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Ubuntu Management Group News

Ubuntu Music Signs Pianist John-Paul Muir for Album Release

September 8, 2024 Martin Hummel

John-Paul Muir / Home Now

Release Date: 8th November 2024

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0178

John-Paul Muir (Photographer: Pedro Velasco)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of pianist John-Paul Muir, for the release of his album, Home Now, on 8th November 2024.

John-Paul is an award-winning New Zealand pianist and composer who currently resides in London. His landmark new album, Home Now, features Brigitte Beraha, “one of the most creative vocalists on the UK scene” (BBC Radio 3). The line-up consists of George Crowley (Yazz Ahmed) on bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, and a rhythm section of Jakub Cywiński (Ola Onabule, Partikel) on double-bass and Eric Ford (Imogen Ryall, Partikel) on drums. The album was beautifully recorded by Stefano Civetta at School Farm Studios (England), mixed and mastered by Bobby Williams, with videography and photography by Pedro Velasco (Freeze Productions, London).

Jakub Cywinski, Brigitte Beraha, Eric Ford, George Crowley, John-Paul Muir, Stefano Civetta (Photographer: Pedro Velasco)

Home Now showcases Muir’s lyrical compositional style in a set of five pieces with expressive playing of both delicate beauty and overflowing ecstasy. The first three tracks feature a collaboration with lyricist Anjali Bhat, with Muir’s classical heritage coming to the fore in the impressionistic opener Sunlight, a captivating portrayal of a romantic encounter, whilst the title track explores the experience of finding a sense of home in a new place.

John-Paul describes the album in his own words: “The compositions that make up ‘Home Now’ are often imbued with warmth and highlight some of the experiences of being human that are hard to describe. They came about naturally over a period of several years, reflecting both my collaboration with Anjali and my writing, finding its voice in a sort of ‘chamber jazz’ that encompasses my classical roots alongside improvisation and a movement towards a European jazz sound. I’ve always loved Brigitte’s musicianship, and her sound and intuitive approach to the songs is everything and more than I could have dreamt. George, Jakub, and Eric are all incredibly versatile musicians who instinctively feel this music and it is truly a joy for me to bring this music to life with them.”

Brigitte Beraha, George Crowley (Photographer: Pedro Velasco)

Lyricist Anjali Bhat continues: “In all of these songs, I wanted to find expression for feelings and relationships that are not usually spoken or captured in lyrics of musical compositions: the ones that fall outside the boxes in which we carefully pack our experiences. This was a playful collaboration in which we experimented with starting with words and seeing these come to life musically (for ‘Sunlight’ and ‘Silent Acknowledgement’), as well as for ‘Home Now’, taking inspiration from the images and atmosphere that John-Paul’s music painted in my mind.”

John-Paul touches on his new relationship with Ubuntu Music: “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Ubuntu for the release of ‘Home Now’, my most substantial artistic statement to date, as a composer and pianist. This album means a lot to me personally, and I’m grateful to Martin Hummel and the Ubuntu team for their support and belief in this music.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “I was absolutely knocked out by this project, from the very first time I heard the music. John-Paul has a delicate touch – compositionally and as a pianist – which seduces the listener from the first note. Brigitte’s voice (along with Anjali’s lyrics) weaves seamlessly through each song, while George’s sax delivers textural depth. Jakub and Eric warmly underpin the full musical offering. It’s a joy to have John-Paul and his partners join The Ubuntu Music Family”

For further information, please contact:

John-Paul Muir/Artist:  jpmpiano@gmail.com

Rupert Burley/Dynamic Agency (International PR):  rupert@dynamicagency.co.uk

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com

JOHN-PAUL MUIR BIOGRAPHY:

John-Paul Muir has established himself as one of the finest pianists to emerge from New Zealand in recent years and certainly one of the most versatile, equally at home in both classical, jazz and contemporary genres.

