saxophone and bass, playing music written by all three members. The group explores angular grooves and captivating improvisations, creating a unique texture with their unusual and refreshing instrumentation. With all three members well-known on the jazz/improvised music scene and further afield, this is an exciting collaboration not to be missed.
Julie Kjaer alto saxophone, flute
Tori Handsley harp
Ruth Goller bass
Hooray! We’ve finished our Spring season at Long White Cloud and it’s looking great. Lots of exciting bands and new collaborations for your ears. Here we go…
February
5th Andrew Woolf Quintet & Sans Domicile Fixe
12th Word Of Moth
19th Rubik Trio & Solodog
26th Alec Harper/Tom Wheatley/Andrew Lisle & Ti/om
March
5th Backyard Chassis & Seth Bennett/Cath Roberts
12th Alex Bonney Quartet
19th Huw V Williams Meets A Quartet
26th Andreae/Knight/Ward & Pete Ibbetson/Rory Simmons
April
2nd Last Summer’s Tealights & Penelope Dreaming
9th KTHXBYE with Colin Webster & New World Order
16th Sloth Racket & Alex Ward
23rd Mark Sanders/Sarah Gail Brand
30th Gus Garside/Annie Kerr & Byrne/Nash/Pursglove
See you there…
For this year’s London Jazz Festival we’re presenting a special three night series of our own current projects, featuring some of the UK’s most exciting improvising musicians aka the LUME usual suspects…
Tuesday 18th November: Ripsaw Catfish ‘Shoaling’
Ripsaw Catfish is Anton Hunter (guitar) and Cath Roberts (baritone saxophone). The Manchester and London-based duo formed in 2013 to explore improvised and composed music, and whatever lies between those things. They employ a collection of pre-composed elements which can be drawn upon, or not, during the course of an improvisation. Tonight they launch ‘Shoaling’, a UK tour with a collaborative focus, with support from Sound And Music. The duo will assemble ad hoc ensembles (‘shoals’) of improvising musicians at each location to play spontaneous sets of new music informed by, incorporating or ignoring the Ripsaw Catfish composed material. For this performance they are joined by improvising vibes player Corey Mwamba and his trio.
Anton Hunter guitar
Cath Roberts baritone sax
Corey Mwamba vibraphone, small instruments
Dave Kane bass
Joshua Blackmore drums
Wednesday 19th November: Deemer & duck-rabbit
The brain-child of Merijn Royaards and Dee Byrne, Deemer started life in 2006 as a weekly improvisation/electronics session in a warehouse in Hackney Wick. The project has since evolved into an installation/performance based electro-acoustic ‘two-piece’ orchestra, whose aural narratives are created within fluid frameworks that map a trajectory in time, but leave the sonic textures and compositions entirely free and undetermined. Deemer employ, among other things, alto saxophone, drums, analogue electronics, tape, transducer microphones/speakers to instantly compose, activate space, and blur the boundaries between free jazz and sound installation.
Merijn Royaards electronics/percussion
Dee Byrne alto saxophone/electronics
This new improvising trio explores two contrasting and overlapping personalities; one acoustic, one electronic. Using unique electronic instruments, they interact with their acoustic improvisations to form a rich and varied dialogue. Their interaction creates an absorbing interplay between past and present, a constant re-imagining of ideas within an expanded sonic terrain. Two releases, ‘Path To Field’ and ‘Scattered Voices: Part 1’ came out in early 2014.
Joe Wright – saxophone/electronics
Tom Taylor – piano/electronics
James Opstad – double bass/electronics
Thursday 20th November: Entropi & Quadraceratops
Led by Dee Byrne, Entropi started life in 2010 as a vehicle for composition and improvisation. Dee’s compositions deal with the inconsistent nature of time, the transience of life, exploration of the unknown, pivotal moments of decision making, journeys in outer space and the unlikely symmetry of seemingly unrelated events.
