As we tie up the last loose ends of our Spring programme at Long White Cloud, one thing we *can* tell you is that ‘LUME Presents…’ is back for a second season at the Vortex Jazz Club! Gigs kick off on Sunday 8th February, and we hope you agree the lineup looks pretty tasty…
Tickets will be on sale from the Vortex website very soon.
This week, two sets from a new band featuring the compositions of new (ish) Londoner the pianist Andrew Oliver! We’ve checked out some of the music he made in the US, so we know we’re in store for a night of exciting original music. Come down and hear for yourself on Thursday…here’s the blurb:
American pianist and composer Andrew Oliver relocated to London from Portland, Oregon in 2013. Continuing his compositional explorations into groovy chamber-jazz for the 21st century, he presents a new London based quintet performing original music influenced by minimalism, Zimbabwean and west African traditions, trains, and the omnipresent shuffle of genres in the world today.
Andrew Oliver – piano
Dave Shulman – clarinet and bass clarinet
Ralph Wyld – vibes
Huw V Williams – bass
Pete Ibbetson – drums
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!
‘LUME Presents…’ at the Vortex is back! This month it’s a double bill of medium sized ensembles from the roster of our favourite Manchester contemporary jazz/improv/experimental music label Efpi Records, to celebrate the launch of the debut album from Cath’s band Quadraceratops! The album is coming out on Monday 6th October, and the band will head up to Manchester on Tuesday 7th for the northern leg of the album launch. At the Vortex they are joined by trumpeter Nick Walters’ excellent Paradox Ensemble….this will be a great night!
Manchester and London-based nonet led by trumpet player Nick Walters (Riot Jazz,
Beats & Pieces Big Band). Bringing together many strands of his musical experience,
Nick has taken inspiration from jazz composers such as Gil Evans, electronic artists
such as Aphex Twin, and from artists who blur the lines between the two, such as Jaga
Jazzist and Tortoise. The result is, as Manchester Jazz Festival put it ahead of the
groupʼs live debut in 2013, ‘a coherent synthesis of electronics, live effects and
samples but retaining an earthy groove.ʼ Paradox Ensemble released ‘Entanglement’
in August 2013 on Efpi Records.
Nick Walters – trumpet + electronics
Tim Cox – trombone
Sam Healey – Alto sax
Ed Cawthorne – tenor sax + bass clarinet
Ben Kelly – sousaphone
Rebecca Nash – keys
Aidan Shepherd – accordian
Anton Hunter – guitar
Paul Michael – bass
Yussef Dayes – drums
Cath Roberts leads this septet playing her original compositions, described by Jazz On
3′s Jez Nelson as ‘suitably psychotic!’ Formed in 2011, the band have played at
numerous jazz nights around London as well as appearing at the London Jazz Festival
and ‘Jazz In The Round’ at the Cockpit Theatre. In Spring 2014 they recorded a
selection of music inspired by insects, fairground rides, underground tunnelling
machines and fictional serial killers. The result is their debut album ‘Quadraceratops’,
released on 6th October by Efpi Records and launched this evening at The Vortex.
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
Come down to the Vortex and check out these two bands playing great new music! Plus, Cath’s album will be on sale….just sayin’…
Doors 8pm, music 8.30pm and it’s £10 on the door, but £8 if you book tickets now on the Vortex website.
It’s happening this Sunday! Just a little reminder about our next ‘LUME Presents…’ gig at the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston. It’s going to be a great night of improvised music, with a solo set from Corey Mwamba and the return of Dee’s duo with sound artist Merijn Royaards, Deemer. Don’t miss it: tickets are still on sale from the Vortex website.
And a re-cap of the other gigs coming up in this series, with lovely artwork by Peter Beatty:
After a fantastic first night in a packed Vortex, our ‘LUME Presents…’ series continues on Sunday 7th September. This time, rather than filling the stage with as many musicians as possible, we’re inviting experimental electro/acoustic duo Deemer to fill it with their signature array of weird and wonderful equipment and get stuck into some sonic cookery. They will be sharing the bill with the captivating improviser and friend of LUME, vibraphone monster and multi-instrumentalist Corey Mwamba. We hope you can join us for another ‘LUME-inous’ night of new music at the Vortex.
Corey Mwamba
Corey Mwamba creates music using vibraphone, dulcimer, electronics and small instruments. His music contains elements of jazz, folk from different countries, and electronica. Born in Derby and a former chemist and librarian, Corey is virtually self-taught in music, having made the decision to take up vibraphone in his late teens after seeing a picture of Orphy Robinson in a book and taking five lessons with the orchestral percussionist Lewis Dyson. Corey is renowned as a highly creative improviser with a wide stylistic range: he has performed with Orphy Robinson, Pat Thomas, Tony Kofi, the Master Drummers of Africa and Evan Parker among countless others.