After completing studies at the University of Auckland with Rae de Lisle and Kevin Field, John-Paul moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He has since graduated with distinction from their Artist Masters Programme and is currently enjoying a freelance career based in London. He has performed throughout New Zealand, the USA, and the United Kingdom. Highlights include performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and several concert series at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the Royal Over-Seas League concert programme in both classical and jazz settings. He was featured as the official pianist for the New Zealand exhibit at the Venice Biennale in 2011, where he performed daily for a week as part of the opening festivities.

John-Paul is the Senior Programme Manager of the Bloomsbury Festival, an annual 10-day arts festival held in October featuring over one hundred events across Bloomsbury. His debut solo piano record featuring original compositions and improvisations, the Cornerstone Suite, was released in November 2019 after a premiere at the London Jazz Festival.

TRACK LISTING

Sunlight

(duration 7:09)

Brigitte Beraha (vocals)

George Crowley (bass clarinet)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

 

Home Now

(duration 10:15)

Brigitte Beraha (vocals)

George Crowley (bass clarinet)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

Jakub Cywiński (double-bass)

Eric Ford (drums)

 

Silent Acknowledgement

(duration 8:11)

Brigitte Beraha (vocals)

George Crowley (bass clarinet)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

 

Balm

(duration 7:26)

George Crowley (tenor saxophone)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

Jakub Cywiński (double-bass)

Eric Ford (drums)

 

Overjoyed

(duration 7:26)

George Crowley (tenor saxophone)

John-Paul Muir (piano)

Jakub Cywiński (double-bass)

Eric Ford (drums)

 

(total duration 40:27)

 

All music written by John-Paul Muir

Lyrics by Anjali Bhat

Tags John-Paul Muir, Home Now, Brigitte Beraha, George Crowley, Jakub Cywiński, Eric Ford, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music, Ubuntu Management Group

Ubuntu Music Signs Guitarist Ant Law & Vocalist Brigitte Beraha for Debut Album Release

April 29, 2024 Martin Hummel

Ant Law & Brigitte Beraha / Ensconced

Release Date: 16th August 2024

CD, Digital & Vinyl Formats / UBU0169

Brigitte Beraha & Ant Law (Photographer: Rob Blackham)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the duo, guitarist Ant Law and vocalist Brigitte Beraha, for the release of Ensconced, their debut album on Ubuntu Music.

Ant and Brigitte explain: “‘Ensconced’ has a cozy, autumnal feeling. It is focused on the sound of Brigitte’s voice and Ant playing steel-string acoustic guitar. On recent projects Brigitte has experimented with electronics and effects - but here we hear her directly, sat around the campfire…”

Ant Law & Brigitte Beraha (Photographer: Rob Blackham)

They continue, describing their music: “We invite you in with the sweet ‘A Kiss To Build A Dream On’, followed by five new original songs and one reinterpretation of an earlier composition, ‘Harvest’, in which Brigitte sings wordlessly. The album gathers velocity as it progresses and there are guest appearances from Kit Downes, Petros Klampanis, Matt Calvert, Million Square and more. It closes with Bernstein’s ‘Some Other Time’ - once again performed as a duo, just as the album opened.”

Ant shares his view on their new relationship with Ubuntu Music: “I’ve worked successfully with Ubuntu on a number of releases as a sideman in recent years. Their catalogue has grown significantly with more and more established artists coming on board. I’m very pleased to join their roster and hope that the success continues!”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “We’ve had the pleasure of working with Ant on a number of projects, including most recently with the outstanding Trio HLK album. And we first began working with Brigitte with the Solstice release in 2021. So, it seems as if destiny was calling for ‘Ensconced’ to join our Family. It’s a beautiful album that demonstrates their talent and their musical diversity. We’re happy to be a part of it.”     

