<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Gondwana RecordsGondwana Records | Gondwana Records</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com</link>
	<description>Independent Record Label</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 15:44:27 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>14/05/2013 &#8211; Check out GoGo Penguin&#8217;s Maida Vale session for Jamie Cullum&#8217;s show on BBC Radio 2</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=1055</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=1055#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 May 2013 09:55:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[GoGo Penguin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=1055</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sd0jv]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="BBC RADIO 2" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sd0jv" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1057" alt="GoGo Penguin @ Maida Vale Studios" src="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/GoGo-Penguin-@-Maida-Vale-Studios1.png" width="641" height="488" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="BBC Radio 2" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sd0jv" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sd0jv</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=1055</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Matthew Halsall Interview with Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2 Tuesday 19th February 2013</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=938</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=938#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2013 11:23:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=938</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160; http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qqb88]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Matthew-Halsall-Jamie-Cullum-Interview-BBC-Radio-2.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-940" alt="Matthew Halsall Jamie Cullum Interview BBC Radio 2" src="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Matthew-Halsall-Jamie-Cullum-Interview-BBC-Radio-2.jpg" width="641" height="641" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="BBC Website" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qqb88" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qqb88</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=938</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>24/01/2013 &#8211; Nice review by Oliver Pickup on Matthew Halsall&#8217;s performance @ Ronnie Scott&#8217;s Jazz Club.</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=786</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=786#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:31:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=786</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160;  RONNIE SCOTT’S &#124; JANUARY 24TH Virtuoso trumpeting sensation Matthew Halsall ensured he will remain well in front of the chasing pack again this year after an incredible full-house gig during which he revealed a clutch of new tracks and featured the koto – an ancient Japanese instrument seldom heard in Europe.It is an exotic, wonderful and captivating object dating back to 700AD. The koto’s 13 strings are plucked horizontally and it’s magical to behold, let alone listen to. Manchester-based Halsall chose this concert at Ronnie Scott’s to introduce it – and some fresh material – to his audience.His timing was well judged. Mid-way through his top-billing set at the famous Soho jazz venue, after Halsall’s more-regular quartet – joined by harpist Rachael Gladwin, who provides an enchanting liquidity to his modal jazz – had wowed the capacity crowd with the first five tracks of his acclaimed 2011 album On The Go, the behatted (and more-recently bearded) maestro announced: “There should be a couple of other musicians joining us now.” The 29-year-old looked around hopefully, and before long silver-haired Clive Bell hopped on to the stage with a grin, armed with his Japanese flute. “There should be one more,” Halsall offered bashfully. Five [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<header><img style="font-size: 13px;" src="http://crackmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/GONDCD007-Matthew-Halsall-Fletcher-Moss-Park-PROMO-PHOTO-7-660x439.jpg" alt="" /></header>
<p> <strong style="font-size: 1.17em;">RONNIE SCOTT’S | JANUARY 24TH</strong></p>
<section itemprop="articleBody"><strong>Virtuoso trumpeting sensation <a title="http://crackmagazine.net/music/matthew-halsall/" href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/matthew-halsall/">Matthew Halsall</a> </strong><strong>ensured he will remain well in front of the chasing pack again this year after an incredible full-house gig during which he revealed a clutch of new tracks and featured the koto – an ancient Japanese instrument seldom heard in Europe.</strong>It is an exotic, wonderful and captivating object dating back to 700AD. The koto’s 13 strings are plucked horizontally and it’s magical to behold, let alone listen to. Manchester-based Halsall chose this concert at Ronnie Scott’s to introduce it – and some fresh material – to his audience.His timing was well judged. Mid-way through his top-billing set at the famous Soho jazz venue, after Halsall’s more-regular quartet – joined by harpist Rachael Gladwin, who provides an enchanting liquidity to his modal jazz – had wowed the capacity crowd with the first five tracks of his acclaimed 2011 album <em>On The Go</em>, the behatted (and more-recently bearded) maestro announced: “There should be a couple of other musicians joining us now.”</p>
<p>The 29-year-old looked around hopefully, and before long silver-haired Clive Bell hopped on to the stage with a grin, armed with his Japanese flute. “There should be one more,” Halsall offered bashfully. Five seconds or so passed before Keiko Kitamura, dressed cap-à-pie in a stunning kimono, breezed past us and settled herself over her koto.</p>
