Mike Flynn writes, “The fiery sax-bass-drums three-piece return with the latest instalment of their no-nonsense hard-swinging sound with a new album and a string of UK tour dates.”
Ubuntu Music to Release QOW Trio’s Next Album
QOW Trio / The Hold Up
Release Date: 26th January 2024
CD, Digital & Vinyl Formats / UBU0151
Left to right: Eddie Myer, Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan (Photographer: Lisa Wormsley)
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the upcoming release of The Hold Up, the second album from QOW Trio, which will be released worldwide on 26th January 2024.
QOW TRIO is a unique multi-generational jazz band featuring award-winning young firebrand saxophonist Riley Stone-Lonergan, storied British Jazz legend Spike Wells on drums, and multi-genre bassist and bandleader Eddie Myer. The band arose out of a chance meeting at the Verdict Jazz Club in Brighton and, despite the three musicians’ differences in age, it soon became clear that they had much in common - a love of the lineage of big-toned tenor players matched with an appreciation for the wide-open possibilities of the chordless trio, a deep appreciation of the tradition alongside a fearless appetite for exploration, a commitment to the timeless values of melody and swing mixed with a willingness to take risks - all underpinned with a mission to make the music communicate directly to the listener. Spike's time as house drummer at Ronnie Scott's backing many American stars, his tours with Stan Getz and Roland Kirk, together with his years in the seminal British bands of Tubby Hayes, Peter King and Bobby Wellins, give the band deep roots. His fearlessly forward-looking commitment to freedom and swing meet Riley’s contemporary chops and devotion to melody and soul, while Eddie’s bass acts as anchor, providing the centre around which the musical conversation is free to dance at will. Their debut album was released on Ubuntu Music in 2020. It gained excellent reviews in national press, and extensive radio play and Spotify playlisting, and they’ve spent the intervening time with tours, festival appearances and club dates. Now they’re back with a whole new set of material for their upcoming second release.
Left to right: Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan, Eddie Myer (Photographer: Lisa Wormsley)
In 2023, QOW Trio came off the road from a stormingly successful tour of Ireland and went straight into the Fish Factory studio in Harlesden (London), under the expert guidance of engineer Ben Lamdin. Taking full advantage of the spacious live room, the band set up together, with no headphones or separation, allowing the music to breathe organically and the interplay to develop in real time. The session resulted in The Hold Up - an album of tunes that digs deep into the blues and flies high up into the heady heights of improvised freedom, always keeping the empathetic three-way interplay and commitment to swing and melody at the forefront. The group’s development since the first record is plain to hear - there’s more freedom, but also more togetherness, more experimentation, but also more commitment to the fundamentals of the blues. Compositions by Ellington and Strayhorn, Jackie Mclean, Lee Morgan, Thelonious Monk and Big John Patton are radically overhauled, stripped down to the bones and built back up into new forms, where anything can happen: and a new set of original tunes by Riley provide launch pads for exploratory improvisations and soulful self-expression. The passion and commitment is never in doubt throughout - this is music by players who mean it.
Left to right: Eddie Myer, Spike Wells, Riley Stone-Lonergan (Photographer: Lisa Wormsley)
Riley comments: "I love playing with QOW, every time we play it feels fresh and new and exciting and I continue to learn so much from Spike and Eddie, both as musicians and as people. I'm immensely proud to be part of this band and I can't wait for people to hear this new record."
Eddie comments: “This band is such a joy to play with - every gig feels like an adventure, and this new recording really captures that feeling.”
Spike comments: “QOW continues on its three-generational journey, of which our first album marked an early stage. With this second recording, we feel that we have progressed in cohesion and been able to tackle music in an even wider range of styles. Riley's original compositions have made a huge contribution. The session was happy and relaxed and shows new levels of creativity in each member of the trio.”
The band comments on their ongoing relationship with Ubuntu Music: “Martin (Hummel) and his Ubuntu label did us proud with their handling of our first album and we are delighted (and relieved) that Martin was keen to keep us on board and release the new one.”