For further information, please contact:

Ant Law (Artist):  AntLawGuitar@gmail.com

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide):  martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com

BIOGRAPHIES

ANT LAW

British guitarist Ant lives in London and is “a game changer” according to The Guardian. His 5th album ‘Same Moon in the Same World’ (Outside in Music) was released on 4th November 2022.

Same Moon is a collaboration between Ant and the brilliant saxophonist & composer Alex Hitchcock. Recorded in 2020/2021 across multiple continents, bridging the gap between London, Amsterdam and New York, it brings together a stellar cast of guest musicians performing new compositions: vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassists Linda May Han Oh, Ben Williams and Jasper Høiby, and drummers Jeff Ballard, Kendrick Scott, Sun-Mi Hong and Eric Harland.

The Same Moon quartet toured in Europe in December 2022: Ant, Alex Hitchcock (saxophone), Conor Chaplin (bass) and Jeff Ballard (drums) who appears on the album. In February & March 2023 Ant and Alex are toured with Jasper Høiby (bass) and Sun-Mi Hong (drums), both of whom also feature on the album. Tour booking is underway for this lineup throughout 2024.

The pandemic hit in the middle of The Sleeper Wakes European tour. London was locked-down and Ant began collaborating on a series of remote recordings with a range of artists across the globe. This evolved into weekly livestreams in which he broadcast the collaborative music videos and interviewed the guests. It is entitled “QZ” - which stands for Quarantine Zone. These streams were ongoing on the last Thursday of every month on YouTube, facebook & Twitch - but now that live performances are back they have stopped.

In 2013 his debut 'Entanglement' (33Jazz) was released, followed by 'Zero Sum World' (Whirlwind Recordings) in 2015 and then 'Life I Know' (Edition Records) in 2018. This release was described as “career-defining”. It achieved 5 star reviews, made numerous “best of 2018" lists, received airplay in the UK, Europe, Australia, and was added to numerous editorial playlists on Spotify. 2020 saw the release of Ant’s 4th album - the critically acclaimed ‘The Sleeper Wakes’ (Edition).

In addition to leading his own projects, Ant plays in Tim Garland's band with Jason Rebello & Asaf Sirkis, featuring on albums 'Songs To The North Sky', 'Return To The Fire' & 'ONE' which was shortlisted for a Grammy and won the Jazzwise Best Album award. 

Ant is also the “L” in Trio HLK who record/tour with Dame Evelyn Glennie. He has worked with other notables Cory Henry, Thomas Gould and is featured in “Total Guitar", “Guitar Techniques" & “Guitarist” magazines. In the latter he was included in a list of “10 Astounding Virtuosos”, and the May 2021 issue of Guitar Techniques features a 2-page spread on Ant, and a 9/10 review of The Sleeper Wakes.

2016 saw the emergence of the Art Of Rhythm Trio featuring Matt Ridley (bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drums & konnakol). In April/May they played a 20-date tour all over the UK, supported by the Arts Council. They had played together in a different ensembles but the tour allowed them to consolidate their musical relationships and develop the trio dynamic. Most notable perhaps is the inclusion of Indian classical elements (check out this video) such as konnakol, the South-Indian spoken percussion, amidst all the jazz. This video features the rarely sighted Art Of Rhythm expanded into quintet formation.

Ant was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he lived until the age of 16. From a young age he was exposed to early blues and rock 'n' roll, as well as Arabic music. He began playing classical piano and guitar around the age of 8. Throughout his teens he gravitated towards the guitar. A history teacher gave him a video of Stevie Ray Vaughan playing live at the El Mocambo, which was a huge influence, along with videos of Guns 'n' Roses, Queen, and later on Joe Satriani and Steve Vai.

