Babel Dates For Your Diary

September

Dice Factory Babel Label Album Launch
5th September £8 / 8.30pm 
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/180021

Tom Challenger (saxophone), George Fogel (Piano), Tom Farmer (Bass) and Jon Scott (drums). 

Dice Factory has an unwritten ethos devoted to exploring new and challenging methods of both composition and improvisation. Developing compositions co-operatively, an emphasis on texture, rhythmic soundscapes, groove and melodic playfulness, characterise their music.

Bruno Heinen Sextet Album Preview 
10th September £10 / 8.30pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/181306

Bruno Heinen Sextet Bruno Heinen (piano), James Allsopp (sax) Tom Challenger (sax), 
Andrea Di Biase  (double bass) (Jon Scott (drummer) and Jack Davies (trumpet)
Pianist Bruno Heinen previews an exciting new album, set to be released in March 2013 on Babel Records, with his sextet, featuring James Allsopp, Tom Challenger, Jack Davies, Andrea Di Biase and Jon Scott.

The sextet will be performing a re-working of Karlheinz Stockhausen's TIERKREIS – Signs of the Zodiac – with original Stockhausen music boxes used in the performance.

Ken Vandermark, Ollie Brice, Mark Saunders 
27th September   £12 / 8.30pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/180042  

Ken Vandermark (sax), Ollie Brice (double bass) and Mark Sanders (drums).
A fixture on the Chicago-area music scene since the 1990s, saxophonist Ken Vandermark has earned wide critical praise for his playing and his multi-layered compositions, with an emphasis on contemporary music that deals directly with advanced methods of improvisation.

He has performed and recorded in a vast array of contexts and with many internationally renowned musicians. 

"Vandermark, as engrossing as a composer as he is powerful as an improviser, strikes a balance between order and freefall comparable to any band leader in the world" (The Guardian).

Special Babel Label View from the Tower
 30th September £7 2:00pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/182563  

Launching a new series of themed performances exploring great British composition, drawing on the European and American scenes as well as other traditional folk musics.

This residency will be taking the form of a septet with arrangements by Dan Messore. The house band will showcase some of the best and brightest, with a revolving line up and special guest from the national and international scene.

This first outing will comprise Huw Warren, Dudley Philips, Trish Clowes, Ivo Neame, James Allsop, Sam Leak, Phil Robson, Steve Waterman, Dan Messore and Iain Ballamy.

Tonight's house band is Dan Messore (guitar), Rory Simmons (trumpet), Tori Freestone (flute), Trish Clowes (tenor sax), Ivo Neame (piano), Dave Manington (bass), Tim Giles (drums).

Check Out Babel Label on Bandcamp http://babel-label.bandcamp.com/

Babel Babble, 28 August

Dedication Orchestra - Sondela
Evan Parker - Found Elsewhere 1 (from Topography of the Lungs)
Julian Arguelles - Mr Mc (from Home Truths)
Julien Lourau - Don't Save Me (from Fire 1)
Davy Graham - Hallelujah I Love Her So (from Anthology)
Veryan Weston/Ingrid Laubrock/Hannah Marshall - Courtesy of None (from Haste) NEW ALBUM ON EMANEM! Check out Sol6 (co-led by Veryan and with Hannah and Ingrid) recorded live at the Vortex on http://thespace.org/items/a000001u
John Etheridge/Lian Carroll - And When I Die (from Break Even)

Rachmaninoff - 3rd piano concerto cadenza played by Van Cliburn
Billie Holiday - All of Me

I reckon that Jazz Club on the Fast Show did so much to help jazz. And the style of presentation......




 Meanwhile, here's Horowitz playing Rachmaninov 3rd piano concerto. The way it's all in the fingers....

 

Babel Babble, 8 August playlist

Harold Budd, Algebra of Darkness (from The White Arcades)
Dan Messore/Lacuna, Wowge (from Talk on the Step)
Edith Piaf, Le Chant de la Noel
Sabah Fakhri (from Vol. 1)
Va Syrian Orthodox Church, Gnez First Mode
Taraf de Haidouks, Rind de Hore
Django Reinhardt, It Don't Mean A Thing
Sarah Walker, Schubert: Im Abendrot
Stan Sulzmann, The Thrill is Gone (from Birthdays, Birthdays)
Billie Holiday, I Hear Music
Majjid Bekkas, Yarassoulallah ya nabi (from Makenba)
Jean Claude Risset, #150, The Historical CD of Digital Sound System
Davy Graham, Broonzy Stomp
Huw Warren, Clatter
Billy Jenkins, Dressing Up For Church
Leonard Cohen, Last Year's Man
Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra Ft. Lol Coxhill, Evan Parker, Improcherto (for HB)
Robert Nighthawk, Black Angel Blues