Deemer
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-manned’ 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
Doors are at 8pm, with the music starting at 8.30pm. Tickets are £8 in advance from the Vortex website, or £10 on the night. See you there…
Our ‘LUME Presents…’ series at the Vortex kicks off on August 3rd with a double bill of Overground Collective and Madwort’s Menagerie. It’s all very exciting and advance tickets are available now from the Vortex website! Here’s some background on the two bands…
Overground Collective
Paulo Dias Duarte is an award-winning Portuguese composer, based in London since
2003. Paulo’s compositions mix styles and frame musical clichés in very unusual way,
guiding audiences through rarely-visited musical fields. The Overground Collective is
an unorthodox big band composed of some of the wildest improvisers on the London
jazz scene. The combination of Paulo’s music and these improvisers makes each
concert a unique experience….as you can see from this video!
Guitar/composition – Paulo Dias Duarte
Alto saxophone/soprano/flute – Chris Williams
Alto saxophone/flute/piccolo – Julie Kjaer
Tenor saxophone – Rachel Musson
Tenor saxophone – Dan Mays
Bass clarinet – Tom Ward
Baritone saxophone – Joseph Stout
Trumpet – Noel Langley
Trumpet – Yazmeen Ahmed
Trumpet – Andre Canniere
Trumpet – Henry Spencer
Trombone – Paul Taylor
Trombone – Ed Reiband
Trombone – Raph Clarkson
Bass Trombone – Olivir Haylett
Tuba – Ben Kelly
Bass – Ben Bastin
Keyboards – Danny Keane
Drums – Jon Scott
Madwort’s Menagerie
After a momentary glimpse in a misfiring big band rehearsal, Tom Ward has been
bugged by an overheard snippet of a weird quartet comprising bass clarinet, flute,
trumpet and trombone. Transmogrifying some of his compositions for sax quartet,
hybridising this with his free improv duo Ti/om and finally balancing woodwind, brass
and strings with the addition of a cello, Tom is proud to present Madwort’s
Menagerie. Featuring some incredible improvising musicians with a full spectrum of
credits ranging from the London Improvisers Orchestra through Brass Mask, the
Overground Collective, Quadraceratops and The Imaginary Delta to Sinfonia Cymru
and the London Tango Orchestra.
Tom Ward – bass clarinet, flute, composition
Julie Kjaer – flute, alto flute
Alex Bonney – trumpet
Magnus Dearness – trombone
Adam Spiers – cello
Tim Fairhall – double bass
We hope you’ll agree it’s going to be a fantastic night of new music. Join us as we venture into a new chapter of LUME with these amazing musicians!
Artwork by the ever-awesome Peter Beatty…
This week we are very happy to be hosting Martin Pyne’s trio Busnoys, as they launch their new album Weaving The Spell.
Ostensibly a chamber jazz trio, the group’s musical palette is in fact much more wide ranging, drawing on Americana, electronica, and the avant-garde to create a distinctive, colourful and highly engaging ensemble sound. Beautiful melodies, extraordinary, magical sounds, and dynamic improvisational interplay are all vital ingredients in this unique band’s musical recipe.
Martin Pyne is a passionate improviser who makes subtle use of electronics to take his instrument into unexpected sonic territories, as well as occasionally throwing small percussion sounds and toy piano into the mix. He is joined by two musicians who have emerged from the wonderfully vibrant Bristol music scene, bassist Jeff Spencer, main man of The Resonation Big Band and now his London based ensemble Crocodile, and drummer Trevor Davies, who has accompanied many of the foremost soloists in the country. The trio’s repertoire is based around Pyne’s striking compositions, which create strongly focused atmospheres for the players to explore through improvisation.
Martin Pyne vibes/electronics
Jeff Spencer bass guitar
Trevor Davies drum kit
Doors 8pm, music starts at 8.30pm. £5 entry. Join us once again for a lovely night of new music at Long White Cloud.
We’re very excited to announce a new venture for late Summer and Autumn 2014: ‘LUME Presents…’ at the Vortex in Dalston! We will be hosting monthly double bills of our favourite musicians every first Sunday of the month starting on August 3rd. Join us for an extra dose of great original and improvised music…and a great excuse for some brand new artwork from the amazing Peter Beatty! Tickets are on sale from the Vortex website.
The first meeting of a new group, as two of LUME’s favourite musicians join forces with our own Cath Roberts. Corey and Cath have played together before as part of a trio with Martin Pyne at the first Long White Cloud gig in February, while Olie and Corey have also worked together a few times in various ensembles. Who knows what will happen when they combine as a trio?
Corey Mwamba – vibraphone, small instruments
Olie Brice – bass
Cath Roberts – baritone sax
Doors 8pm, music starting at 8.30pm, £5 entry. Come along for an evening of improvised music from a never-heard-before band…