NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Empirical were invited to play at the 2008 JVC Newport Jazz Festival! We were honoured, privaledged and too excited!

The experience started after leaving a standing ovation at Brecon Jazz Festival, being driven down the M4 (thanks Mick!!!!) and checking into the Heathrow Hilton Hotel at around 3am!!

At 7am (yes....7am) we checked in at NWA, and boarded a much delayed flight to Detroit. The delay cost us our connection and Nathaniels Bag (...disaster...) but we made it to meet our driver William at around 11pm in Boston. A long day, but not long enough to stop a 1am Wendy's drive through in Newport!!

The day of the gig - left the Motel at 9.30 for sound check at 10.30, perhaps a little tired, but the glorious sun kept our excitement going! A ridiculously heavy bill of top class international musicians only spurred us on - Bill Frissel went after us on the same 'Waterside' stage!! oh no....

After Jason Olaines generous introduction, the tent was rammed and we played our best - typically overdramatic and easily excitable. A standing ovation!! Thanks to one of the best festival crowds we've ever had - silent during the music and crazy loud after!

Then to check the rest of the music. We had a serious day of lessons from the MASTERS - Chris Potter, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland and Sonny Rollins - yes Sonny Rollins. We sat 10ft from him - that sound!

We also had the pleasure to meet the lovely Esperanza Spalding, our friend from New York via Montreal Greg Ritchie, the incredible Jimmy Cobb (hanging back stage!) a multitude of enthusiastic press people/radio presenters and yet still found time for a complimentary massage!

Tired and a little sun burnt (Tillah), we headed to the hotel via 'The Mansions' and, quote, 'I can't believe I'm seeing this!' from Kit when he saw some palatial 'cottages' in the depths of Newport.

A long return Journey, but with a short turnaround to get to OSLO Jazz Festival, we were shattered but too happy to have been involved with the greatest Jazz festival of all.

Check this...

2008 Newport Festival Line-up

Parliamentary Jazz Award

Yo yo yo!

As some of you may have heard - we recently recieved a Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Jazz Ensemble! Wicked!

And just for now, heres some more fun we've been having recently. A little back stage exclusive...



Jokes....and some more cool photos:



Get Voting!!

MUSFLASH interview

Easy Now!

Here's an interview we did for MUSFLASH TV just before our stint at Ronnie Scotts in February! We had a wicked time at Ronnies and hopefully will be returning in July or August! Watch this space...



Other stuff we've been excited about:

Our gig supporting John Scofield at the Sage Gateshead was a success, we learnt a lot about playing on big stages and about travelling across country by train! Swansea to Newcastle!

New Albums from our Jazz Heroes! Kurt - The Remedy! the Brad trio live! and coming soon - Vijay Iyer Quartet, Tragicomic. Miguel Zenon, AWAKE!! AHHHHHH! Must get them all!

Oh...and Tillah feat. Missy H....

Empirical wid da plans!!

Yo!

We've been crazy busy since the New Year. Here's a little audio taster of whats been going down!

Now playing: Empirical

LOOK OUT!

Empirical has serious plans for 2008! Aside from all the upcoming shows - including supporting Billy Cobham at Ronnie Scotts this week (...ahhhh...) - we've been working on all aspects of our band:

Watch out for a heavy Oliver Messiaen project spear headed by Kit, taking inspiration from 'Quatour pour la fin du temps'.

Watch out for some more tunes from Eric Dolphy's 'Out to Lunch', we've got a tribute set rehearsed!

Watch out for a Cannonball Adderley tribute set, early stages but we'll keep you posted.

Watch out for some workshops, were planning a few - from "How African Music links to Jazz" to "Empirical Concepts".

Watch out for us in the Gaurdian on the 22nd of Feb and the Times later this spring!

Watch out for our increasing On-line presence, check www.soundclick.com/empirical

Listen out for us on In-tune on Radio 3 - 21st Feb

Listen out for regular live recordings.

and Get ready for a new studio recording Spring '09


It's Gonna get BIG this year.....hope everyone is along for the ride!

Exclusive Rehearsal Footage 06/2007

Yo!

Here's a little behind the scenes vibe into our rehearsals last year. We were working towards our gig at the North Sea Jazz Festival, developing some groove ideas.