I really enjoyed having conversations with listeners in Bielefeld, Brest, USA - and Ridley Road. Keep listening. Please

Phil Minton played at the same gig recently as Bruce Springsteen in Hyde Park

And don't forget to hear Sol6, also led by Veryan Weston on the web site The Space.

http://thespace.org/items/e0000eq4

CD Review: Oltremare Quartet - Uncommon Nonsense

LONDON JAZZ REVIEW

CD Review: Oltremare Quartet - Uncommon Nonsense

Oltremare Quartet - Uncommon Nonsense
(Babel BDV12107, CD Review by Chris Parker)

Although first impressions of the music made by the Oltremare Quartet might bring Iain Ballamy’s wistful but deceptively robust lyricism to mind, it is also easy to identify another (acknowledged) influence on bassist/leader Andrea Di Biase’s thoughtful, gently insinuating compositional style: Kenny Wheeler.

Saxophonist Michael Chillingworth moves unfussily between the earnest, slightly plaintive approach demanded by the album’s more restrained fare and the fiery pep appropriate to its livelier moments (a particular highlight pianist Antonio Zambrini’s driving tumultuous “Chanson”, and the rhythm section (completed by ubiquitous drummer Jon Scott) is also adaptable and skilful enough to purr quietly through the contemplative moments but rattle and roll under, for instance, the scalding piano solos of more rumbustious pieces such as “Even Shorter”.

Zambrini, indeed, irresistibly draws the ear to both his boisterous, often grandiloquent up-tempo runs and his restrained musings on more temperate compositions, but overall it is the quality and variety of Di Biase’s writing and the uncontrived versatility of the quartet – sweet-sounding and punchily muscular as required – that impresses about this classy, enjoyable album.

Alexander Hawkins - All There, Ever Out

A review for our polish-speaking supporters (includes  English translation)

CZWARTEK, 2 SIERPNIA 2012

Alexander Hawkins - All There, Ever Out

Babel Label, BDV1196, 2011
Alexander Hawkins - piano, Hammond B3 organ (4)
Javier Carmona - drums, percussion
Otto Fischer - electric guitar
Dominic Lash - double bass
Hannah Marshall - cello
Orphy Robinson - marimba
Kit Downes - Hammond B3 organ (9)

Ologbo (Double Trio); Tatum Totem III; Owl (Friendly)/A Star Explodes 10,000 Years Ago, Seen By Chinese Astronomers; AW/LJ (Differently); Ahab; (Untitled Free Improvisation); Marta; Elmoic; So Very, Know 

babel-label.bandcamp.com
alexanderhawkins.com
listen online: babel-label.bandcamp.com/album/all-there-ever-out 

english version below

Brytyjski pianista i jego Ensamble to niemal modelowy przykład wmieszania dorodnych free-jazzowych improwizacji we współczesne kameralistyczne podłoże, z domieszką eksperymentu i świeżości wypowiedzi. A może odwrotnie? Kto wie, w zasadzie to muzyka współczesna wciska się w jazzowy grunt, który coraz bardziej płynny, umyka wszelkim zasadom. Nie ma natomiast lepszej nazwy dla tego składu jak po prostu ensamble - zespół kameralny.

Alexander Hawkins jest niepodważalnie liderem, on pociąga za sznurki odsłaniając kolejne tła scenografii. To pianista wszechstronny, zdradzający swoją wirtuozerię i umiłowanie zarówno do tradycji pianistyki klasycznej, jak i tej nowszej z wyraźnymi wpływami Anthony Braxtona w podejściu do komponowania na podobny zespół. Niepokorny i jednocześnie zrównoważony w prowadzeniu narracji, nadawaniu kształtu swoim utworom przed i w trakcie ich trwania. Duża swoboda pozostawiona zespołowi wywołuje element zaskoczenia, przez co dochodzi do wielu nieoczekiwanych zwrotów akcji i doładowania akumulatorów.

Wszystkie utwory tworzą samodzielne części nagrania All There, Ever Out, każdym kieruje inna myśl, inny sposób ekspresji. Instrumentarium daje wiele możliwości, lecz tylko błyskotliwy zamysł kompozytora jest w stanie wydobyć z niego tak wiele różnorodnych barw, nie mówiąc o możliwościach artykulacyjnych instrumentów strunowych i zderzenia gitary z organami Hammonda. To wszystko naprawdę działa, nawet gdy odnosi się wrażenie rozpadu struktury.

