Showing posts with label Ben Lowman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Lowman. Show all posts

Sunday, 11 December 2016

NJN Jazz Advent Calendar - Perpetual Motion Machine (Dec 11th)


Behind door number 11 is an ensemble that have been hard at work in 2016. With an unusual line-up of two guitars, two tenors, bass and drums, the group have developed a unique sound with their take on pop songs and originals.

Check out this video of the band playing their tune, The Cut -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txP3QFY8cWw&t=9s

Perpetual Motion Machine is a six piece band comprising of jazz musicians from across Yorkshire and beyond. It features 2 guitarists (Sam Dunn and Jamie Taylor), which is what gives this ensemble its unique quality, as they are able to explore a more diverse range on the instrument that only having a single player would not allow. The rest of the band has a more traditional feel to the line up. Two Saxophones (Riley Stone-Lonergan and Ben Lowman) as well as some other woodwind instruments including Bass Clarinet, Electric Bass (Garry Jackson) and Drums/Percussion (Steve Hanley).

The group first got together back at the start on 2016 to experiment with the idea of having the two guitars working side by side, and it quickly became a regular rehearsing outfit, taking already established pop songs (Black Star by the late David Bowie / Here comes the flood by Peter Gabriel) and deconstructing them to form new arrangements. Two original compositions swiftly followed written by Sam, which the band recorded in August to be released as videos. Over the subsequent months more originals were bought to rehearsals from the rest of the band which now make up the majority of the music the band perform.

A national uk tour is in the final planning stages for the ensemble throughout early September 2017 to help promote the Album "IGNITION", which they are recording in January at Rebel Elements Studio in Ilkley, West Yorkshire under the watchful eyes and ears of engineer Sam Hobbs. A short teaser clip for the band was also recently released on youtube to help promote the forthcoming album. 


Friday, 21 October 2016

Gig Preview: Perpetual Motion Machine at Heart, October 22nd


This month's Jazz at Heart gig features Perpetual Motion Machine, an all-star band put together earlier this year.

From the jazz at heart website...

Performing at Heart for the first time, Perpetual Motion Machine are a 6 piece contemporary jazz ensemble, comprising of some of the North of England's finest improvising musicians.
PMM play their own original music; a dynamic mixture of jazz, rock, funk and ambient soundscapes, with an energy and dynamism that will have you on the edge of your seat.

It's a band of familiar faces in a brand new line-up - Sam Dunn and Jamie Taylor on guitars, Ben Lowman and Riley Stone-Lonergan on tenors, Garry Jackson on bass and Steve Hanley on drums. 

The gig starts at 7.30pm and tickets can be purchased on the Heart website or on the door for £10/6 concessions. If you'd like a taster, click here to watch the band's new video - The Cut.

Monday, 20 April 2015

Gig Preview: Matt Roberts plays Fats Navarro at Heart, 25th April


Jazz at Heart presents: Matt Roberts plays Fats Navarro
Saturday 25th April 
HEART Arts Centre, Bennett Road, Leeds
7.30pm
£8/6

When not busy touring with bands like Gentleman's Dub Club, Everything Everything and Paloma Faith or leading his own big band, trumpeter Matt Roberts has found some time to work on the music of Fats Navarro for his upcoming gig at HEART on April 26th.

Navarro was known for his work with big band leaders including Benny Goodman, Billy Eckstine and Lionel Hampton and recorded with luminaries like Charlie Parker, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Bud Powell and Illinois Jacquet. This impressive CV is made even more so by the fact that Navarro died tragically young, aged only 26.

Matt will be joined by Matt Anderson (tenor), Ben Lowman (alto), Sam Watts (piano), Sam Gardner (drums) and Simon Read (double bass).