Myele Manzanza - Crisis & Opportunity Vol. 1 / London (April 2, 2021 DeepMatter Records)

DeepMatter are excited to announce 'Crisis & Opportunity, Vol.1 - London' by Myele Manzanza

World-renowned drummer/composer, & producer/beatmaker, Myele Manzanza, has proved that he's an artist who continues to dissolve the borders between modern jazz and electronic beat production. Having released three solo albums, and racking up tours and collaborations with Jordan Rakei, Theo Parrish, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Recloose and Amp Fiddler amongst others. Myele is already developing a strong live presence in his new London base; his quartet has shared stages with the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote, The Bad Plus, Alfa Mist, and drawing packed houses to top venues such as The Jazz Café and Ronnie Scott’s.

Tapping into the vibrant scene of his adopted home, Myele now readies his next project on DeepMatter Records.

'Crisis & Opportunity' Vol.1 - London features a top tier cast of young London based talent including Ashley Henry (piano), James Copus (trumpet), George Crowley (tenor saxophone), Benjamin Muralt (bass) and additional contributions from the legendary Mark de Clive-Lowe (synths), with Myele Manzanza (drums) captaining the ship.

Born out of Myele’s necessity to direct his creative energy in a productive direction and maintain his growth as an artist during the 2020 Covid 19 lockdown, 'Crisis & Opportunity’ is a reflection of the time we currently live in as a global society. The EP draws the global health crisis, the parallel economic crisis as a consequence of the necessary lockdowns, and the broader racial crisis brought to the forefront as a result of the death of George Floyd. Whilst it has been a difficult time for Myele Manzanza as an artist, it’s offered him opportunities to pause, reflect, and set new creative directions.

Weaving his unique blend of forward-thinking genre-bending jazz, broken beat, electronica and world music, Manzanza drives ‘Crisis & Opportunity’ through a set of original compositions inspired by the city of London which he now calls home. 

1. Big Deal 2 (Bigger Deals)

2. Portobello Superhero

3. Brixton Blues

4. London

5. Crisis & Opportunity

Drums - Myele Manzanza

Piano - Ashley Henry

Trumpet - James Copus

Tenor Saxophone - George Crowley

Bass - Benjamin Muralt

Synths - Mark de Clive-Lowe

Pre-order

Ivo Neame announces a new album with new lineup and new sound (EDITION RECORDS March 23, 2018)

NEW RELEASE

British pianist Ivo Neame announces the release of his new vibrant and progressive album 'Moksha' with new lineup and new sound.

Out 23rd March.

Available on LP, CD and DN

LISTEN BEFORE YOU BUY

IVO NEAME acoustic piano, fender rhodes,

mellotron, hammond organ, nord lead

GEORGE CROWLEY tenor saxophone

TOM FARMER acoustic bass

JAMES MADDREN drums

An innately gifted pianist, composer and bandleader, Ivo Neame has demonstrated over the last decade that he is a musician of world-class quality with a powerful spirit of adventure and exploration. He is by any measure an original and a risk-taker. With Moksha, he returns to Edition Records with an album that will define a new era for him in his already illustrious career. With a new band, a greater use of electronic keyboards and an edgier rhythmical groove and band interplay, Neame has produced his most remarkable and boldest musical statement to date.

READ MORE

George Crowley - Can of Worms (2015)

Can of Worms explores that happy and unpredictable space where written and improvised worlds collide, diving deep into group improvisations and compositions featuring taut, tense grooves, wailing sax-confessionals and all-out glorious free-jazz. Formed on a whim for a pick-up gig in early 2013, the strong sense of fun, interaction and joyous anarchy quickly convinced saxophonist and composer George Crowley that this was a project which had to happen properly. Some 18 months later the band have recorded their first full-length record of Crowley's original tunes and his second release for Whirlwind Recordings.

The album features a razor-sharp, interactive line-up of some of the most distinctive musicians on the burgeoning London scene. Crowley is joined by a fellow tenor saxophonist and close musical ally in the Loop Collective's Tom Challenger (Brass Mask, Dice Factory), while the rhythm duties are performed by Dan Nicholls (Strobes, Vula Viel), Sam Lasserson (Jeff Williams, Julian Argüelles) and Jon Scott (Kairos Quartet, Mulatu Asktake) with an alluring combination of precision and flexibility, order and chaos.

The resulting music is uncompromising yet warm and playful. Following hot on the heels of Crowley’s quartet debut, Paper Universe (Whirlwind 2012), Can of Worms features seven colorful new originals which gives this impressive band— and its leader— ample room to shine. Crowley’s floating introduction cues up ‘The Opener’, leading to a coruscating group theme which gives way to the first of many purposeful and inventive solos from Dan Nicholls. Elsewhere ‘Ubiquitous Up Tune in 3’ explores more familiar melodic territory with passion and intensity; 'Rum Paunch’ sees the group taking a delicate, fractured blues-like theme into searing improv while ‘Terminal’ has a glorious anthemic quality with searing solos from both tenor players and some hard grooving wurlitzer from Nicholls, underpinned by buoyant support from Lasserson and Scott. All of this takes the listener on a journey where unexpected delights litter the way.

If Crowley’s debut Paper Universe signaled his arrival as a performer and composer, Can of Worms represents a development, a shift in gears which is arresting and entertaining in equal measure.

George Crowley - tenor saxophone

Tom Challenger - tenor saxophone

Dan Nicholls - piano

Sam Lasserson - double bass

Jon Scott - drums

Recorded at Fish Market Studios, London

Mixed by Alex Bonney

Mastered by Peter Beckmann

Produced by George Crowley

Executive Producer - Michael Janisch

1. The Opener

2. Whirl

3. Ubiquitous Up Tune In 3

4. Rum Paunch

5. I’m Not Here To Reinvent The Wheel

6. Terminal

7. T-Leaf

BUY THIS ALBUM!!!

Domi