New Jazz Records releases Wandering Monster EP

New Jazz Records, the label run by the North's busiest musician James Hamilton, has announced its latest release - an EP by bassist Sam Quintana's Wandering Monster.

Wandering Monster is the outlet for the compositions of Leeds based double bassist Sam Quintana. Since it’s inception in the autumn of 2014 the quintet has honed and refined a sound which takes influence from the metric, off­kilter grooves of artists such as Dave Holland and Kurt Rosenwinkel, as well as the intensity of older blue note, hard­bop recordings. The band features, Andy French on tenor saxophone, Calvin Travers on guitar, Aleks Podraza on piano/keyboards and Tom Higham on drums. Also associated with projects such as Zeitgeist and Stretch Trio, these musicians are amongst the most active on the Leeds music scene.

Their debut two track EP was recorded 26 October 2015 at Leeds Fold alongside a video by Maria Alzamora. Recorded mixed and mastered by James Hamilton for New Jazz Records.

The EP will be released next week but a video, shot by Maria Alzamora, is available to watch on the New Jazz Records website.
 

NJ Advent Calendar - Video: Stretch Trio (December 23rd)

 Stretch Trio met while studying at LCoM and have won both Jazz North Introduces and the Peter Whittingham Jazz Award. This film was shot by photographer and film-maker Maria Alzamora.

  Live electronica unit, Stretch Trio, blend digital ambience and soundscapes, with driving drum & bass grooves. Blurring the line between the premeditated structure of programmed electronic music and live real-time interaction, Stretch Trio appeal to both the die-hard dance fans and astute improvised music fans. At the end of 2015, Stretch Trio will be recording their sound defining second album, to be produced by Pete Wareham. Expect fierce sub-bass, ambient effects loops and precision drum grooves that grab you by the throat.

Some Music Stories: A Photography Project

                                                                  Photo by Maria Alzamora

Barcelona-born photographer Maria Alzamora has been capturing the lives of musicians in Leeds recently, for a photography project entitled Some Music Stories.

The photographs, mainly in black and white, feature young musicians alongside quotes from them about music and what it means to them.

Music for me is all about resolution. Or not. Like some giant clockwork machine that sets the listener up, and then either takes them to exactly the climax it promises, or denies it you at the last moment. - Tom Sharp (pictured above).

Maria's work has caught the eye of the NJN team and we wanted to spread the word! You can visit the Some Music Stories website and also Maria's photography website to see more.