Law studied Physics on a scholarship at Edinburgh University. In the summer before his final year there he completed a summer semester at Berklee College Of Music, Boston. This he says was crucial because he heard gospel music and gospel drummers for the first time, and lots of Latin American music. As he continued with the Physics degree he became obsessed with jazz and played his first jazz gigs. By this point he had discovered and started using Perfect 4ths tuning for the guitar. In a case of convergent evolution, other players (like Stanley Jordan, Tom Quayle) had also discovered and were using this same tuning. Allan Holdsworth has said that if he could start again, he would tune this way. Ant wrote a book introducing the tuning entitled “3rd Millenium Guitar" which is published by Mel Bay.

Since 2010 Ant has concentrated on make a living playing guitar, eventually moving to London and immersing himself in the scene there and touring internationally. He has also lived in NYC for a season where he studied with his heroes Ari Hoenig, Ben Monder, Adam Rogers, Lage Lund, Johannes Weidenmueller, Tim Miller and others.

Website:  https://www.AntLaw.co.uk/

BRIGITTE BERAHA

Born in Milan to a Turkish father and Turkish-British mother, Beraha grew up on the Côte d’Azur in France where her first music memories are of sitting and listening to her dad play piano and sing. This musical, multinational and multilingual upbringing combined to inspire and shape one of the most creative vocalists and composers on the UK scene. 

Embracing a wide variety of music influences and genres, from jazz and Latin to classical and, more recently, electronic, Beraha’s sound is free and fluid with an emphasis on exploration and expression. Fearlessly testing the limits of the voice as instrument, her sound is distinguished by the unexpected, with free improvisation and evocative wordless singing at its core. 

This agility, adventurous spirit and limitless imagination all mark her out as a truly exciting and versatile artist with a huge range of experience and creative scope.

She has worked with a wide range of musicians and recorded a number of critically acclaimed albums. Her first solo work By the Cobbled Path (2021) has seen her unending curiosity explore electronic sounds and effects further still, to compliment and accentuate the dream-like quality of her compositions. This album marks the next stage of Beraha’s ever-exciting journey as composer, vocalist and lyricist. Her 5th album as a leader ‘Blink’ (2022), the follow up to Lucid Dreamers (2020) where she is joined by top-class London musicians George Crowley, Alcyona Mick & Tim Giles, was released on 20th May 2022 with a 13-date UK/ European tour supported by Arts Council England, the band’s first touring opportunity since forming in 2020. They are now embarking on another run of dates and plan to record their third album for a release in late 2023.

Previous albums, Prelude to a Kiss (FMR, 2005) and Flying Dreams (F-Ire, 2008), equally reveal the constant movement and development of Beraha as an artist. The former, a combination of jazz standards and originals, attests to her love for jazz and latin standards while also setting the tone for her trademark contemporary and ethereal sound, enhanced by the saxophone of Ingrid Laubrock. The second is a more personal collection of original compositions, influenced by Anglo-European and Latin jazz as well as Brigitte’s own cosmopolitan upbringing.

Website:  https://www.BrigitteBeraha.com/

Tags Ant Law, Brigitte Beraha, Ensconced, Kit Downes, Petros Klampanis, Ernesto Simpson, Max Luthert, Duncan Eagles, Jamie Murray, Matt Calvert, Adam Kovacs, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music, Ubuntu Management Group

REVIEW: Solstice - 'Food for Thought'

November 12, 2021 Martin Hummel

Jazz Journal’s Derek Ansell writes, “UK foodies including Tori Freestone, Brigitte Beraha and John Turville mix prog-rock, world music, folk and classical music.”

Tags Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone, Jez Franks, Dave Manington, George Hart, Food for Thought, Jazz Journal, Derek Ansell, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music, Ubuntu Management Group

Jazzwise Video of The Day: Solstice

September 26, 2021 Martin Hummel
Screenshot 2021-09-26 at 18.44.59.png

The multi-talented six-piece Solstice are set to release the CD of their latest album Food For Thought (Ubuntu Music) this Friday 24 September and here share a live-in-the-studio preview of the music.

For the full article, please click on the image, above.

For the full article, please click on the image, above.

