19/03/09
Our Second Release!!!
Our second release is by Nat Birchall who celebrates 30 years of playing the saxophone. During that time he has been quietly working on his craft, slowly but surely progressing towards a style and concept that best communicates his view of the universe.
Initially inspired by the great horn men of Jamaica, people like Roland Alphonso, Don Drummond, Tommy McCook and Cedric Brooks, Nat found his way into the music of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and the whole world of Jazz, before finding his own voice on his instrument.
Along the way he has played in many different musical situations, playing Turkish Folk/Jazz with percussionist Akay Temiz, forming the ground-breaking “Corner Crew” which experimented with elements of Jazz and Hip Hop, and the heavy Roots Reggae of Dubdadda. Nat’s quintet, “The Sixth Sense” made his debut CD of the same name in 1999. The album was well received and was one of Jazzwise magazine’s editor’s CDs of the year, earning a 4 star review.
Unusually amongst UK musicians, Nat’s sound and concept has been favourably compared to John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders and Charles Lloyd. Nat currently plays in Matthew Halsall’s adventurous groups, appearing on his “Sending My Love” CD, as well as performing with Arun Ghosh’s Indo-Jazz ensemble, Jon Thorne’s Oedipus Mingus and guitarist Gary Boyle’s quartet.
For fans of John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Yusef Lateef, Sleep Walker, Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd will appreciate where Nat is coming from.
The album features:
Nat Birchall - Tenor Saxophone
Matthew Halsall - Trumpet
Adam Fairhall - Piano
Gavin Barras - Double Bass
Gaz Hughes - Drums
Nat Birchall
Akhenaten
All compositions by Nat Birchall
01/09/08
Our First Release!!!!
Our first release is by 24 year old Mancunian jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, DJ and producer Matthew Halsall. Halsall picked up the trumpet at just 6 years old after being taken to a jazz gig by his parents. From the age of 13 Matt has toured the world playing in France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Holland, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Australia and America as well as doing extensive UK tours. He currently holds recidencies at Matt & Phreds Jazz Club in Manchester, Djangos Riff in Liverpool and The Hifi Club in Leeds.
His album has already received Gilles Peterson airplay and mad love on BBC Radio 1 Worldwide and this week Matt is recording a Freakzone live session at Maida Vale for Stuart Maconie’s show on BBC 6 Music to coincide with the album’s release. Other airplay includes Tom Robinson’s show’s on BBC 6 Music and Mike Chadwick’s show’s on Jazz FM.
Quote:
"A real pleasant surprise of the last few weeks of picking up music. A beautiful 5-track album…you know I’m always happy when I can find some new jazz, something fresh, new players, new generations, holding the flame, keeping it alight…new music from Matthew Halsall from Manchester, album called Sending My Love... " – Gilles Peterson.
Review:
A really incredible album -- a set that's filled with far more soul and feeling than you might guess from the youthful image on the cover! Matthew Halsall's a pretty young player, but his sound here is really amazing -- not just on his own trumpet solos, but on the overall feel of the album -- which is beautifully composed, and put together with a sense of spirit that takes us back to Strata East at its most sophisticated in the 70s! There's a really beautiful balance here -- ambition in the writing that recalls other UK efforts from The Heritage Orchestra or Nostalgia 77 Octet -- but an execution that's much leaner overall, deeply personal lines played by a relatively small combo -- quintet formation on all numbers, featuring Halsall's trumpet alongside great reedwork on soprano sax, flute, alto, and tenor -- supported by soaring rhythms on piano, bass, and drums -- all handled with the majesty of an early 70s McCoy Tyner album, or some of the other great modally-inspired work of the American post-Coltrane generation. Tremendous stuff throughout -- a record that held us rapt from start to finish -- with 5 original compositions that include "On The Other Side Of The World", "Reflections", "Freedom Song", "Sending My Love", and "Sachi". © 1996-2008, Dusty Groove America, Inc.
The album is set for a worldwide release on Gondwana Records on Monday 6th October 2008 and will be available from this website!!!
Matthew Halsall
Sending My Love
All compositions by Matthew Halsall
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