<p>The Hiroshima Prefecture-born Kitamura started alone, listeners shifted forward in their chairs to gain a better view, instantly mesmerised by the rich, haunting melody being strung out. The rest of the band – jaunty pianist Taz Modi, Rob Turner (also of <a title="http://crackmagazine.net/music/gogo-penguin" href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/gogo-penguin"><strong>GoGo Penguin</strong></a>) on the sticks, double-bassist Gavin Barras – joined in, before Halsall uncoiled from his ducked-down crouching position and blew us away.</p>
<p>Just as we thought the night had reached its peak, Halsall beckoned Zara McFarlane, the evening’s earlier performer, back on to sing another new track entitled <em>When The World Was One</em>.</p>
<p>In his four solo albums – the last of which, <em>Fletcher Moss Park</em>, he released on his own Gondwana Records label in October – Halsall has never before used a singer, so the powerful McFarlane opened up yet another dimension to his growing spectrum of work and nudged his star a notch higher. It was a taste of what Halsall’s excited fans can expect later this year; a new direction which will indubitably be gobbled up by the taste maker Gilles Peterson and his cohorts. And deservedly so.</p>
<p>Peterson was in attendance at Ronnie Scott’s but slipped away before Halsall’s encore, a homage to one of his greatest influences, Alice Coltrane, the avant-garde spiritual jazz composer, second wife to saxophone extraordinaire John Coltrane and great-aunt to Flying Lotus. However, the BBC Radio 6Music presenter later took to Twitter to offer his congratulations to Halsall and thank him and McFarlane, whose debut album was produced by his Brownswood Recordings label, for “a stupendous night of music”. He added: “Kotos and harps = the future!”</p>
<p>The immediate future it may well be for Halsall, and we can’t wait to hear much more. Intriguingly, though, there are also whispers that he will concurrently be serving up more goodness on a completely different, electronic vibe. That’s all hush hush at the moment, but what’s for certain is that 2013 should further elevate this supremely talented musician’s reputation and rapidly increasing popularity.</p>
<p>- – &#8211; – &#8211; – &#8211; – &#8211; -</p>
<p><strong>Words</strong>: Oliver Pickup (<strong><a title="https://twitter.com/CulturedClown" href="https://twitter.com/CulturedClown">@CulturedClown</a>)</strong></p>
<p><a title="Crack Magazine" href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/matt-halsall/" target="_blank">http://crackmagazine.net/music/matt-halsall/</a></p>
</section>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=786</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>24/01/2013 &#8211; Thanks to Tim Cumming&#8217;s for reviewing Matthew Halsall&#8217;s performance @ Ronnie Scott&#8217;s Jazz Club.</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=793</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=793#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:41:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=793</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall/Zara McFarlane, Ronnie Scott&#8217;s Young Mancunian trumpeter holds the audience rapt, while accomplished vocalist offers spirit and charm by Tim CummingFriday, 25 January 2013 Halsall: a low, strong and lingering power Fronting her four piece band &#8211; pianist Peter Edwards and saxophonist Binker Golding among them &#8211; the young jazz/soul singer Zara McFarlane performs a mix of new songs and tunes from her album, Until Tomorrow. Among the former, “Woman in the Olive Groves” is inspired by a midnight taxi ride through southern Italy, passing an African woman by the highway, among the olive groves, trading her sex. This is set beside “Chiaroscuro” – what a word to get your jazz chops around – which gives Golding the chance to demonstrate the effect of light against dark in sound. There&#8217;s a fine version of her album&#8217;s title song, and a cover of “Police and Thieves” that wrings the street poetry and stature from it. McFarlane has the voice, the spirit, and the charm; you can tell, and it has an impact. He demonstrates a sky-blue tone smeared with cloudy spirits, a full-cream sound in an astral body Halsall, the young Mancunian trumpeter now on his fourth album, Fletcher Moss Park, takes to the stage to a sold out house, [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1><img style="font-size: 13px;" title="Halsall: a low, strong and lingering power" alt="" src="http://www.theartsdesk.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/mast_image_landscape/mastimages/hansall.jpg" width="640" height="426" /></h1>
<h1>Matthew Halsall/Zara McFarlane, Ronnie Scott&#8217;s</h1>
<h2>Young Mancunian trumpeter holds the audience rapt, while accomplished vocalist offers spirit and charm</h2>
<div>by <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/users/timcumming" rel="author">Tim Cumming</a>Friday, 25 January 2013</div>
<div></div>
<div>
<div>Halsall: a low, strong and lingering power</div>
</div>
<div>
<p>Fronting her four piece band &#8211; pianist Peter Edwards and saxophonist Binker Golding among them &#8211; the young jazz/soul singer Zara McFarlane performs a mix of new songs and tunes from her album, <em>Until Tomorrow</em>. Among the former, “Woman in the Olive Groves” is inspired by a midnight taxi ride through southern Italy, passing an African woman by the highway, among the olive groves, trading her sex.</p>
<p>This is set beside “Chiaroscuro” – what a word to get your jazz chops around – which gives Golding the chance to demonstrate the effect of light against dark in sound. There&#8217;s a fine version of her album&#8217;s title song, and <a title="McFarlane sings Police and Thieves with Hugh Masekela, reviewed on theartsdesk" href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/hugh-masekela-barbican">a cover of “Police and Thieves” </a>that wrings the street poetry and stature from it. McFarlane has the voice, the spirit, and the charm; you can tell, and it has an impact.</p>
<p>He demonstrates a sky-blue tone smeared with cloudy spirits, a full-cream sound in an astral body</p>