Dee Byrne alto saxophone
Andre Canniere trumpet
Rebecca Nash keyboards
Olie Brice bass
Matt Fisher drums
Quadraceratops
Cath Roberts leads this septet playing her compositions, described by Jez Nelson as ‘suitably psychotic!’ The current set of music is inspired by insects, fairground rides, underground tunnelling machines and fictional serial killers. The first Quadraceratops album was released on Efpi Records in October.
Cath Roberts alto saxophone, compositions
Tom Ward tenor saxophone
Henry Spencer trumpet
Magnus Dearness trombone
Dave O’Brien keyboards
Jason Simpson bass
Olly Blackman drums
On all three nights it will be doors 8pm, music 8.30pm at Long White Cloud. We hope you can join us for three festive nights at LUME!
Composer, arranger and double bassist Paul Baxter brings together Leeds and London based musicians this week in an exciting double bill featuring two of his projects. Both groups will also perform a short improvised set together at the end of the evening.
Destination Out!
Formed in 2012 when Paul was studying for a Masters in Jazz Performance at Trinity College of Music, the ensemble explores the cosmos with free improvisation and group interaction using Paul’s idiosyncratic compositions as their astrological map. Think Ornette Coleman meets Tim Berne.
Dee Byrne – alto saxophone
Ian Bumstead – tenor & bass clarinet
Paul Baxter – bass/compositions
Corrie Dick – drums
Paul Baxter Trio
Premiering new material drawing on influences from Bojan Z, The Bad Plus and even Bartok. The group combine rhythmic complexity and propulsion with a joyous freedom reminiscent of the 70’s Jarrett trio all this enveloped by their unique blend of accessible, melodic compositions with fiery and expansive improvisation.
John Tomlinson – keyboard
Paul Baxter – bass/compositions
Kris Wright – drums
Doors 8pm, music starts at 8.30pm. £5 entry.
Long White Cloud,
151 Hackney Road,
E2 8JL.
Nearest station: Hoxton Overground (less than 5 mins’ walk)
See you there!
A year ago this week, we put on the first LUME gig upstairs at Hundred Crows Rising near Angel. Since that first double bill of Redshift and Identity Parade we’ve hosted so many bands that we’ve lost count, and there are plenty more coming up!
We’re celebrating a year of presenting great ensembles playing new music by….presenting a great ensemble playing new music. Come down and join us this Thursday, 3rd July at Long White Cloud as we toast a year of LUME with:
Vicky Tilson Quartet
The VTQ is influenced by a range of musicians but in terms of the compositions, bassist Vicky Tilson has this to say: “My writing is constantly influenced by that of Charles Mingus, particularly his Changes I and II albums, which showcase his more esoteric side. The groove-based, odd meter tunes of Dave Holland and Steve Coleman have also inspired me and HEADLOVIN’ was the first piece I ever wrote in this style. More recently, Phronesis have inspired me to continue the groove-based odd meter side of things, whilst the influence of British pianist/composer Michael Garrick has led me melodically. Some of my harmonic ideas have even been awakened by listening to indie band Blur!”
TIME OUT say: “Bass-led modern jazz from this Guildhall trained bassist/composer, who combines deep Mingus-style grooves and pastoral melodies with gritty textures on top provided by guitarist Stuart Fiddler and alto sax ace Dee Byrne.” – 25th April 2012.
To hear what the band sounds like head over to their Soundcloud page.
Dee Byrne alto sax
Stuart Fiddler guitar
Vicky Tilson bass/compositions
Reinis Axelsson drums
Doors 8pm, music at 8.30pm, £5 entry. See you at Long White Cloud!
An exciting finale for the month of June with the notorious Leeds-based sextet Shatner’s Bassoon, bringing their distinctive brand of ‘controlled pandemonium’ to LUME as part of their UK tour. We’re in for a treat! Here’s the biog….
