Music
Press
'Compositionally, the record [Alpha] is hip and unpredictable...What's more the players are on the money, in particular Paul Jones - a sensitive fender rhodes player on 'True Story' or blazing like McCoy on 'Sonista'. Richard Jones is also a fine electric guitarist with chops and taste to spare...Excellent forward thinking brit jazz.' **** Tom Barlow Jazzwise Magazine - Jazzwise Magazine
"fresh material...abundant doses of elegance and refinement... confirmation of the current richness of young talents in British progressive jazz" Massimo Ricci
- Touching Extremes
"All four members of the group are established figures on the vibrant South Wales scene and play in a variety of bands but this is the combination most likely to break out and find a larger audience.The tunes feature attractive melodies and strong grooves but are also full of interesting and complex ideas. The rhythms laid down by the O’Connors speak of influences such as Polar Bear and Led Bib.... even hip-hop grooves. They lay down an awesome groove on the opening title track and maintain that kind of quality for the rest of the album. I saw the group at Brecon at the time of “Alpha” and again at Jazz In The Park this year just before this album was released. I was highly impressed on both occasions and was eagerly awaiting hearing this album. “A Crow For Every Crow” lived up to my expectations and more and deserves to put the group on the national (and maybe international) jazz map. Quirky, accessible, intelligent with a high standard of writing and playing throughout. This album deserves to put the group well and truly on the jazz map.” CRITIC RATING 4 STARS
IAN MANN 24dash.com
- 24dash.com
"Influenced by a variety of jazz sources, including European, American and British free and avant garde artists, this young Cardiff – based quartet offer a brand of dynamic and tuneful musical exploration that’s certain to appeal to established jazz audiences and more adventurous rock fans alike. The imaginative lead guitar and keys of Paul and Richard Jones ride atop the up –to-the-minute bass and drums of Mark and Chris O’Connor – no wonder they’re already veterans of the meltdown and Womad Festivals. The inventive riffs of Pumpkin and the clean, timeless stylings of Moondog exhibit the group’s potential and show exactly why the quartet has been described as “imaginative and organic” by no lesser a talent than homegrown avant garde legend, Keith Tippett.
From Cardiff to outer space and not just for Jazzers"
Musician Magazine spring 2008
- Musician Magazine
Discography
New Jazz Wales Vol 1 - 2003. (Red Eye Music Ltd)
Compilation album feat track "Snowseen"
Alpha - 2005 (Joc Records)
A Crow for every Crow - 2007 (Joc Records)
National radio airplay of tracks from both Alpha and A Crow for every Crow.
A Crow for every Crow featured on Last FM, i - Tunes and Amazon.
Photos
Bio
Based in Cardiff in South Wales, the group has recieved great praise from audiences and critics alike for their vibrant live performances and two critically acclaimed albums. The band have reached out to audiences beyond the jazz scene by virtue of the accessible musical innovation and energy their music has.
As much at home with post rock pioneers as they are with the modem wave of jazz innovators, the band moves freely between genres and draw comparison with bands such as Polar Bear, Jaga Jazzist, Led bib and The Chicago Underground players such as Jeff Parker.
All four members of the band are established performers in their own right, and have played with some of the U.K Jazz world’s biggest names.
Paul and Richard won a P.R.S. Foundation award for best-unsigned artists in 2004.
Richard, Chris and Mark all play in the Wales Jazz Composers Orchestra (alongside Huw Warren), and Paul was commissioned by the P.R.S Foundation to write them a large scale work in 2006 along with his role as Composer in Residence at the International H.S.B.C Brecon Jazz Festival 06.
Chris also leads a Brazilian folk group called Os Sambistas that features Mark and Richard, and which undertook extensive Arts Council funded tour in early 2007 featuring Bosco d'Olivera.
Paul Jones recently packed out the Wales Millennium Centre with the inaugural performance of his new piano duo with Keith Tippett (under who both he and Richard studied at the RWCMD).
Other individual performance highlights for the group include working with Jason Yarde, Jim Mullen, Bobby Wellins, Claude Deppa and Damon Brown amongst others, and playing at festivals such as the Meltdown Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, The London Jazz festival, the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, the Bath Jazz Festival, The Glastonbury Festival, The National Experimentica Festival, The Sonic Arts Expo and the Womad festival in Caceres, Spain.
“a seemingly bottomless well of resources and influences.”
Jazz Views
Links