<p>Halsall, the young Mancunian trumpeter now on his fourth album, <em>Fletcher</em><em> Moss Park</em>, takes to the stage to a sold out house, with a four piece line-up up of pianist Taz Modi, Rob Turner on drums and bassist Gavin Barras. Halsall stands only when he plays, otherwise crouching on the decks as pianist Modi plays in with an elegant, percussive solo on “Music for a Dancing Mind”, the first of several tunes from his <em>On The Go</em> album. When Halsall plays, he demonstrates a sky-blue tone smeared with cloudy spirits, a full-cream sound in an astral body, a spectral element.</p>
<p>&#8220;Song for Charlie&#8221; is a slow, mournful <em>seata</em>, a dialogue between lead trumpet, supple bass, brushed drums and piano. “The End of Dukkha” begins as the aural equivalent of a bas-relief in which half-recognisable figures emerge. The quartet picks up its weight and Halsall plays in the lower registers, with a low, strong and lingering power. They&#8217;re joined on &#8220;Shabata&#8221; by harpist Rachel Gladwin, embarking on a slow, heat-seeking groove. “The Journey Home” is a full-ensemble exploration with an emphasis on group spirit over solo voice, and they&#8217;re augmented for the last few, new and untitled numbers by Keiko Kitamura on Koto, and Shakuhachi player Clive Bell.</p>
<p>Bell&#8217;s Shauhachi takes the first solo against a pressure drop of bass, brushed drums and piano in a striking fusion of jazz and Japanese, and when it comes, Halsall&#8217;s solo is breathtaking. This is great stuff. The audience is rapt &#8211; even the waiting staff between table orders, turn their attention to the subtle magic on stage.</p>
<p><a title="The Arts Desk Website" href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/matthew-halsallzara-mcfarlane-ronnie-scotts" target="_blank">http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/matthew-halsallzara-mcfarlane-ronnie-scotts</a></p>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=793</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Congratulations to GoGo Penguin for being nominated for Jazz Album Of The Year @ Worldwide Awards 2013</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=906</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=906#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Jan 2013 00:27:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GoGo Penguin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=906</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[WORLDWIDE AWARDS 2013 // THE WINNERS January 20, 2013 Jazz Album Of The Year 1. Gary Bartz – Coltrane Rules: Tao Of A Music Warrior [Gary Bartz] 2. Neneh Cherry &#38; The Thing – The Cherry Thing [Smalltown Supersound] 3. Robert Glasper – Black Radio [Blue Note] 4. David Virelles – Continuum [Pi Recordings] 5. GoGo Penguin – Fanfares [Gondwana Records] Album Of The Year 1. Stubborn Heart – Stubborn Heart [One Little Indian] 2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange [Def Jam] 3. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City [Aftermath / Interscope] 4. The Invisible – Rispah [Ninja Tune] 5. Flying Lotus – Until The Quiet Comes [Warp Records] 6. Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man In The Universe [XL] 7. Hello Skinny – Hello Skinny [Slowfoot Records] 8. Daphni – Jiaolong [Merge Records] 9. Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk [Hiatus Kaiyote] 10. THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE [Sub Pop Records] Label Of The Year // Public Vote 1. Brainfeeder 2. Ninja Tune 3. Warp Records 4. Jazzman Records 5. Blue Note 6. R&#38;S Records 7. Text Records 8. LuckyMe 9. PMR Records 10. Numero Group Session Of The Year 1. Tigran Hamasyan &#38; LV 2. Austin Peralta 3. BADBADNOTGOOD [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><a href="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/winners_header-e13583489498921.png"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-908" title="winners_header-e1358348949892" src="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/winners_header-e13583489498921.png" alt="" width="560" height="216" /></a></div>
<div id="container-bg">
<div id="container">
<div id="content">
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1></h1>
<h1>WORLDWIDE AWARDS 2013 // THE WINNERS</h1>
<h2>January 20, 2013</h2>
<p><strong>Jazz Album Of The Year</strong><br />
1. Gary Bartz – Coltrane Rules: Tao Of A Music Warrior [Gary Bartz]<br />
2. Neneh Cherry &amp; The Thing – The Cherry Thing [Smalltown Supersound]<br />
3. Robert Glasper – Black Radio [Blue Note]<br />
4. David Virelles – Continuum [Pi Recordings]<br />
5. GoGo Penguin – Fanfares [Gondwana Records]</p>
<p><strong>Album Of The Year</strong><br />
1. Stubborn Heart – Stubborn Heart [One Little Indian]<br />
2. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange [Def Jam]<br />
3. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City [Aftermath / Interscope]<br />
4. The Invisible – Rispah [Ninja Tune]<br />
5. Flying Lotus – Until The Quiet Comes [Warp Records]<br />
6. Bobby Womack – The Bravest Man In The Universe [XL]<br />
7. Hello Skinny – Hello Skinny [Slowfoot Records]<br />
8. Daphni – Jiaolong [Merge Records]<br />
9. Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk [Hiatus Kaiyote]<br />
10. THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE [Sub Pop Records]</p>
<p><strong>Label Of The Year // Public Vote</strong><br />
1. Brainfeeder<br />
2. Ninja Tune<br />
3. Warp Records<br />
4. Jazzman Records<br />
5. Blue Note<br />
6. R&amp;S Records<br />
7. Text Records<br />
8. LuckyMe<br />
9. PMR Records<br />
10. Numero Group</p>
<p><strong>Session Of The Year</strong><br />
1. Tigran Hamasyan &amp; LV<br />
2. Austin Peralta<br />
3. BADBADNOTGOOD<br />
4. Ondatrópica<br />
5. Portico Quartet</p>
<p><strong>John Peel Play More Jazz Award</strong><br />
Neneh Cherry &amp; The Thing</p>
<p><strong>Lifetime Achievement Award</strong><br />
Marcos Valle</p>
<p><strong>Track Of The Year // Public Vote</strong><br />
1. Andrew Ashong &amp; Theo Parrish – Flowers [Sound Signature]<br />
2. Ultraísta – Smalltalk (Four Tet Remix) [I Am Fortified]<br />
3. Todd Terje – Inspector Norse [Smalltown Supersound]<br />
4. Hackman – Forgotten Notes [RAMP]<br />
