Jazz breaking news: Andrew McCormack and Jason Yarde take five at the Vortex
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Pianist Andrew McCormack and saxophonist Jason Yarde are set to perform an special concert at London’s Vortex on Friday 21 June, in celebration of their critically acclaimed recording and performing partnership that has spanned the last five years.
Having worked together under the Dune Music banner in groups including Tomorrow’s Warriors, as well as leading their own bands, the attraction of a more challenging duo lineup of saxophone and piano first brought them together for a joint concert in June 2008, and they have since won accolades for their recordings and achievements within the duo genre. They write both separately and together, and enjoy exploring fully integrated group improvisation – all of which can be heard on their two albums to date, MY Duo and Place and Other Spaces.
Both musicians are accomplished composers and have collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra as associate members of the LSO SoundHub project, the Orchestra’s initiative to support up-and-coming composers across a wide range of musical genres. The duo featured as soloists in the world premiere of Yarde’s 'Modo Hit Blow', commissioned jointly by the LSO and UBS, and their compositions also feature on the recent LSO Live release, The Panufnik Legacies. Hot on the heels of this release, the pair are planning a new album in 2014 in collaboration with the Elysian Quartet, following a successful joint concert at LSO St Luke’s in November 2012.
– John Merritt
For more info go to www.vortexjazz.co.uk