Shatner’s Bassoon are a group of six Leeds based composers/improvisers. Since forming in 2010 they have embarked on two tours of the UK, completed a PRS funded residency program, had a live show featured on BBC Jazz on 3, released their debut album ‘Aquatic Ape Privilege’ on their own label – ‘Wasp Millionaire’ and have been selected by Jazz North as ‘Jazz Ambassadors of the North’ on their ‘Northern Line’ program.
Influenced by contemporary artists such as Tim Berne, Mr. Bungle, John Zorn, Frank Zappa, Tyshawn Sorey and a range of rock and electronica; and with a combined experience that includes eastern European folk, Hindustani music, Brazilian music, straight ahead and free jazz, reggae, metal, contemporary classical and musique concrete; Shatner’s Bassoon have developed a unique collective sound based on developing complex compositional structures through improvisation – allowing the music to be naturally infused by their experiences. The results can range from dense free noise through intense riffs and ambient textures. They play with musical clichés and conventions to produce music that negotiates a path from the beautiful to the sinister, humorous and surreal.
Michael Bardon – bass/electronics
Ollie Dover – sax/clarinet
Joost Hendrickx – drums/electronics
Andrew Lisle – drums
Johnny Richards – keys/electronics
Craig Scott – guitar/electronics
This will be a packed night with a BIG lineup, so make sure you get to Long White Cloud early to avoid having to climb over the band! Doors 8pm, music starting at 8.30pm, £5 entry…join us!
This week we have a double bill of fantastic bands, featuring musicians from the Leeds and London scenes. Pianist Laura Cole brings her sextet Metamorphic, and bassist Seth Bennett will play a set with his new trio Nut Club. We caught Metamorphic’s set at the Vortex in April (with Seth guesting on second bass!), so we know we’re in for a great night of music!
Metamorphic
Metamorphic are a contemporary jazz/folk sextet based in London. They have released two album on the ‘F-ire presents’ label to critical acclaim: The Rock Between (2011) and Coalescence (2013). The instrumentalists in the group all met while studying on the Jazz Degree at Middlesex University in London in 2001, and vocalist Kerry Andrew became involved with the group through the promoter Moose Factory. Kerry also sings with the highly respected vocal trio Juice, whose album ‘Songspin’ recently won Best Contemporary Classical album of the year at the Independent Music Awards. Alto sax player Chris Williams is part of 2009 Mercury Prize nominated group Led Bib, and tenor/soprano sax player John Martin is a successful bandleader in his own right. Drummer Tom Greenhalgh also plays in the acclaimed group World Sanguine Report, led by Andrew Plummer, and double bass player Paul Sandy has worked with various groups such as The Rude Mechanicals.
Laura Cole – bandleader, piano/composer/arranger
Chris Williams – alto sax
John Martin – tenor/soprano sax
Kerry Andrew – vocals/loops
Tom Greenhalgh – drums
Paul Sandy – bass
Nut Club
Nut Club are an exciting new Leeds-based trio. Seth Bennett writes:
‘We set up Nut Club at the beginning of 2013, because we wanted to have a band that could workshop ideas for new tunes together, and could take their time over developing new material and a group aesthetic. We fit loosely into the mould of a jazz band, but play mostly original material with an emphasis on groove – groove in the New Orleans sense, not repetitive figures, but three people juggling music and rhythm between them. We explore the idea of jazz as a dance music – even in its most avant-garde manifestations; We still hear dance rhythms in free jazz and free improvisation.’
Ollie Dover – reeds
John Arnesen – drums
Seth Bennett – bass
As usual it’s doors 8pm, with the music starting at 8.30pm, and it’s £5 on the door. Some of you might remember the Stolen Project gig in April: when we have a sextet playing it can be tricky to get into Long White Cloud if you arrive after the gig has started! Plus, we’ve heard on the grapevine that a certain pianist/bandleader will be celebrating a special birthday on the night too. We advise showing up nice and early…