5. TNGHT – Higher Ground [Warp / LuckyMe]<br />
6. Julio Bashmore – Au Seve [Broadwalk Records]<br />
7. Disclosure – What’s In Your Head [Greco-Roman]<br />
8. Mala – Cuba Electronic [Brownswood]<br />
9. Nas – The Don [Def Jam]<br />
10. Funkineven &amp; Fatima – Phoneline [Eglo]</p>
<p><strong>Best Breakthrough Act // Public Vote</strong><br />
1. Hiatus Kaiyote<br />
2. The Hics<br />
3. Romare<br />
4. Hello Skinny<br />
5. Stubborn Heart<br />
6. Joey Bada$$<br />
7. Laura Mvula<br />
8. Diggs Duke<br />
9. Nick Mulvey<br />
10. Kilo Kish</p>
<p><strong>Tropical Sound</strong><br />
1. Criolo – Nó Na Orelha [Sterns Music / ôLôko Records]<br />
2. Ondatrópica – Ondatrópica [Soundway Records]<br />
3. Lucas Santtana – Sem Nostalgia [Mais Um Discos]<br />
4. Samuel Yirga – Guzo [Real World]<br />
5. Roberto Fonseca – Yo [Jazz Village]<br />
6. Gal Costa – Recanto [Universal Music]<br />
7. Antibalas – Antibalas [Daptone Records]<br />
8. Seu Jorge – Músicas Para Churrasco, Vol. 1 [Cafune Producoes Artisticas e Editoriais Ltda]<br />
9. Ebo Taylor – Appia Kwa Bridge [Strut]<br />
10. Ariya Astrobeat Orchestra – Towards Other Worlds [First Word Records]</p>
<p><a title="Gilles Peterson / Brownswood Website" href="http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/worldwide-awards-2013-the-winners/" target="_blank">http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/worldwide-awards-2013-the-winners/</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=906</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A lovely piece on Matthew Halsall from writer Robert Ryan</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=803</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=803#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:46:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=803</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Robert Ryan  A MODAL CITIZEN It was broadcaster Robert Elms who first told me about Matthew Halsall’s music. ‘Mancunian Modal’ he called it and it was a fair description – on Colour Yes, the first album I picked up (and have hardly put down since), the young trumpeter channels the sounds and ethos of Kind of Blue and late John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane. Last year, live at Ronnie Scott’s, in the midst of a power cut, he even did Alice’s Journey in Satchidananda (featuring Rachael Gladwin’s harp and the great Coltrane-esque Nat Birchall’s sax). If there was a slight unease about the whole project, it was that although he captured the mood and spirit of those Miles and Trane  albums perfectly, was there a danger of it becoming a retro dead end? The feeling at the end of the evening was: brilliant gig, but where does Halsall go from here? The answer is, all over the place. As well a gigging as a DJ, helming Gondwana Records and remixing, he is now running not one but two working groups (the regular band, usually a sextet, that plays Ronnie Scott’s on the 24th of this month and a bold new trio with beats [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p>
<header id="masthead" role="banner">
<hgroup>
<h1>Robert Ryan</h1>
</hgroup>
<nav id="site-navigation" role="navigation"></nav>
<p><a href="http://robtryan.com/"><img src="http://robtryan.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/cropped-image5.jpg" alt="" width="734" height="288" /></a></p>
</header>
<p> <span style="font-size: 2em;">A MODAL CITIZEN</span></p>
<div id="main">
<div id="primary">
<div id="content">
<article id="post-122">It was broadcaster Robert Elms who first told me about Matthew Halsall’s music. ‘Mancunian Modal’ he called it and it was a fair description – on Colour Yes, the first album I picked up (and have hardly put down since), the young trumpeter channels the sounds and ethos of Kind of Blue and late John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane. Last year, live at Ronnie Scott’s, in the midst of a power cut, he even did Alice’s Journey in Satchidananda (featuring Rachael Gladwin’s harp and the great Coltrane-esque Nat Birchall’s sax). If there was a slight unease about the whole project, it was that although he captured the mood and spirit of those Miles and Trane  albums perfectly, was there a danger of it becoming a retro dead end? The feeling at the end of the evening was: brilliant gig, but where does Halsall go from here? The answer is, all over the place. As well a gigging as a DJ, helming Gondwana Records and remixing, he is now running not one but two working groups (the regular band, usually a sextet, that plays Ronnie Scott’s on the 24<sup>th</sup> of this month and a bold new trio with beats and electronics; not to mention the occasional 12-piece Gondwana Orchestra), as well as performing with those cutting-edge hipsters, the Brighouse &amp; Rastrick Band.</p>
<p><a href="http://robtryan.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/clip_image002.jpg"><img src="http://robtryan.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/clip_image002.jpg?w=625" alt="clip_image002" /></a></p>
<p>Plus his new album, Fletcher Moss Park, shows a marked shift in direction, with various changes in personnel and a string section. Although recorded over a number of years, it has a genuine coherence, even when Halsall himself sits out for two numbers and lets the strings take the melodic weight.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.matthewhalsall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/GONDCD007-Matthew-Halsall-Fletcher-Moss-Park-LARGE-SQUARE-DIGITAL-ALBUM-COVER1.jpg" alt="" width="305" height="305" /></p>
<p>Fletcher Moss Park, which is an actual green space on the fringes of Manchester, is elegant, reflective, tinged with melancholy at times, but like all Halsall’s albums, very life-affirming. I’ll be watching him at Ronnie’s, but down the line I also can’t wait to see his synth- and effects-laden trio with either the Cinematic Orchestra’s Luke Flowers or GoGo Penguin’s Rob Turner on drums, both hypnotic players to listen to and watch, and Taz Modi on squelchy bass lines.</p>
<p><a title="Rob Ryan Website" href="http://robtryan.com/2013/01/08/a-modal-citizen/" target="_blank">http://robtryan.com/2013/01/08/a-modal-citizen/</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</article>
