aaamusic | On 06, Oct 2011

‘URBAN THEME PARK’ AUTUMN-WINTER TOUR 2011-2012

 

Julian Siegel Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet

Liam Noble Piano and Synthesizer

Oli Hayhurst Double Bass

Gene Calderazzo Drums

The Julian Siegel Quartet tours the UK in the Autumn and Winter of 2011-12 to celebrate the release of the band’s latest critically acclaimed album ‘Urban Theme Park’ released on Basho Records (SRCD 35-2)

 

With the Julian Siegel Quartet, the multi award-winning saxophonist has chosen to work with some of this generation’s most distinctive voices to create a group that is becoming one of the most in-demand quartets on the scene.

 

“When the Julian Siegel Quartet perform live it’s a fantastic ride”

Jez Nelson, BBC Radio Jazz on 3, July 2011

 

The Quartet released their second album ‘Urban Theme Park’ in April 2011, the follow up to the debut album ‘Close Up’, released in 2002 to rave reviews.

The band features inspirational pianist Liam Noble, his fluid touch and dazzling imagination perfectly complementing Siegel’s music and playing, and providing a perfect foil for the many directions the music can turn. With the creative spark of dynamic drummer Gene Calderazzo and the deep groove of bassist Oli Hayhurst dove-tailing perfectly with Siegel and Noble this is unquestionably one of the UK’s most exciting and powerful quartets. The music the band plays moves freely through varied sound-worlds and colours, from undercurrents of bop into electro-acoustic trance, from an acoustic quartet playing early-electric Miles to dancing West African drum grooves, searching ballads and joyful melodies.

 

“A dream team of London jazz talent…Urban Theme Park is a thing of charm and poise – in the best sense, a very English record. With such a knack for drawing on jazz traditions while remaining fresh and forward-looking, the Julian Siegel Quartet are the perfect illustration of why British jazz is turning heads the world over. Siegel’s tunes are a mix of fiendish, time-twisting grooves, building riffs and brightly hummable melodies, never mere blowing exercises, their through-composed nature gives them real drama and momentum.”

Edward Randell – MusicOMH

 

The Julian Siegel Quartet was one the of top UK jazz acts who toured Germany and Austria in March 2011 as part of the Brit Jazz traveling-festival put together by Burkhard Hopper, former manager of the late Esbjorn Svensson.

 

URBAN THEME PARK – Press Quotes

 

“There’s not a moment that doesn’t fizz with ingenuity and imagination.”

MOJO

“Urban Theme Park’ is darn good fun…already a major contender for album of the year and its not even spring yet” Andy Robson, Jazzwise Magazine, March 2011

 

“Oh wow! Even after a few hours’ listening to a random selection of the finest CDs of jazz music from the last 50 years or so, this disc still leaps out. It’s going to be hard to knock Urban Theme Park off the top of my “best” pile for 2011…it storms and swirls with pleasures from beginning to end”

Peter Bacon – The Jazz Breakfast May 2011

 

“Virtually unstoppable imaginative flow”

Ray Comiskey – The Irish Times, May 2011

 

“It is a rare and beautiful conflation that gives Urban Theme Park, like all Siegel’s recent work, magnetism and depth.. a magisterial studio set.”

Chris May – All About Jazz, April 2011

 

“A UK-jazz supergroup, this band sets the bar pretty high for the art of making idiomatic, eclectic contemporary jazz ” John Fordham – The Guardian, April 2011

 

 

BAND BIOGRAPHIES

 

 

JULIAN SIEGEL has established himself as a powerful player and individual writer on the flourishing UK and European Jazz Scene. He was awarded the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Instrumentalist and has just received the 2011 London Jazz Award. His varied musical life has included performances with Hermeto Pascoal, Kenny Wheeler, Andrew Hill, Django Bates, Norma Winstone, Bill Frisell, Michael Gibbs, John Taylor, Steve Swallow, Steve Lacy, Jason Yarde and Laurie Anderson. He is a member of the influential UK jazz group Partisans featuring Guitarist Phil Robson, the Julian Siegel Trio featuring U.S. improvising stars Joey Baron and Greg Cohen and Oren Marshall’s ‘Charming Transport Band’ featuring musicians from Nigeria, Ghana and London

 

“One of the UK’s most creative saxophonists” Mojo

 

“ Julian is fast becoming a national treasure of the reeds” Jez Nelson Q.E.H. London November 2009

 

“That lissome, free -wheeling saxophonist…Siegel’s wailing, swerving lines burst with character” John Fordham, The Guardian

 

“[Julian] approaches the depth and sensitivity of a Wayne Shorter or Stan Getz.” (Straight No Chaser)

 

“Great imagination” Billy Hart

 

 

LIAM NOBLE is one of the forefront modern pianists in London. His career has included recordings and performances with musicians such as Tom Rainey, Drew Gress, Phil Robson in the ‘Romance Among the Fishes’ Band, Ingrid Laubrock’s Sleepthief with Tom Rainey, Liam Noble Quintet featuring Stan Sulzmann and Chris Biscoe, Christine Tobin Band, Bobby Wellins Quartet, Moondog and Randy Brecker.

 

“Noble is a brilliant pianist…who hardly plays a solo without at least one turn of phrase that brings you to the edge of your seat” John Fordham, The Guardian

 

OLI HAYHURST is an in-demand bassist who has worked in a wide range of musical fields, playing with Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House Ensemble, the Mercury Prize nominated Zoe Rahman Trio, Koby Israelite, Bill McHenry, Tom Rainey, Jim Mullen, Gwilym Simcock, Reem Kelani, Tim Whitehead, Vanessa Mae, Cara Dillon, and Bobby Wellins

 

“Hayhurst’s probing and technically virtuoso playing was for me the highlight of the evening.” Daily Telegraph

“Good solid bass playing” Bernard Purdie

 

GENE CALDERAZZO has been a long-term resident in the UK and has played drums with Steve Lacy, Sting, Steve Grossman, Eddie Henderson, The NDR, Mike Gibbs, Bheki Mseleku, UMO Jazz Orchestra in Finland, Pharoah Sanders, James Moody, Phil Woods, Benny Golson, Ulf Wakenius, Evan Parker, Gary Husband, Wayne Krantz, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Watson, Eddie Gomez, Evan Parker, Randy Brecker, brother Joey Calderazzo, Partisans, Zoe Rahman, Phil Robson’s Six Strings and the beat and on Jonny Greenwood’s film soundtrack ‘Bodysong’.

 

“Was there ever a drummer who combined power and subtlety the way Gene Calderazzo does? He anticipates everything, he shapes the events, he stimulates and guides the soloists, he is there in every sense of the word.”

Steve Gray 2002