No Now is So

[Alexander Hawkins]

Yeah! Weirdly, I wrote the first version of that piece before I'd ever heard GTM...I did toy with not putting that track on the album - 'anxiety of influence'-type stuff - but I figured that in any case, it's an interesting musical language to explore...

[coreymwamba]

Damn it, I need to get my copy. But Derby only has one record shop and I don't do credit cards! But will seek and find... good to see you getting the praise you deserve!

C.

[coreymwamba]

The first time I heard Orphy play steel pan, he was actually playing standards...but interesting things, including 'Little B's Poem', 'Gazzelloni' etc...this was what made me think what an amazing tone colour could be outside the traditional calypso-type setting! Pretty scary in many ways seeing him tear through a tune like the Dolphy actually on just the single pan! There's also a really nice pan player actually with Courtney Pine's 'Afropeans' band at the moment...name escapes me...Samuel Dubois perhaps?

It is Samuel Dubois.

OR's pan is made by a renegade pan maker called Aubrey - it's chromatic [which almost all other pans are not] and the guy was almost ostracised by the rest of the pan-making community for creating it! Talk about diablo in musica... I remember him showing it to me in January - it's a work of art.

I've noticed you do Paypal... the album buying can now happen sooner...

[Alexander Hawkins]

Another review just in at Point of Departure - just scroll down! I still have copies

[p.s. for those in the UK, we have the 'official' album launch at the Vortex on Monday!]

[JohnS]

Nice review in Jazz Journal too

[Alexander Hawkins]

Cheers John - I didn't know about that one! Just dropped you a PM..!

[JohnS]

Nice review in Jazz Journal too

And another in Jazzwise

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thank John! Also, another one just in at AAJ.

[A Lark Ascending]

I've been trying to order this from FMR, Alex, but their website insists I am not using the right currency even though I press the UK option, put a in UK address and can see a UK price in my basket!

Clearly something is not formatted correctly. Might be costing you sales.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Bev - thank you for letting me know - have sent you a PM!

Another nice review just in at AAJ about our launch gig...

Edited September 5, 2009 by Alexander Hawkins

[PHILLYQ]

I'm pleased to say I have a new one...it's on FMR Records - FMRCD270-0209.

This is my sextet, featuring Orphy Robinson, steel pan; Otto Fischer, guitar; Hannah Marshall, 'cello; Dominic Lash, double bass; Javier Carmona, drums; and myself on piano.

Mostly original compositions, but some free improvisations, and two 'covers': Wadada Leo Smith's 'Nuru Light' and Sun Ra's 'Love in Outer Space'.

You can listen to one of the originals (Cowley Road Strut) and the Sun Ra here.

I'm not entirely sure how to post an image, but I'm delighted with the artwork, featuring photographs by my brother...anyway, the front cover is on show here and here.

I hope to post reviews here as and when they arrive.

I'm not sure when these will arrive 'online', but I hope to have my copies tomorrow, and of course if anybody would like a copy now, I'd be delighted to send one. They're going for £10 or $15 each. Please PM me if interested! I'll do the P+P for free.

I also still have some copies of The Convergence Quartet's first album available (info here, reviews here), so for a short while if anyone's interested, I'd be happy to do both for £16/$24.

Cheers!

Alex

hello Alex,

Is this deal above still good? If so, send me a PM and I'll paypal you the $$

[Alexander Hawkins]

Sure! PM sent - thank you for the interest!

[A Lark Ascending]

CD arrived today and have just given it a spin.

Really like it - a wonderful variety of sound and approaches across the tracks. Loved 'Old Time Folk Music From Oxford' (made me think of Jaki Byard on those '64 Mingus discs where he moves effortlessly between genres) and the lovely Sun Ra track that follows. Very interesting guitar - in fact one of the things that I liked throughout was the very loose feel to the music...a lovely, organic sound (when I bet it took great discipline to pull it together). And the steel pan just adds a very distinctive side without ever approaching the standard sound you tend to hear whenever one is featured.

This will get lots of plays - well done Alex and fellow musicians. Time to gig a bit further northwards!

(Edit: Just read Clifford's review...it wasn't just me who thought Byard on that track!)

Edited September 9, 2009 by Bev Stapleton

[Alexander Hawkins]

Hi Bev,

Thank you so much for the kind words - really glad you like it! Yes, really hope I can organise to gig it a bit further northwards next year...I hadn't stopped to think, but we have been shamefully parochial thus far - all gigs within striking distance of London, even though we have played a fair bit, so I really must rectify that..!

[mjazzg]

My copy of this just arrived and after two listens I have to say I find this is an impressively realised and very original release. The sound of the steel pan is nothing like I'd imagined as the way it's played reminds me more of a marimba and provides a fascinating counterpoint to the piano. The overall sound reminds me of Henry threadgill's sextett - now I know that was a band with 'blown' instruments but somehow the swaying gait of the rhythms of this band's sound reignites memories of Threadgill's equally idiosyncratic soundscsapes. Maybe it's the cello, after all Deidre Murray was a very important element of the sound of that Sextett.

Hey, i can't write about music nearly as well as i can listen to it and no way as well as others can play it. Suffice to say that this is a disc I'm very pleased to own. Thanks Alex for getting the band and music together.