</div>
</div>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=803</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Matthew Halsall: Fletcher Moss Park &#8211; Guardian Review</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=810</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=810#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:04:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=810</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; &#160;]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Matthew-Halsall-FMP-Review-John-Fordham-Guardian.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-816" title="Matthew Halsall FMP Review John Fordham Guardian" src="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Matthew-Halsall-FMP-Review-John-Fordham-Guardian.jpg" alt="" width="417" height="151" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Matthew-Halsall-FMP-Review-Part-2-Guardian-John-Fordham1.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-812" title="Matthew Halsall FMP Review Guardian John Fordham" src="http://www.gondwanarecords.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Matthew-Halsall-FMP-Review-Part-2-Guardian-John-Fordham1.jpg" alt="" width="418" height="559" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=810</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Matthew Halsall: Fletcher Moss Park &#8211; The Jazz Mann Review</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=824</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=824#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:02:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Halsall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=824</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[REVIEW Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Reviewed by: Ian Mann 4 out of 5  &#8221;His most individual and personalised album to date – and arguably his best.&#8221; Matthew Halsall “Fletcher Moss Park” (Gondwana Records GONCD007) “Fletcher Moss Park” represents Manchester based trumpeter and composer Halsall’s fourth album exploring the musical legacy of Miles Davis’ modal (“Kind Of Blue”) period and the later “spiritual jazz” of John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, and Pharaoh Sanders. “Sending My Love” (2008) and “Colour Yes” (2009) were followed by 2011’s “On The Go”, the first Halsall recording to be reviewed on this site. All three have a deeply personalised sound and atmosphere which Halsall takes a stage further on “Fletcher Moss Park”, released on his own Gondwana label. Indeed there’s an almost Zen like calm about the music here, the mood of contemplation enhanced by the bucolic surroundings that inspired it. Fletcher Moss Park in suburban Didsbury was donated to the city of Manchester in 1919 by Alderman Fletcher Moss, a well known philanthropist. The park includes a walled rock garden laid out by the botanist Robert Wood Williamson plus a variety of wildlife habitats. Little more than a stone’s throw from the M63 the park represents [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3><span style="font-size: 1.17em;">REVIEW</span></h3>
<div>
<p>Wednesday, December 19, 2012</p>
<p>Reviewed by: Ian Mann</p>
<div>
<div>4 out of 5</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p><img src="http://www.thejazzmann.com/images/uploads/cover_art/cache/matthew-halsall_280x280.jpg" alt="Fletcher Moss Park" width="280" height="280" /></p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"> &#8221;His most individual and personalised album to date – and arguably his best.&#8221;</div>
<p>Matthew Halsall</p>
<p>“Fletcher Moss Park”</p>
<p>(Gondwana Records GONCD007)</p>
<p>“Fletcher Moss Park” represents Manchester based trumpeter and composer Halsall’s fourth album exploring the musical legacy of Miles Davis’ modal (“Kind Of Blue”) period and the later “spiritual jazz” of John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, and Pharaoh Sanders. “Sending My Love” (2008) and “Colour Yes” (2009) were followed by 2011’s “On The Go”, the first Halsall recording to be reviewed on this site.</p>
<p>All three have a deeply personalised sound and atmosphere which Halsall takes a stage further on “Fletcher Moss Park”, released on his own Gondwana label. Indeed there’s an almost Zen like calm about the music here, the mood of contemplation enhanced by the bucolic surroundings that inspired it. Fletcher Moss Park in suburban Didsbury was donated to the city of Manchester in 1919 by Alderman Fletcher Moss, a well known philanthropist. The park includes a walled rock garden laid out by the botanist Robert Wood Williamson plus a variety of wildlife habitats. Little more than a stone’s throw from the M63 the park represents a veritable oasis amidst Manchester’s suburban sprawl. The area has provided Halsall with a respite from the rush of city life, an area in which to meditate and write and the music on the album is evocative of this spiritual retreat, it’s the logical culmination of the journey documented on Halsall’s previous three recordings.</p>
<p>The personnel on “Fletcher Moss Park” includes many familiar faces from his previous releases with the nucleus concentrated around the regular members of his six piece working band. Fellow spiritual traveller Nat Birchall plays saxophone on the first three cuts, although his role is essentially textural, bassist Gavin Barras is a constant presence with piano duties being shared between Adam Fairhall and Taz Modi. Rachael Gladwin’s harp graces four tracks and the drum stool is shared between Gaz Hughes and Luke Flowers. Elsewhere Lisa Mallett’s flute is heard on the descriptive “The Sun In September” and an unusual string quartet (violinists Holly Simpson and Davinder Singh, cellist Adrianne Wininsky plus the double bass of Barras) appear on two back to back interludes.</p>