This clip is from Nathaniel's Palantir, particularly the Sax solo. We were trying out going from a heavy swing in 7 to a bouncy semi quaver feel and back again. Jay and Face are out of shot (probably for the best - jokes).

Also, we're all checking Eric Dolphy 'Out to lunch'....we have a gig tomorrow at the Con cellar Bar, Camden, playing this music. Come hear our tribute to this monumental album and support a great venue in London. www.myspace.com/jazztheconcellar

Gig Diary - IAJE Toronto 09/01

Well....as we had luckily been hooked up with a British Airways flight a little later than expected, it wasn't too early a start for us. Shaney had his usual hold up with his suspicious looking cymbals at customs and then we were on the plane (along with Badbone and co). It was an 8 hour flight to Toronto in which we all watched films and ate pretty bad plane food, then on arrival we went to straight to our hotel, where we went our seperate ways for the evening to check out the city nightlife.

Other people out there who we hung with included Gwlym Simcock, Tom Cawley, Denys Baptiste, Andrew McCormack, the guys from Air (bethan and co), Helen Mayhew and lots of other guys. After a small amount of jetlagged sleep we performed at the British Showcase hosted by Courtney Pine (after Nathaniel had played with the 'Let Freedom Ring' Project). The gig was well received (I think). We played Shaney Forbes' tune 'Kite' and then Jay Phelps' 'Tyrant's Tale'.

After the performance we celebrated in traditional style (except for Jay - or Yay to his Spanish admirers - who performed with Badbone and co)...A day off ensued in which Kit played with the CUK Big Band and more sightseeing and listening, and then our longer gig. We felt we could stretch out more at this lunchtime performance and felt more comfortable and therefore a little happier with the gig. We played the same set which we won the EBU Competition with - Tyrants Tale, Dark Lady, Palantir and Blessings. It was strange to play at a 'conference' rather than a festival, but an interesting experience none the less.

Our last gig was a small club gig at the 'Academy of Spherical Arts' which ended up as a jam session for listeners and performers at the festival. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and hope to return before long.

Listening material on the trip included Vijay Iyer's 'Panoptic Modes', Keith Jarrett's 'Facing You' and Eric Dolphy's 'Out to Lunch' for our gig at the Con Cellar Bar, 28th Jan, which comprises soley of tunes from that album.

Success in Wakefield

Gig Diary - Wakefield 18/01
Category: Music

To be honest we were late meeting our driver, Nick (legend), in Lewisham on the morning of the 18th. But we left around 12 for the long old drive up to Wakefield. The journey was cool - we were checking the Art Blakey 'Jazz Icons' DVD featuring Benny Golson and a 20yr old Lee Morgan, just ridiculous.

We arrived in perfect time (thanks Nick) just as promoter and quality guy Chris arrived, excited. After some reunions between Chris and Shane, Jay and Nat, we set up, slowly as always, did a quick sound check (thanks Brian).

Chris told us he was expected a crowd, but we were in for a pleasant shock as we took the stage. It was rammed! All ages as well! All the regular Wakefield Jazz supporters plus some students for Leeds College of Music, Simon came from Manchester (on the train) Dennis Rollins from Donny, it was a wicked atmosphere.

We opened with a new Kit Downes original - 'Export' (live track coming soon) - a ballad in the Nefertitti style. The audience was fantastic - silent yet attentive, supportive and engaging. We knew were in for a good gig.

By the end of the gig, our usual 'post mortem' was put on hold, as we tried to get round a speak to everyone who had come. Man, Wakefield Jazz has some cool people in it's audiences, everyone was so supportive and took the time to say thanks, buy a Cd, get our scrawls on it - it was wicked. Thanks Everyone!!

So we packed down, slowly as always, tried to convince Face to put his horn away (even more difficult now he has a bad ass new one). Jay was bragging about heading back for some home comforts in Doncaster, sipping on his Brandy and catching up with Mr Ellis of Doncaster Youth Jazz fame, whilst we loaded up the Van for the journey back.

Another fun gig was the verdict! A long way, but worth it. Theres a real buzz at the moment - we want to say thanks to all those people who are lending us there ears!

Check some photos....