Author: dirkserries

A NEW WAVE OF JAZZ returns 3 years after their first festival at HUNDRED YEARS GALLERY for another two days of free music which resembles the output of the label but simultaneously welcomes new members and exclusive constellations. Visit the HYG website for more information.

DAY ONE
downstairs:
7pm: HUNT AT THE BROOK trio
In 2014, Tom Jackson (clarinet), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Daniel Thompson (guitar) came together as a trio to record their debut in Stamford Brook with engineer Dave Hunt (hence Hunt at the Brook). Playing in the context of democratic free interaction, with accents and ideas reminiscent of Taylor and Jackson’s classic roots merging seamlessly with the free explorations of Thompson’s willful guitar playing.
Their new album (a double disc, including guest musician Neil Metcalfe) is out on A New Wave Of Jazz.

9pm: JOHN EDWARDS/ANDREW LISLE/ DIRK SERRIES/COLIN WEBSTER quartet
Dirk Serries (guitar), Colin Webster (alto saxophone), and Andrew Lisle (drums) are no strangers to each other having worked together prolifically for the last six years, most notably in Kodian Trio. In this quaret, the three are joined by one of the most pivotal
figures in improvised music – John Edwards (double bass).
Musically, the quartet play fully acoustic, and with Lisle playing a minimal percussion set-up. The stripped-back instrumentation allows for a focus on texture and timbre, but doesn’t prevent moments of ferociousness either, reminiscent of many albums from the formative ‘golden-era’ of improvised music, with the undeniable stamp of personality from these ‘modern- era’ musicians.

upstairs:
8pm: MARTINA VERHOEVEN & JOSÉ LENCASTRE duo
A New Wave Of Jazz welcomes Portugese saxophonist José Lencastre to the family. Officially released during this festival is the newly formed LEMADI TRIO’s TRYPTOPHAN SUITE is the trio’s debut, an extraordinary live registration of José Lencastre (alto sax), Dirk Serries (guitar) and Martina Verhoeven on the electric piano. For this festival Martina and José are playing duo. Although here Martina on the upright piano but expect free improvised music that will be reminiscent of the trio and at same time not. Exciting.

DAY TWO
downstairs:
4pm: TONUS
Andrew Lisle , Benedict Taylor, Colin Webster, Dirk Serries, Graham Dunning, Dominic Lash, José Lencastre, Mark Wastell, Martina Verhoeven, Tom Ward
Dirk Serries’ minimal ensemble TONUS, frequently based upon his graphic scores, returns to HYG with an impressive and eccentric line-up, acoustic and electronic. Although the graphic scoring will guide the musicians gently, the strength of this ensemble is the focus and patience of each player to interact and contribute. Deep listening pur sang.

upstairs:
3pm: CHARLOTTE KEEFFE & ALAN WILKINSON duo
Oh yes, a powerhouse duo guaranteed. Both musicians have been frequently involved with the label so both Alan as Charlotte couldn’t be left out. To start the 2nd day of the festival with panache, we invited them to play duo upstairs. Full on free impro (saxophone, bass clarinet, trumpet and flugelhorn) up close and personal.

This duo, with a fine release ‘Boskage’ under their arms on our label, will play HUNDRED YEARS GALLERY in London this Sunday, September 17 2023 to celebrate their new album ‘However, Forward!’ on Raw Tonk Records. If you’re in the neighborhood, join them. All info here.

On A NEW WAVE OF JAZZ there are two brand new releases set to be released on September 15th, 2023. Both are now in pre-order – if you order them together, you only have to pay 30 EUR (incl. worldwide shipping).  This pre-order offer is valid through September 15th. The pre-order you can find here.

CARLOS ‘ZINGARO’ / GUILHERME RODRIGUES / JOSÉ OLIVEIRA – ZWOSCH, ZWOSCH, ZWOSCH (cd)

CARLOS ‘ZINGARO’ : violin
GUILHERME RODRIGUES : cello
JOSÉ OLIVERA : percussion

“The intergenerational trio met each other during the Dias de Música Electroacústica Festival in 2021 and delivered a compact, unusually rich set. Hovering between prickly abstraction, a play of textures and tumultuous bursts of swooshing strings and tumbling percussion, the trio manages to carefully tread a fine line between nervous free explorations and the elegance and cohesion of small chamber ensemble playing. Despite the unpredictability of the music, they move harmoniously, like a flock of birds following a mysterious, shared course. This interplay is obviously about space. How to fill it, how to share it, and how to let it be. There’s an obvious understanding, an unwritten agreement about the depth and dynamics it should have and it is presented with a sweeping curve that shows how this combination of musicians transforms into a formidable unit over the course of half an hour” GUY PETERS

Click here to listen and order to the album 

HUNT AT THE BROOK / HUNT AT THE BROOK AGAIN WITH NEIL METCALFE
(2cd)

TOM JACKSON : clarinet
NEIL METCALFE : flute
BENEDICT TAYLOR : viola
DANIEL THOMPSON : guitar

“Verging from gnarled density to moments of delicate introspection, the musicians maintain a striking balancing act that is as fickle as it is flowing, rife with extended techniques and moments where you catch them in the act of hypnotic collective sound painting.” GUY PETERS

Click here to listen and order to the album 

BANDCAMP FRIDAY is also among us today. For this occasion we’re offering you a stunning 80% discount on the full digital catalogue, valid through today only. Go here.

Ken Waxman of JAZZWORD (Canada) just wrote a truly lovely review of KODIAN PLUS’ Disengage album. The cd was released early this year and is available here.

“Despite the massive mistake that was Brexit there’s still a place for collaborations between enlightened folks from the United Kingdom and the European Union. Nowhere is it reflected more profoundly than in this set of improvised music from a mixed UK/Belgian crew. Representing HRH are trumpeter/flugelhornist Charlotte Keeffe , alto saxophonist Colin Webster and drummer Andrew Lisle. Hailing from the Lowlands are pianist Martina Verhoeven and guitarist Dirk Serries. Except for Keeffe, who plays with Martin Archer and others, the remaining four have worked together in various combinations as well as if with others in Europe and elsewhere. Unlike most politician coalitions however the trumpeter’s portamento runs, half-valve squeaks and soaring triplets bring welcome new textures to already distinctive synergy. This begins as early as the first track where after an introduction of electronic crackles, key stops and tongue slaps, the group burst into a polyphonic exposition of brassy flutters, unbroken reed doits, percussion smacks and pressurized piano comping. This ricochet between miasma and multiphonics continues throughout the session with the guitarist occasionally adding splattering frails and upward treble clanks. “The Five-Headed Anomaly” ascends to the tonal crescendo emanating from Verhoeven’s key pounding, Webster’s yelps and tongue stops, Keeffe’s bugling rips and plunger tones and Lisle’s press rolls. After the explosion subsides the horns suck and kiss their way down to sighs and stutters, exposing a hidden swing section which has peeked throughout the program as it evolves. As toneless air and string stops throb throughout the concluding “Kind Of Things” spittle encrusted sax smears, piano cross pulses and brass grace notes give way to near-replication of the clipped tones that began the improvisation. The completed circle references both continuum and the timbral variations that have taken place. The quintet members may claim to be disengage (d), but their engagement is how international politics should evolve.” Jazzword – Canada