<p>The seven track programme begins with “Cherry Blossom”, the lush introduction featuring the glistening harp playing of Gladwin, a musician who now seems to be a more fully integrated member of the ensemble following her previous “guest appearances”. The main body of the tune features Halsall’s mellifluous trumpet meditations above Hughes’ gently brushed grooves and Barras’ deeply resonant bass pulse. Fairhall’s piano is lyrical and flowing, capturing something of the fragility of the tune’s subject. A lovely start.</p>
<p>The mood is sustained by the introduction to the title track as Gladwin’s harp intertwines with Barras’ luxuriantly rich arco bass. The bassist then picks out a sturdy plucked groove which serves as the backbone for some richly textured ensemble passages plus unhurriedly eloquent solos from Halsall and Gladwin.</p>
<p>“Mary Emma Louise” (“a tribute to someone special” says the press release) features the leader’s long, wistful trumpet melody lines and a plangent solo above the quietly busy rhythms of Hughes and Barras. Gladwin’s harp adds its distinctive lustre to the proceedings and there’s also something of a feature for the consistently excellent Barras.</p>
<p>Halsall actually sits out on the two string quartet pieces “Sailing Out To Sea” and “Wee Lan” (translation “Little Orchid”) stating that the musicians involved captured his intentions perfectly without recourse to further embellishment. “Sailing Out To Sea” is a charming miniature full of delightfully rich string textures that evoke a certain poignancy.<br />
“Wee Lan” sees Barras putting down his bow and creating a bass figure around which the others gravitate, sometimes bowing but also playing pizzicato as they evoke the oriental imagery suggested by the tune’s title. Like so much of Halsall’s music this delightful musical morsel has a strongly descriptive quality.</p>
<p>The final two pieces, “The Sun In September” and “Finding My Way” find Halsall collaborating with pianist Taz Modi and drummer Luke Flowers, musicians with whom he also works in an electronica influenced trio. The versatile Halsall also runs the occasional twelve piece ensemble the Gondwana Orchestra, works as DJ, producer and re-mixer, and has even collaborated with the Brighouse &amp; Rastrick Brass Band, an experience that may have influenced the rich colours and textures to be heard on “Fletcher Moss Park”.</p>
<p>“The Sun In September” also features Gladwin’s harp and Mallett’s flute, the latter evoking both Oriental and Celtic images in a superb performance. Halsall’s rich toned solo sounds flugel like,  with the understated accompaniment of Modi, Flowers and Barrass complementing the front line soloists superbly and with Gladwin also sprinkling some harp generated fairy dust on to the proceedings.</p>
<p>The closing “Finding My Way” features the skittering, electronica influenced grooves of Flowers, an extension of his role with the trio and also a nod to his work with the Cinematic Orchestra. Modi also comes into his own here alongside the slightly melancholy ring of Halsall’s trumpet. This is the most contemporary sounding item on the record but it still fits in neatly with the album’s overall mood and ethos.</p>
<p>“Fletcher Moss Park” is less obviously in thrall to Davis and Coltrane than Halsall’s previous offerings and as such represents his most individual and personalised album to date – and arguably his best. The mood of contemplation and spirituality is maintained throughout, it’s as if William Blake had taken up the trumpet and moved to Manchester.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=824</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>GoGo Penguin &#8211; Interview in Crack Magazine</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=778</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=778#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:39:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[GoGo Penguin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=778</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[GoGo Penguin are a Manchester-based trio made up of Chris Illingworth (piano), Grant Russell (double bass) and Rob Turner (drums), friends from The Royal Northern College of Music, all in their 20s. They already have a cult following in the North West, and with their debut album – released on Matthew Halsall’s Gondwana Records  – having hit the shelves in late November their star is set to ascend in 2013.Crack caught up with the band to find out about Fanfares, the underground scene in Manchester and how they are setting out to change the perception of jazz.Who came up with the name GoGo Penguin, and what does it mean?Grant: Me and my mate Pete got drunk at the rag-week auction at the RNCM and Pete bought this weird looking stuffed penguin for £60. His girlfriend was terrified of it and wouldn’t have it in the house, so I put it up in mine. We got our first gig at Sandbar in Manchester and desperately needed a name, so we started throwing ideas about and the penguin telepathically gave us the solution. Hence ‘Penguin’, ‘Go Penguin’ and eventually ‘Gogo Penguin’. How would you describe your sound? Chris: That’s a difficult one. Hopefully, when people [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<header>
<h1 itemprop="headline"><a href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/"><img alt="" src="http://crackmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/GoGo-credit-stephen-hunt-Promo-Photo-5-660x439.jpg" /></a></h1>
</header>
<section itemprop="articleBody"><strong>GoGo Penguin are a Manchester-based trio made up of Chris Illingworth (piano), Grant Russell (double bass) and Rob Turner (drums), friends from The Royal Northern College of Music, all in their 20s. </strong>They already have a cult following in the North West, and with their debut album – released on <a title="http://crackmagazine.net/music/matthew-halsall" href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/matthew-halsall"><strong>Matthew Halsall</strong></a>’s Gondwana Records  – having hit the shelves in late November their star is set to ascend in 2013.Crack caught up with the band to find out about <em>Fanfares</em>, the underground scene in Manchester and how they are setting out to change the perception of jazz.<strong>Who came up with the name GoGo Penguin, and what does it mean?</strong><strong>Grant</strong>: Me and my mate Pete got drunk at the rag-week auction at the RNCM and Pete bought this weird looking stuffed penguin for £60. His girlfriend was terrified of it and wouldn’t have it in the house, so I put it up in mine. We got our first gig at Sandbar in Manchester and desperately needed a name, so we started throwing ideas about and the penguin telepathically gave us the solution. Hence ‘Penguin’, ‘Go Penguin’ and eventually ‘Gogo Penguin’.</p>