Solstice is a collaboration between six like-minded bandleaders and composers who share a common love of contemporary jazz, fine food and wine – Brigitte Beraha (vocals), Tori Freestone (saxes & flute), Jez Franks (guitars), John Turville (piano & keys), Dave Manington (double bass) and George Hart (drums). The band are set to launch the album on Tuesday 28 September 2021 PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho, London

“We all have similar influences and have worked together in varying formats for many, many years, resulting in a unique blend,” explains Beraha. “The music on our new recording, Food for Thought, developed over a long period of time while touring our first album, Alimentation. We're all foodies and of course that had to come out in the titles and inspiration behind the music. The album also seemed to develop a psychological slant over time. The combination of both subjects has become even more relevant with the situation we find ourselves in presently when many are forced to pursue new interests at home, such as taking up a creative hobby like baking.”

Andy Robson wrote of the album in Jazzwise: “With each band member a leader and composer in their own right, it’s boggling how each player gets to own their own authority without laying the dead hand of dictatorship (compassionate or otherwise!) upon the others. Although this is a band that relishes complexity (check out the hall of mirrors patterning of Freestone’s broccoli-inspired ‘Familiar Fractals’) it’s never complicated for its own sake. Instead, Food for Thought invites you to taste and try, then definitely to buy.”

Watch the video below and for more info visit www.solstice-music.co.uk

Tags Solstice, Brigitte Beraha, Dave Manington, Tori Freestone, Jez Franks, George Hart, Jazzwise Magazine, Mike Flynn, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Management Group, Ubuntu Music

REVIEW: Solstice 'Food for Thought'

April 9, 2021 Martin Hummel

Bebop Spoken Here writes, “Food for Thought is an eight course banquet of the best of British contemporary jazz.”

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Tags Solstice, Tori Freestone, Brigitte Beraha, Food for Thought, Bebop Spoken Here, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Management Group, Ubuntu Music

REVIEW: Solstice 'Food for Thought'

April 9, 2021 Martin Hummel

BBC Music Magazine’s Garry Booth writes, “it’s never too filling.” ★★★★

bbcmusiclog1-min.jpg
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Tags Solstice, Tori Freestone, Brigitte Beraha, Food for Thought, BBC Music Magazine, Garry Booth, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music, Ubuntu Management Group

REVIEW: Solstice 'Food for Thought' ★★★★

March 14, 2021 Martin Hummel

All About Jazz’s Chris May writes, “an off-the-wall and extraordinarily beautiful album.”

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Tags Tori Freestone, Brigitte Beraha, John Turville, Jez Franks, Dave Manington, George Hart, Food for Thought, All About Jazz, Chris May, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Management Group, Ubuntu Music

Ubuntu Music Signs Solstice for Next Release

June 22, 2020 Martin Hummel
Ubuntu1_300dpi-1.jpg

Solstice

Food for Thought

UBU0061 / 26th February 2021

CD, Digital & Vinyl Formats

Left to right: Dave Manington, Brigitte Beraha, John Turville, Tori Freestone, George Hart, Jez Franks

Left to right: Dave Manington, Brigitte Beraha, John Turville, Tori Freestone, George Hart, Jez Franks

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of Solstice, featuring an array of exceptional British musicians--Brigitte Beraha (vocals), Tori Freestone (saxes & flute), Jez Franks (guitars), John Turville (piano & keys), Dave Mannington (double bass) and George hart (drums).

Solstice is a collaboration between these six like-minded bandleaders and composers who share a common love of contemporary jazz, fine food and wine, resulting in an eclectic palate of influences from all around the world.  

After the success of their taster album, Alimentation, the long-awaited plat du jour album, Food for Thought, is a strong expression of the complex issues facing us at this time when many are pursuing various interests at home, such as baking, thinking and taking up a new creative hobby.

With a melange of contemporary jazz--infused with a dash of spicy Brazilian and a smattering of folky fusion--the result could conceivably be a recipe for disaster. Instead, this is a concoction that promises to take you on an incredible journey through time/space/heaven/hell…and even the contents of your fridge!

