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Gargoyles
‘Gargoyles’ is a new duo album with Dirk Serries out now on Raw Tonk Records. Despite working together extensively in Kodian Trio and it’s off-shoot quartet with John Dikeman, this album captures our first meeting as a duo. Recorded in London last summer, the seventeen short improvisations show near-telepathic sonic interactions, veering between minimalism and noise.
“Everything is recorded in a very direct way, which makes that the music is very much in your face, but that is what makes this also quite enjoyable. This is overall an excellent improvisation duet.” – Vital Weekly
Full review by Opudvel (in Dutch)
Full review by Spontaneous Music Tribune (in Polish)
Line-up: Dirk Serries – guitar, Colin Webster – alto and baritone saxophones
Plastic Kneecap
New release on Raw Tonk Records, ‘Plastic Kneecap’ is the third album by Birchall / Cheetham / Webster / Willberg, and the first vinyl release from the label. The album was recorded in the same sessions as ‘Plastic Knuckle’ with the two side-long improvisations instantly earmarked for an LP release.
“there’s a punky energy to Plastic Kneecap, but it’s much too weird and agitated to be a blunt exercise in macho blurt.” – Stewart Smith, The Quietus (full review)
“These four musicians have energetic and outstanding playing style – it’s based on avant-garde jazz elements and free improvisation. Experimental playing techniques, unusual and weird combinations of the instruments, contrasts between opposite playing techniques, sudden stylistic turns and waves..” – Avantscena (full review)
Full review from Opduvel (in Dutch)
Full review from Spontaneous Music Tribune (in Polish)
Line-up: David Birchall – guitar, Andrew Cheetham – drums, Colin Webster – alto and baritone saxophones, Otto Willberg – double bass
Kodian Trio Tour
BRÅK Season 2
Season two of BRÅK is already underway. This season I am doing a series of duos with exceptional guitarists – Dirk Serries, Daniel Thompson, and David Birchall.
To keep up-to-date with BRÅK events head to the website: http://brakbrakbrak.co.uk/
vs Tape Loops
‘vs Loops’ is a new solo tape release on Graham Dunning’s Fractal Meat label. The album is a series of improvisations accompanied by pre-recorded cassette tape loops that were sourced from an open call for loops on the internet. Improvised music is characterised by the development of ideas through the interaction of the players. This concept is subverted on vs Loops as the tape loops are constant, unprocessed, and to some extent predictable. This presents an interesting challenge to develop music through a one-way conversation.
Loops created by: Ian Stonehouse, Phil Julian, Stephan Barrett, Marcus Hamblett, and Colin Webster.
” The loops provided by Phil Julian, Marcus Hamblett and others, are mostly atonal snippets of stacked field recordings and samples turned into concrete water wheels that cycle on while Webster filters his consciousness through the bell of a saxophone. He deploys an impressive range of sucks, kisses and harmonics alongside his usual guttural parp, switching between contrasting and mimicking the 11 tape loops on the album. It’s a hugely nifty concept, plus there’s perhaps more sonic variety on offer here than a free jazz group proper could muster.” – Tristan Bath, The Wire
Line-up: Colin Webster – alto and baritone saxophones.
Kodian Trio II
Kodian Trio’s second studio album is out now on LP and download from Trost Records. The album was recorded at the end of last year at Sunnyside Studios in Belgium.
“there is a playfulness inherent in the work that sets the Kodians apart” – Kevin Press, All About Jazz. Full review here.
Short interview with the band about the making of the record on the Badd Press blog here.
Full review from Spontaneous Music Tribune (in Polish).
Full review from Opduvel (in Dutch).
Short review from Draai Om Je Oren (in Dutch).
Short review from Free Form Free Jazz (in Portuguese).
Short review from Can This Even Be Called Music.
Line-up: Dirk Serries – electric guitar, Colin Webster – alto saxophone, Andrew Lisle – drums.