<p><strong>How would you describe your sound?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Chris</strong>: That’s a difficult one. Hopefully, when people hear us they hear a unit, an overall sound more than three separate parts. As individuals we each bring something different to the group and it’s that mixture that makes GoGo Penguin sound the way it does.</p>
<p><strong>G</strong>: Definitely. There are elements from a wide range of musical styles in the formation and execution of the music – combinations of classical performance, dance/electronica structures, jazz-like improvisation – and they all form a major part of our sound.</p>
<p><strong>Rob</strong>: After gigs, we often get people coming up saying “this tune sounded a little bit like so-and-so” or “that beat was a bit like this guy or that guy” and it’s a different band or artist or tune every time. It’s great that people hear something familiar but yet completely new and different at the same time.</p>
<p><strong>Your debut album artwork is very strong, but – as far as we can tell – has little to do with fanfares. What it’s all about?</strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: It was designed by <a title="http://www.danielhalsall.com" href="http://www.danielhalsall.com/"><strong>Daniel Halsall,</strong></a> the brother of Matthew who runs Gondwana Records, who produced this album. He’s an awesome designer. The first thing I thought when I saw it was that it’s like looking at the universe, from the outside.</p>
<p><strong>R</strong>: And I think that resembles our perspective on music: to look from outside and embrace everything rather than identifying with one genre.</p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: As for the title, it came from the track with the same name. It was inspired by the piano etudes of György Ligeti which I was playing when we were composing this tune and we all thought it was an apt name for a debut album.</p>
<p><strong>How did Gondwana come across you?</strong></p>
<p><strong>R</strong>: Matt saw us at Norvun Sunday, a night run by a friend of ours called Blain Norvun. He puts on a gig at the Roadhouse in Manchester once a month – local bands and artists, awesome live visuals, DJs … and crumpets. It’s a great example of the underground scene in Manchester.</p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: Antwerp Mansion is another good one. They’re gradually renovating an old Victorian mansion and putting on everything from life drawing classes to club nights. We’ve had a lot of fun gigging there, and even after they’ve had guys like Gza from Wu-Tang there, they still focus on promoting local art.</p>
<p><strong>R</strong>: And we can’t forget to mention the Mix-Up. Nick Blacka puts on a great night, three live bands and it’s every kind of music you can imagine – and I mean every kind.  Always a great vibe.</p>
<p><strong>How pleased are you with the album?</strong></p>
<p><strong>G</strong>: The music on the album has been evolving over the last couple of years. The development was not rushed, it was cultured over many gigs and rehearsals and I think this is reflected in the sound of the album. There were many challenges, both technically and sonically to be dealt with and it needed time and experimentation before the music could take shape. We are very pleased with the album.</p>
<p><strong>Who does the most composition / music writing?</strong></p>
<p><strong>G</strong>: It’s very even. The ideas that are the seeds of a tune are put forward by one of us but then the full growth is a shared experience.</p>
<p><strong>R</strong>: After the idea is laid down, it’s then open to all three of us to develop with most of the work on the music being done together in rehearsals. There’s a lot of experimentation. As Grant said earlier, we didn’t rush the development of the music. The tunes evolved over time as we gigged and rehearsed them until they took the shape we wanted, then we took them to the studio.</p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: If one of us wrote a tune, brought it to the other guys and said ‘play this like this’, it just wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t be a GoGo Penguin tune. It’s the fact that we all contribute and bring our own ideas and thoughts to the music that makes it sound the way it does.</p>
<p><strong>Who are the band’s main influences?</strong></p>
<p><strong>R</strong>: It’s difficult to say who the band’s influences are as we all listen to different music.  And it’s not just music, inspiration comes from many places. I’m listening to a lot of electronica at the moment … Aphex Twin, Mu-Ziq, Four Tet.  And also the tabla music of Ustad Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain, although this has to fit in between Bonobo: I’ve had them on loop recently.</p>
<p><strong>G</strong>: Personally, I’m really into Acoustic Ladyland, Radiohead and Polar Bear … and bassy stuff like Portishead and Lamb. Jon Thorne’s double bass work with those guys is awesome.</p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: At the moment I can’t stop listening to Scuba and Burial. Also Björk, especially her last album <em>Biophilia</em> … and Andrew Thomas Huang’s video for <em>Mutual Core</em>blew my mind – the most incredible art I’ve seen in a long time.</p>
<p><strong>What was it like playing at the London Jazz Festival?</strong></p>
<p><strong>G</strong>: Terrifying and exhilarating. I hadn’t been so nervous since my final recital at college. It was a massive moment for all of us to play Ronnie Scott’s, never mind on the opening night of the festival and live on BBC Radio 3. It was amazing to be invited.</p>
<p><strong>And in December you had your second concert in London, at The Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston, how was that?</strong></p>