Having missed your recent Vortex gig can I put in a plea for more parochialism, please

[papsrus]

My copy of this just arrived and after two listens I have to say I find this is an impressively realised and very original release. The sound of the steel pan is nothing like I'd imagined as the way it's played reminds me more of a marimba and provides a fascinating counterpoint to the piano. The overall sound reminds me of Henry threadgill's sextett - now I know that was a band with 'blown' instruments but somehow the swaying gait of the rhythms of this band's sound reignites memories of Threadgill's equally idiosyncratic soundscsapes. Maybe it's the cello, after all Deidre Murray was a very important element of the sound of that Sextett.

Hey, i can't write about music nearly as well as i can listen to it and no way as well as others can play it. Suffice to say that this is a disc I'm very pleased to own. Thanks Alex for getting the band and music together.

Having missed your recent Vortex gig can I put in a plea for more parochialism, please

I'm eagerly awaiting my copy, and enjoyed reading your impressions.

And welcome, mjazzg!

[Chuck Nessa]

Not that I've heard many new releases this year (or wanted them), this is my favorite followed by the Josh Berman disc.

Anyone with ears for the late 20th and early 21st centuries should buy it.

[papsrus]

Exhilarating!

I received my copy yesterday (thank you!) and have just finished a second spin. This is a real gem. So many melodic and rhythmic things happening here, and it all unfolds so organically, quite beautifully. The instrumentation is brilliant; the music expansive and rich, mysterious and seductive.

I am not -- for better or worse -- familiar with the Sun Ra piece, but the performance here is really quite something. I must get round to the man from Saturn someday.

Well done indeed, Alexander.

[A Lark Ascending]

Good to read the piece in Jazzwise about you, Alex. Law and criminology, eh? You could be put to good use here.

And what's all this about having a thing about Jarrett/Evans imitators?

[medjuck]

Probably stupidity on my part but I can't figure out from your website how to order the disc. Help please.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Probably stupidity on my part but I can't figure out from your website how to order the disc. Help please.

Will send a PM! You're right - I need to make it clearer!

[Alexander Hawkins]

My copy of this just arrived and after two listens I have to say I find this is an impressively realised and very original release. The sound of the steel pan is nothing like I'd imagined as the way it's played reminds me more of a marimba and provides a fascinating counterpoint to the piano. The overall sound reminds me of Henry threadgill's sextett - now I know that was a band with 'blown' instruments but somehow the swaying gait of the rhythms of this band's sound reignites memories of Threadgill's equally idiosyncratic soundscsapes. Maybe it's the cello, after all Deidre Murray was a very important element of the sound of that Sextett.

Hey, i can't write about music nearly as well as i can listen to it and no way as well as others can play it. Suffice to say that this is a disc I'm very pleased to own. Thanks Alex for getting the band and music together.

Having missed your recent Vortex gig can I put in a plea for more parochialism, please

Not that I've heard many new releases this year (or wanted them), this is my favorite followed by the Josh Berman disc.

Anyone with ears for the late 20th and early 21st centuries should buy it.

Exhilarating!

I received my copy yesterday (thank you!) and have just finished a second spin. This is a real gem. So many melodic and rhythmic things happening here, and it all unfolds so organically, quite beautifully. The instrumentation is brilliant; the music expansive and rich, mysterious and seductive.

I am not -- for better or worse -- familiar with the Sun Ra piece, but the performance here is really quite something. I must get round to the man from Saturn someday.

Well done indeed, Alexander.

Sorry to be slow to respond - been away from the computer for a bit this week!

Just to say - thank you so much for the kind words. It means a lot to have people check your stuff out, and to have it enjoyed is even better - so THANK YOU!

[Alexander Hawkins]

Good to read the piece in Jazzwise about you, Alex. Law and criminology, eh? You could be put to good use here.

And what's all this about having a thing about Jarrett/Evans imitators?

Thanks Bev! Yeah...but you know, wanted to choose the more lucrative career path, so...

Yes, I don't think I quite explained myself terribly well with that comment...I was trying to comment on that very 'schooled' type of playing that seems to come out of a lot of the 'official' music colleges...the very rigidly chord/scale thing...but I probably should have tried to take a few more words to explain what I was thinking! [FWIW - I really can't get the hang of Jarrett, and must admit, don't really have the will to try - not wanting to 'start' anything(!), but just not interested, personally...but Bill Evans I love!]

Edited September 25, 2009 by Alexander Hawkins

[mjazzg]

I listened to No Now is so again last night as I have on regular occasions over the last few weeks and each time it reveals new depths. It really is shaping up to be one of the very most interesting releases of the year for me. It would appear that on each listen a different track comes to the fore - last night the sheer joy of Cowley Road Strut had me smiling ear-to-ear. It strikes me that not only are the original compositions so strong they are very selflessly arranged so that full talents of each of this unusual ensemble are able to emerge.

So if it's slipped off your playlist I reccomend giving another spin and if it's not got to your playlist and you're interested in adventurous but accessible music, try it!

Alex - your website mentions a BBC session, any idea of a broadcast date. Also, any more live dates for the Ensemble?

[Alexander Hawkins]

Thank you for that - I'm really flattered

No broadcast for the BBC session yet, but it's shaping up to be January, we think...I've been listening to the takes today actually...very excited by it. Really quite different versions of the tunes from the album, plus some new things I'm really enthused by...will let people know here when we do have a broadcast date!

Live dates - nothing in the book yet...I'm working on perhaps a tour for next year...it can be quite a mission to get 6 busy guys together for rehearsals etc., so I like to get a few at a time...but I'm really keen to get it together ASAP...like I say, I'm excited by the new material, so would like to gig it some more ASAP! Will of course report back when I have some dates in the book...