Ile jest w tej muzyce swobody, ile sztywnego aranżu, trudno zweryfikować. Począwszy odOlogbo, zawiązuje się tu praca między dwoma grupami instrumentów, mocno eksploatujących wolność wyrazu, po czym doprowadzonych do ładu w kanciastym Tatum Totem III, w którym przeciw sobie wymierzają strzały gitara i fortepian, ostatecznie schodząc się z uderzeniem stopy.Owl to nic innego jak współczesne fugato na zespół improwizatorów. I tu robi się niebezpiecznie z racji przywołanej przeze mnie formy, wnoszącej bowiem sztywne zasady, lecz mniej sztywne niż fuga. Jak to obronię? Jest polifonia; głosy działają samodzielnie, wchodzą pojedynczo, imitują się, kontrapunktują jednocześnie, maksymalnie zagęszczają i wybrzmiewają każdy z osobna. Ostatecznie jednak dochodzi do rozszczepienia głosów, pozostaje wiolonczela i kontrabas, muzycy dociskając boleśnie smyczkiem strun, udaremniają moje próby usystematyzowania tego, co się tu wyprawia.

W opozycji działają także gitarzysta Otto Fisher i Alexander Hawkins mający pod palcami Hammonda, w AW/LJ ich instrumenty współpracują doskonale, zdaje się nawet, że widma ich dźwięków się pokrywają, dochodzi do doskonałego zbliżenia. Ahab, z gitarowym wprowadzeniem do złudzenia przypominającym solowe partie Terje Rypdala w Actions Pendereckiego, jest nieustającą, w kółko powtarzaną progresją z prostym jak pień sosny rytmem. Ordynarne łupnięcie na każdą miarę taktu nie przeszkadza jednak w spostrzeżeniu, że może to być najtrafniejsza parodia kiepsko swingującego zespołu.

Punktualistyczne improwizacje w (Untitled Free Improvisation) zdominowane są przez prowokujące pomysły i grę pianisty, za którymi podąża zespół eksplorując osiągalne rejestry, a materia gęstnieje i zgrabnie ewoluuje. Nastrojowa i żartobliwa w swoim romantycznym wyrazieMarta autorstwa Fishera pnie się prostą melodią zbudowaną na rozłożonym trójdźwięku, powtórzonym kilkakrotnie w transpozycji. Purystycznie zaaranżowany utwór uwydatnia pląsy niesfornego Javiera Carmona na perkusji i rzewną melodię tematu, wołającą słowami garnerowskiego Misty - „look at me”. Niebywałym popisem Hawkinsa jest Elmoic, gdzie jeszcze chwila, a porzucając wszelki modern, popłynie w rasowy stride. Tradycje, choćby marki Modern Jazz Quartet, przywołuje Orphy Robinson, śmiało uderzając tonalne akordy na marimbie. Cały zespół zresztą nie boi się tego kontrastu w stosunku do ogólnego, współczesnego charakteru nagrania. Zawsze jednak znajdzie się coś, co umiejscowi ich w XXI wieku, tak jak kończący albumSo Very, Know z udziałem organisty Kita Downes’a, dźwiękami jakby importowanymi z przestrzeni kosmicznej, nabrzmiewającymi jak łono ciężarnej, słabnącymi jak kontur księżyca o poranku.

Babel Label od 1994 roku pod kierownictwem Olivera Weindlinga firmuje nagrania młodych, brytyjskich muzyków jazzowych i okołojazzowych. Studio mieści się obok słynnego klubu Vortex, z którym ściśle współpracuje umożliwiając muzykom występy premierowe i nagrania live. Babel Label wydało do tej pory ponad sto płyt, m.in. debiut Portico Quartet i Polar Bear. Na stronie internetowej można posłuchać w całości większości nagrań, Oliver prowadzi też audycję i blogadedykowanego swojej działalności i brytyjskiej scenie muzycznej. 

* * *

British pianist and his Ensemble is almost a model of mature blend of free-jazz improvisation with contemporary chamber music, with a touch of the experiment and the freshness of expression. Or vice versa? Who knows, de facto it pushes contemporary music in a jazz primer that is increasingly fluid and escapes all the rules. There is no better name for this constellation as simply Ensemble - a chamber ensemble.

