ASAF SIRKIS TRIO

Tassos Spiliotopoulos – guitar / Patrick Bettison - Bass/Harmonica / Asaf Sirkis - drums

(photo by Paul Chousmer)

www.asafsirkis.co.uk

“The quiet evolution of drummer Asaf Sirkis as a composer has been fascinating to behold and almost as beguiling as his playing. The confluence of influences that give shape to his rhythms—Middle Eastern, Indian and jazz—combined with a love of Sun Ra's music and an interest in astronomy, results in music which is difficult to pin down, yet which is undeniably hypnotic, in a slightly dark and brooding manner. Where Letting Go differs from The Monk (SAM, 2008) is in the slightly sunnier visage the music presents.
There's a ruminative, dream-like feel to the tone poems "Lady of the Lake," "Other Stars and Planets" and "IMA"—something which seems to be part of Sirkis' musical DNA. On the latter two, harmonicist Patrick Bettison injects verve and bluesy melancholy, his extended interventions bringing an added dimension to the music in much the way Gary Husband's piano and Adriano Adewale's percussion added significant colors to The Monk. Bettison and Sirkis are well-known to each other through their work in guitarist Nicolas Meier's group, and there's an obvious chemistry at work, also given that Sirkis' trio has been together now for four years.
Perhaps leaving Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensemble has had a liberating effect on the London-based Israeli drummer. Whatever the case, Sirkis continues to grow as a composer and leader, balancing subtly alluring introspection with dramatic release.” Ian Patterson, All About Jazz
“Asaf Sirkis, the world class drum phenomenon reminiscent of Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams at the height of their powers that's taken the British scene by storm over the last few years”...Renaissance man
“Sirkis is not only an inventive drummer but also a composer of rigour, wit and surprising delicacy” Chris Ingham, Mojo Magazine

Please note: Tonight it's Jazz at The Bosun's Diner, Quay Road, Charlestown,PL25 3NJ whilst the Brewery does some building work to improve the venue. We return to the Brewery for our next gig.

• Nathaniel Facey - alto sax 
• Lewis Wright – vibes
• Tom Farmer - double bass
• Shaney Forbes - drums/percussion

Empirical on MySpace

Following up their acclaimed Eric Dolphy-inspired Out'n'In, Empirical's ‘Elements of Truth’ builds on the central musical relationship (Nathaniel Facey's alto/Lewis Wright's vibes) of that album to create a more varied, multi-textured soundscape on this one, the band sound tellingly augmented by guest pianist George Fogel's discreet but vital fills and embellishments. The band's material (mostly compositions by bassist Tom Farmer, but with two by Facey and one by Wright), draws on a wider variety of styles than their previous effort, embracing everything from (cultured) hip-hop to contemporary classical music (Messiaen - as with many new-millennium jazz musicians - namechecked by Farmer in recent interviews) and post-bop jazz (pianist Vijay Iyer ditto). The result is a many-hued, subtly shifting, pleasingly restless and absorbing set, driven by the vibrant, precise drumming of Shaney Forbes (as adept at relatively straight-ahead jazz rhythms as he is at rattling out hip-hop beats) and Farmer's lithe bass, all spearheaded by the searing alto of Facey and given memorable atmosphere and texture by the versatile and dexterous Wright (who also provides one of the most striking mood-setting introductions to an album you're likely to hear this year).

"Empirical could turn out to be one of the most important bands in British Jazz history" - Jazzwise

2010 MOBO awards - "Best Jazz Act"

Supported by       and   

• Ryan Quigley – Trumpet
• Paul Towndrow - Alto Saxophone
• Konrad Wiszniewski - Tenor Saxophone
• Allon Beauvoisin - Baritone Saxophone

Brass Jaw bristles with the excitement of a completely original set including the odd quirky arrangement of well loved jazz standards, all written and arranged by this stellar line up of Scottish Jazz musicians.
 

• Contemporary Band of The Year' - 2011 Scottish Jazz Awards
• 'Album of The Year' - 2011 Scottish Jazz Awards
• 'Ensemble of The Year' - 2011 Parliamentary Jazz Awards

Brass Jaw on MySpace

Supported by       and   

• Philip Clouts - piano,
• Carlos Lopez-Real – saxes,
• Alex Keen - double bass,
• Laurie Lowe – drums

 When pianist Philip Clouts began his collaboration with F-IRE collective saxophonist Carlos Lopez-Real in 2008 sparks flew and a formidable new unit was born.
 
Clouts is steeped both in the music of his native South Africa and in a diverse range of world musics which he has explored to critical acclaim with his larger outfit ZubopGambia; he draws on a wide range of compositional areas, challenging musical boundaries.
 
Lopez-Real has developed a ground breaking solo voice which builds on the work of M-Base founder Steve Coleman and maverick genius Dave Liebman, who himself has said of Carlos “he plays with a sound that comes from his soul.”
 
The innovative music of this collaboration has been performed on two national tours supported by Jazz Services, and the debut CD “Sennen Cove” is out now on Point Records. Clouts lives on the South West coast and the CD features melodic contemporary jazz pieces he has written inspired by the sights and sounds of the area while staying true to his own musical roots in African and Latin music. It has already attracted airplay on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM, UK Jazz Radio and Radio Bremen. 
 
Philip Clouts Quartet website

Supported by       and