Left to right: John Turville, Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone, George Hart, Jez Franks, Dave Manington

Left to right: John Turville, Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone, George Hart, Jez Franks, Dave Manington

Brigitte Beraha (vocals) is an improvising vocalist and composer and is one of the leading talents on the UK Jazz scene. She teaches jazz vocals at the Guildhall School of Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music, has recorded a number of critically acclaimed albums and toured extensively in the UK and beyond. Her work embraces not only original contemporary jazz and the core jazz and Latin repertoires but, increasingly, cross-genre projects such as the recent recreation of Basil Kirchin's music as part of Hull City of Culture 2017 with the BBC Concert Orchestra and curated by Will Gregory, which are cementing her reputation as an expert with a wide range of experience and creative scope.

Tori Freestone (tenor & soprano sax, flute) features in many of the UK’s most exciting ensembles including Hermeto Pascoal, Yazz Ahmed, the Jensen Sisters and the Julian Siegel and Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestras, plus the London Jazz Orchestra for which she holds the tenor one chair.  She co-leads a duo with pianist Alcyona Mick and leads her own trio with numerous releases to her name. She composed a commission for the 2014 EFG London Jazz Festival, was shortlisted for the Arts Foundation Award for Jazz Composition and the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year in 2017. She also received The Guardian's 'Jazz Album of the Month' in the Guardian Newspaper 2019.  She has recently been awarded a PRS Foundation 'Sustaining Creativity' Award and a Help Musician's 'Transmission Fund' to study with artists and composers worldwide.

 Jez Franks (guitars) is a jazz musician, educator and composer. He co-led the Quartet ‘Compassionate Dictatorship’ for many years with Tori Freestone and has toured and recorded with a variety of ensembles and artists, including Tom Arthur’s ‘Centripede’, Gerard Presencer, Ingrid Jensen, Rick Astley and Monday Murchuri. He has performed on the BBC ‘Jazz on 3’, at various festivals and toured all over the UK and Europe.

John Turville (piano, keys) is one of the leading jazz pianists of his generation and has won multiple awards for his two trio albums including MOJO’s #3 Jazz Album of the Year and ‘Best Album’ in the Parliamentary Awards 2011. He also won ‘Best Instrumentalist’ in the 2010 London Jazz Awards and the 2009 PRS Promoter’s Choice Award and was a semi-finalist in the Martial Solal Jazz Piano Concours in 2010. He has toured and recorded throughout Europe and the Middle East with many renowned jazz and tango groups, including the Dave Binney/Julian Arguelles Quintet, Tim Garland, the Tony Kofi/Alan Barnes Quintet, Karios 4tet, Asaf Sirkis Trio, Gilad Atzmon and Matt Ridley Quartet,  John is also an experienced composer and arranger for strings, voices, jazz and tango ensembles, and an experienced educator. He is the principal jazz piano tutor at Birmingham Conservatoire and the Purcell School, and has coached and adjudicated ensembles at the Guildhall and Trinity College.

Dave Manington (double bass) has played with most of the top jazz musicians in the country…luminaries such as Yazz Ahmed, Mark Lockhart, Tim Garland, Iain Ballamy, Gwyneth Herbert, Michael Garrick, Julian Arguelles, Marius Neset, Pete Wareham, Gwilym Simcock, Pete King, Martin Speake, Alan Barnes, Tim Whitehead, Salena Jones, Roberto Pla, Tina May, Martin Shaw and John Etheridge amongst many others. He's also in demand for a broad range of different ensembles, playing with musicians from South America to the Balkans both as a performer and as a compositional collaborator. He has composed for and led his own septet, trios, and quartet, while also contributing music to many other artists’ projects. He is also a founder member of the much-respected Loop collective and the E17 Jazz Collective.