Alexander Hawkins is undeniably the leader, he pulls the strings revealing background scenery. This versatile pianist, displaying his virtuosity and both love of the tradition of classical piano, and more recent with a distinctly Anthony Braxton's approach to composing for similar ensemble. Defiant and simultaneously balanced in leading narration, giving a shape to compositions before and during their duration. Lots of freedom that is left for the band evokes the element of surprise, thus, there are many unexpected twists and recharging batteries.

All the pieces build diverse parts of All There, Ever Out, each brings another thought, another way of expression. Instrumentation provides many opportunities, but only a brilliant idea of ​​the composer is able to extract so many different colors, not to mention the possibilities of articulation of string instruments and guitar in clash with the Hammond Organ. It all really works, even if you might get the impression of structure breakdown.

It’s hard to verify how much freedom is in this music and how much rigid arrangements. Starting from Ologbo, binds up work here between the two groups of instruments, strongly operating on freedom of expression, and then brought to order in the angular Tatum Totem III, in which guitar and piano inflict shots against each other, eventually going down with the beat of the bass drum.Owl is nothing else as contemporary fugato for improvisers ensemble. And here it gets perilously because of rigid rules of the form that I recalled, but less rigid than the fugue. Is it possible to defend my association? It is polyphony, voices act on their own, they fall one by one, to imitate simultaneously counterpoints, become dense and resonate individually. Ultimately however it comes to splitting the voices, cello and double bass remain, the musicians pushing aggravatingly bowed strings, thwarting my attempts to systematize what‘s been done here.

In AW / LJ guitarist Otto Fischer and Alexander Hawkins playing Hammond work on their  instruments exquisitely, it seems even that spectra’s of their sounds overlap, it comes to a perfect approximation. Ahab, with a guitar introduction to the delusion reminiscent of Terje Rypdal’s solo parts in the Penderecki’s Actions , is continuous, repeated over and over again progression with rhythm simple as a pine trunk. Rude bashing on every measure of bar, does not interfere with the be most relevant observation that it may be parody of the poorly swinging band.

Punctualistic improvisations in (Untitled Free Improvisation) are dominated by the ideas of  provocatively playing pianist followed up by the band exploring the available registers, and the material is growing thicker and nicely evolving. Moody and humorous in its romantic expressionMartha by Fischer climbs with simple melody built upon disassembled triad, repeated several times in the transposition. Purist arranged piece enhances dances of boisterous Javier Carmona on percussion and wistful theme melody, calling words of Garner’s Misty - "look at me". Hawkins makes exceptional performance on Elmoic, where yet a little while, and abandoning any modern and sail in the thoroughbred stride. Traditions, even Modern Jazz Quartet mark, recalls Orphy Robinson, putting a bold tonal chords on marimba. The entire ensemble , moreover is not afraid of this contrast in relation to the generally modern character of the recording. But always there is something, which will place them in the twenty-first century, like ending of an album So Very, Know with organist Kit Downes, sounds as if imported from space, intumescent as the pregnant womb, and then weakening as an outline of the moon in the morning.

Babel Label since 1994 under the leadership of Oliver Weindlinga endorses recordings of young British jazz musicians and about jazz. Studio is located next to the famous Vortex club, which allows musicians for premiere performances and live recordings. Babel Label issued to date more than one hundred recordings, including Portico Quartet debut and Polar Bear. On the website you can listen to most recordings in their entirety, Oliver also runs broadcasts and a blog dedicated to his activity and the British music scene. 


http://soundsgreen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/alexander-hawkins-all-there-ever-out.html 

Babel Babble 31 July 2012

Check out the show here

A tribute to Lol Coxhill put together by George Coote.

Together with HL (from More Together than Alone (Emanem)
Kevin Ayers and the Whole World, Clarence in Wonderlad (from Hyde Park Free Concert 1970 (Reel)
Lol Coxhill/Steve Miller, Greatest Offshore Place in the World (from The Story So Far (Caroline))
Melody 4, I Feel Romantic (from Love Plays Such Funny Games (Chabada, Nato)
Welfare State, The First Bit/Egal OK (Caroline/Virgin)
West Lawn Dirge/Just A Closer Walk with Thee (from Couscous, nato)
Lol with Mike Garrick, Perdido (from Coxhill on Ogun)
Melody 4, Astronaut Girl (from Shopping for Melodies Vol.2)
Lol Coxhill/Alex Ward, Angle On (from Old Sights New Sounds (Incus))

There will be an 80th birthday gig for Lol at Cecil Sharp House on 19th September.