<p><strong>C</strong>: We had a fantastic night at The Vortex, it was great to see such a good turnout – considering it was only our second gig in London the reception from the crowd was awesome. It was a real buzz to receive such a great reaction from the crowd, especially whilst playing away from home.</p>
<p>- – &#8211; – &#8211; – &#8211; – -</p>
<p><strong>Words:</strong> Oliver Pickup (<a title="https://twitter.com/CulturedClown" href="https://twitter.com/CulturedClown"><strong>twitter.com/CulturedClown</strong></a>)</p>
<p><strong>Photo</strong>: Simon Hunt</p>
<p><a title="Crack Magazine Website" href="http://crackmagazine.net/music/gogo-penguin/" target="_blank"><strong>http://crackmagazine.net/music/gogo-penguin/</strong></a></p>
</section>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=778</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>GoGo Penguin: Fanfares &#8211; BBC Music Review</title>
		<link>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=899</link>
		<comments>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=899#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:57:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gondwana Records</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Artists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GoGo Penguin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?p=899</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[BBC Review Based on this debut album, GoGo Penguin seem destined for great things. John Eyles 2012-12-10 In the increasingly overcrowded field of piano trios, any new arrival must have some eye-catching feature to stand out. That probably explains why a jazz trio comes to be called GoGo Penguin, a name which is not easy to forget. But in fairness to this excellent group, their music would have attracted attention even if they had been called the John Smith Trio. Pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Grant Russell and drummer Rob Turner met while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in their native Manchester. They soon started jamming together and creating new music. It wasn&#8217;t long until they attracted the attention of trumpeter Matthew Halsall, whose Gondwana label releases this terrific debut album. One of the keys to the success of GoGo Penguin is that it is not a conventional solo-based piano trio with the keyboard to the fore. Instead, the three players and instruments are equal in status; for much of the time they play simultaneously, their individual lines complementing each other and fitting together to create a coherent whole. Throughout Fanfares, the music fizzes with irresistible energy and a rhythmic [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>BBC Review</h2>
<div>
<p>Based on this debut album, GoGo Penguin seem destined for great things.</p>
<p><cite><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviewers/rddp">John Eyles</a> 2012-12-10</cite></p>
<p><img title="Review of Fanfares" src="http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/music/images/reviews/222x222/rz4z.jpg" alt="Review of Fanfares" width="222" height="222" /></p>
</div>
<div>
<p>In the increasingly overcrowded field of piano trios, any new arrival must have some eye-catching feature to stand out. That probably explains why a jazz trio comes to be called GoGo Penguin, a name which is not easy to forget. But in fairness to this excellent group, their music would have attracted attention even if they had been called the John Smith Trio.</p>
<p>Pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Grant Russell and drummer Rob Turner met while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in their native Manchester. They soon started jamming together and creating new music. It wasn&#8217;t long until they attracted the attention of trumpeter <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/b191a9d7-9f6b-4fc8-a097-488cf79d0242">Matthew Halsall</a>, whose Gondwana label releases this terrific debut album.</p>
<p>One of the keys to the success of GoGo Penguin is that it is not a conventional solo-based piano trio with the keyboard to the fore. Instead, the three players and instruments are equal in status; for much of the time they play simultaneously, their individual lines complementing each other and fitting together to create a coherent whole.</p>
<p>Throughout Fanfares, the music fizzes with irresistible energy and a rhythmic drive generated by all three players. The results are highly danceable and it is no surprise that the group has a cult following in the north west of England. When GoGo Penguin play live, even on slower pieces there is more moving and grooving in the audience than is customary at jazz gigs.</p>
<p>None of the group members is 30 yet. Their youth is reflected in the eclectic influences they cite, including <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/f22942a1-6f70-4f48-866e-238cb2308fbd">Aphex Twin</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/10adbe5e-a2c0-4bf3-8249-2b4cbf6e6ca8">Massive Attack</a>alongside Brian Eno, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/be50643c-0377-4968-b48c-47e06b2e2a3b">Debussy</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/519dd32e-8f30-4380-8826-7aa99169e1bb">Shostakovich</a>. Such influences are not blatantly obvious but are subtly integrated together. However, one influence which is deliberately made obvious is that of <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/cfa7c6b1-bbb3-4f9a-a636-cbfafb9b4bcf">e.s.t</a>.</p>
<p>GoGo Penguin say their group might not exist but for the Swedish trio, and the album’s opening track, Seven Sons of Björn, was written by Illingworth after Esbjörn Svensson’s death. Its driving piano riff backed up by some dramatic bass from Russell makes it a fitting tribute. On this showing, GoGo Penguin seem destined for great things.</p>
<p><a title="BBC Music Website" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rz4z" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rz4z</a></p>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.gondwanarecords.com/?feed=rss2&#038;p=899</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