George Hart (drums) is a versatile and accomplished London-based drummer. He collaborates with many of the most talented jazz musicians of his generation and for the past 10 years has performed on countless live gigs and studio sessions. Currently, George enjoys working with the Matt Ridley Quartet, Emily Saunders Band (ESB), Eric Ranzoni, The Stowaways (featuring Mike Edmonds, Carl Orr and Josh Kemp), Colin McKenzie’s Intransit and Jazzbomb. George features on albums by Brigitte Beraha, Ivo Neame, Phil Donkin, Seb Pipe, Yazz Ahmed, Dave Lee, Eric Ranzoni and Matt Ridley. George has also shared the stage with numerous distinguished musicians and ensembles, including Swing Out Sister, Chris Laurence Quartet (featuring John Parricelli & Frank Ricotti), Iain Ballamy, Tim Garland, Gwilym Simcock, Geoff Gascoyne, Jasper Høiby, Ivo Neame, Phil Donkin, Yazz Ahmed, London Jazz Orchestra, Laurence Cottle and many more.

Left to right: John Turville, Brigitte Beraha, George Hart, Jez Franks, Dave Manington

Left to right: John Turville, Brigitte Beraha, George Hart, Jez Franks, Dave Manington

Solstice describes their latest project, Food for Thought, as follows:

It's like a dream come true releasing our second album on Ubuntu Music, with their fantastic artist roster and the great care and attention they give to each release. The music on 'Food for Thought' began life during our previous 22 date UK tour. The project is unique in that each member of the band is a seasoned composer and bandleader in their own right, and each contributed new material as the tour went on. 

“At first listen, ‘Food for Thought’ sounds more like a rock album than a jazz one. It soon becomes clear that here is a true contemporary jazz melting pot, with an eclectic list of influences from all around the world. The result is contemporary jazz with strong elements of prog-rock, with a dash of Brazilian, a smattering of world music, an infusion of folk and a pinch of classical music that veers from avant-garde ensemble passages to free-improv and back.”

Left to right: John Turville, Dave Manington, Jez Franks, George Hart, Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone

Left to right: John Turville, Dave Manington, Jez Franks, George Hart, Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone

Concerning their new relationship with Ubuntu Music, Brigitte and Tori commented:

" We're really excited about releasing this album on Ubuntu and working with Martin Hummel whom most of us have known for many years.   The partnership with his exciting and diverse label is fitting for our second release alongside many highly respected artists from the UK and worldwide scene.  

“The band is unusual in that it is co-led by its members, all of whom are well known bandleaders and composers in their own right. We all have similar influences and have worked together in varying formats for many, many years, resulting in a unique blend.  The music on this album developed over a long period of time while touring our first album.  We're all foodies and of course that had to come out in the titles and inspiration behind the music as it did on our first album, 'Alimentation'.  This latest album also seemed to develop a psychological slant over time and the combination of both subjects has become even more relevant with the situation we all find ourselves in presently.  We hope the listeners can find joy, pathos, humour and meaning in the compositions as we do when we're creating and performing the work.”

Consistent with their name, the Summer Solstice arrived on Saturday, 20th June, and the band had a bit of a treat during these restricted COVID-19 times:

“The album has been a long time in the making and is very dear to our hearts.  Now seems to be the perfect time to be releasing a little preview morsel so that people can savour a taste of what's to come. We hope they find it delectable and that it will leave them hungry for additional helpings.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, summed things up with the following: “What a wonderfully talented group of artists, all of whom are leaders in their own right, combining a smorgasbord of exotic musical strands which deliciously blend together to serve up a grand feast for the ears to savour. This project will surely make the listener hungrier for second servings. Listen with a voracious appetite!”

Tags Solstice, Food for Thought, Brigitte Beraha, Tori Freestone, Jez Franks, John Turville, Dave Manington, George Hart, Martin Hummel, Ubuntu Music, Ubuntu Management Group

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