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “It’s an absolute pleasure to continue our highly successful and thoroughly enjoyable relationship with these great guys. Their musical voice has grown, matured, and developed into something very special which is all their own. We’re delighted to be a part of QOW Trio’s next stage of sonic evolution.”
For further information, please contact:
Eddie Myer (Artist): eddie.myer@gmail.com
Emma Perry (UK Publicity): emmasarahperry@gmail.com
Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
Jazzwise Magazine December-January Highlights
Ubuntu Music Artists dominate the year end issue.
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR SELECTIONS
TAKING OFF FEATURE
ALBUM REVIEWS
CONCERT REVIEWS
RELEASES OF THE YEAR: QOW TRIO!
Hi-Fi News & Record Review writes, “This is good to the last drop.”
Jazzed Features QOW TRIO
The editors write, “an album that does justice to the pioneering artists the group are tipping their hats to.”
Ubuntu Artists in February's Jazzwise Magazine
Solstice, Joshua Jaswon, Will Glaser and QOW TRIO are all there!
Solstice Feature
Joshua Jaswon
QOW TRIO
Solstice Album Review
REVIEW: QOW TRIO
Jazz Journal’s Simon Adams writes, “British tenor, bass and drums trio brings a strikingly fresh, modernist approach to standard material.”
According to drummer Spike Wells, the QOW Trio – named after a freeish Dewey Redman piece – started as a homage to the Sonny Rollins piano-less trio of the late 1950s, but soon broadened its scope to cover a much wider repertoire. So now the American Songbook gets a look in, so too a Charlie Parker classic, a Joe Henderson piece and, in Pound For Prez, a paraphrase of a Lester Young solo on Count Basie’s Pound Cake, plus a couple of originals.
Whatever the material, what is striking about this set is the freshness with which all three musicians approach their work. Ignoring the Rollins references, Riley Stone-Lonergan is very much his own man, his tenor ever questing in its explorations of melodic and harmonic possibilities, never afraid to push to the outer limits, as on the title track.
Eddie Myer consistently comes across as the most interesting player here, his bass quiet but insistent in its contributions, his solo on Serenity superb. Spike Wells is, of course, utterly himself throughout, his clattering drums adding a necessary vigour to proceedings. But this is to pick out individuals when it is the trio as a whole that matters. They play together like a team, aware what the others are doing and giving each other room to breathe. Given the age of some of their material, what stands out is their modernist approach, their instinctive ingenuity and daring.
Spike Wells remarked that this recording “was the most enjoyable time I’ve ever had in a recording studio” and he and his colleagues’ pleasure shows on every track. Were it not for lockdown, this trio would be packing out the clubs.
Discography
A Slow Boat To China; QOW; Serenity; Cheryl; Qowfirmation; God Bless The Child; It’s All Right By Me; Pound For Prez; You Do Something To Me (50.07)
Riley Stone-Lonergan (ts); Eddie Myer (b); Spike Wells (d). Harlesden, London, 2020?
Ubuntu Music UBU0078
Ubuntu Artists in April Issue of Jazzwise Magazine
Anoth3r excellent showing, for the artists and the label.
Yoko Miwa in Jazzwise Office Chart
QOW TRIO in Lockdown Vinyl Listening
Yoko Miwa 4 Star Review & Editor’s Choice
Shez Raja 4 Star Review
Jazzwise Magazine: March 2021
Ubuntu Music Artists are everywhere!
Ubuntu Music Advert
Ubuntu Music 2021 Releases
O’Higgins & Luft at Scarborough Jazz Festival
QOW Hits the Jazzwise Office Chart
Yoko Miwa Hits the Somethin’ Else Chart
Yoko Miwa & Shez Raja Hit the Jazzed Chart
QOQ in Taking Off
Will Glaser ‘Climbing in Circles’ Review
QOW TRIO Review
REVIEW: QOW TRIO ★★★★
Kind of Jazz’s Matthew Ruddick writes, “QOW provide a timely reminder that it's still possible to look back and find something fresh and new. Highly recommended.”
