Quadraceratops
Author: Selwyn Harris
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Musicians: |
Dave O'Brien (Fender Rhodes, p) |
Label: |
Efpi Records |
Magazine Review Date: |
October/2014 |
Catalogue Number: |
FP020 |
RecordDate: |
April 2014 |
Take your eyes off the action on the young jazz scene for one moment and a whole load of new faces appear. The tongue-twisting Quadraceratops (message to new bands: please stop using your old maths textbooks for inspiration) is one of a new generation of bands run by Northamptonshire-born, London-based alto and baritone saxophonist Cath Roberts. She formed the septet in 2011 for her Masters recital at the Guildhall. Since July 2013 Roberts has also been co-promoting ‘Lume’, a platform for live new music in venues in east London, which includes a new autumn residency at Dalston's Vortex Jazz club. The line-up includes keyboardist Dave O'Brien of the very promising skronky electric jazz outfit Porpoise Corpus who recorded an excellent album for F-ire's offshoot label in 2007 then seemed to disappear. Roberts is a self-confessed fan of O'Brien's band and her ensemble septet favour the restlessly energetic, electric riff-y, free-skronk of Brit bands such as World Service Project and Led Bib. But although these elements are ever-present in the sound, Roberts also reveals a more graceful, lyrical side to her ensemble writing and arrangements, giving the impression of someone also well acquainted with the more pastoral, cool chamber-symphonic side of contemporary post-bop, with names such as Kenny Wheeler and Mike Gibbs coming to mind. It's all crafted together organically though, and Roberts looks a very promising addition to the new scene.

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