SECollective website!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

The SECollective are very pleased to be launching our new website!

For news, reviews, audio, video, listings and more head over to http://se-collective.co.uk to peruse everything SECollective! We’ll be adding to the site over time so be sure to check back regularly to see what’s going on. Also, if you’ve missed the opportunity to buy any of the albums recorded by our various members you can now visit our online music stall! We’d also like to wish our blogspot blog all the best for its upcoming retirement…

To find out what’s going on next Tuesday and beyond you’ll need to check out the new site, go on, you know you want to!

http://se-collective.co.uk

Tuesday 4th February: Will Butterworth Quartet

Apologies for any confusion caused by the mail-out last week: The Will Butterworth Quartet will in fact be performing at the Amersham tomorrow evening, Tuesday the 4th of February 2014 (so it'll be a lot easier to go and enjoy the gig than having to build a time machine to go back to last week...)

Will Butterworth Quartet

Will Butterworth – Piano

Seb Pipe – Alto Saxophone

Nick Pini – Double Bass

Peter Ibbetson – Drums

The quartet will play Will's music based on Oscar Wilde's children's story 'The Nightingale and the Rose' and will feature Seb Pipe on Alto Saxophone. This suite of music uses Will's tunes as starting points for improvisation, to re-tell Wilde's story of love and sacrifice, and (might) come to a dramatic crescendo as the final song of the Nightingale is performed.

We’ll be kicking the night off at 8.30, entry is just £5, with the story unfolding from 9pm! See you all next Tuesday…

Tuesday 4th February: Will Butterworth Quartet

Will Butterworth – Piano

Seb Pipe – Alto Saxophone

Nick Pini – Double Bass

Peter Ibbetson – Drums

(Spot the deliberate mistake! Anyone who read this yesterday may have feared the SECollective are stuck in some sort of jazz groundhog day...for the sake of avoiding any further confusion the Will Butterworth Quartet will be performing next tuesday, the 4th of February, not this Tuesday past)

Filipe Monteiro had the Amersham back room absolutely rocking this week with his distinctively South American-tinged and hugely personal music, thanks to all those who beat the rain and joined us for a cracking night! Next week we are welcoming pianist Will Butterworth with his SE-London quartet to play music very much inspired on this side of the Atlantic…

Will Butterworth Quartet

The quartet will play Will's music based on Oscar Wilde's children's story 'The Nightingale and the Rose' and will feature Seb Pipe on Alto Saxophone. This suite of music uses Will's tunes as starting points for improvisation, to re-tell Wilde's story of love and sacrifice, and (might) come to a dramatic crescendo as the final song of the Nightingale is performed.

We’ll be kicking the night off at 8.30, entry is just £5, with the story unfolding from 9pm! See you all next Tuesday…

Tuesday 28th January: Filipe Monteiro Quintet

Filipe Monteiro – Guitar

Alam Nathoo – Saxophones

Sam Leak – Piano

Fergus Ireland – Bass

Pedro Segundo – Drums

This week saw Loz Speyer and co. vividly portray various beasts from the animal kingdom (amongst other things), and a lot of fun it was too! Thanks to all those who made it down. Next week Filipe Monteiro will be evoking warmer climes with jazz inspired by his native homeland…

Filipe Monteiro Quintet

Brazilian guitarist Filipe Monteiro leads a talented quintet through his original compositions – inspired by “Musica Gaucha’ (the music of Southern Brazil), jazz and groove music. Filipe’s music combines simple melodies recalling his native folk music with all the slickness and sophistication of modern jazz. The quintet will be performing material from his new album In Bad Company:

“A highly enjoyable listen, an amazingly polished debut that is somehow irresistible, with sophisticated harmonies, melodies and rhythms, filled with charm and wit, as well as memorable tunes and some very Brazilian grooves.” – Rain Loire’s World of Music

“A lovely selection of compositions, beautifully played” – John Parricelli

For more info, check out Filipe’s website:

www.filipemonteiro.com

We’ll be welcoming you in to the now positively toasty backroom from 8.30 (did we mention the new heaters?!), £5-entry, with the bar open until midnight…oh, and tasty burgers available for £not-a-lot until 9pm for the early birds! See you down at the Amersham…

Tuesday 21st January: Inner Space Music

Loz Speyer – trumpet, flugelhorn

Chris Biscoe - alto sax, alto clarinet

Rachel Musson - tenor/soprano sax

Olie Brice - double bass

Simon Roth – drums

The New Year is now in full swing and we’re kicking off our programme in earnest this week with the prolific Loz Speyer – who brings a quintet of playful adventurers to our Amersham stage, enjoy!

Inner Space Music

Following in the musical footsteps of the likes of Mingus, Ornette, Steve Lacy, Inner Space Music takes improvisational music into new territory. Compositions such as Rocket Science and From A to B to Infinity play around with a combination of fast time, slow time and free time, as a flexible framework for improvising, exploring that fine line between structure and freedom that is such a central theme in the jazz tradition.

"Serious fun of the first order - highly recommended!" - Mike Butler, Metro, CD review

"There was something utterly warm and personal about this gig, and very moving. Even though the leader’s trumpet was often to the fore, his role seemed as much to create situations that forced the band to think on their feet or to stitch together different fragments of a tune with frantic signaling as the moment dictated..." - Mike Collins, live review, Bristol gig 2011

"One of the happiest evenings I've heard in jazz for many a long night. Like all the best innovators, they're hard to categorise. I haven’t heard a band who made my feet itch so much I wanted to get up and dance, though the shifting time signatures and floating bar-lines of their rhythms might make it a bit difficult... Music as rare as this defies description. Go along and see them! Or get their forthcoming CD...” - Karl Dallas, the Morning Star, Halifax gig 2005

You can get a sneak preview of the band via these videos:

Rocket Science - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ5nzeM5Wqw

Tip of the Iceberg - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT11mrmIILA

Deep Sea Spirit - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DjJqh7a5SI

The Tiger - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dycakVGYbao

For more info, check out:

www.lozspeyer.com

As ever, doors open at 8.30, £5-in, with the well-stocked bar open ‘til midnight…see you there next Tuesday!

Tuesday 14th January: New Year Jam Session

Alam Nathoo – Tenor Saxophone

Martin Kolarides – Guitar

Arthur Lea – Piano

Matt Ridley – Bass

Pete Ibbetson – Drums

We are back! After a well-earned festive rest we’re ready to blow away the cobwebs and get the new year properly under way – and what better way to beat the winter blues than with a swingin’ jam session? Featuring a house band of the SECollective’s finest you’re warmly invited to join us on stage to give those rusty holiday chops a good oiling!

We’ll be basking in the tropical warmth of the new Amersham Arms heaters from 8.30, £5-in, with the Jam going until late... just remember: Jazz is for life, not just for Christmas, so start the year as you mean to go on…See you next Tuesday down at The Amersham!

Tuesday 17th December: Xmas Jam Session FREE ENTRY!

HOUSE BAND

Sam Bullard - saxophones

Arthur Lea - piano

Marcus Penrose - bass

Pat Davey - drums

After a great gig from Ryan Trebilcock's 'Holler' last week we're back for a Festive special occasion to mark our Last Gig of the Year...

It's been a whirlwind of a 12 months, we've had so much great talent and awesome music, it's been truly incredible. 

So to mark the passing of the year, this Tuesday we will hosting an open jam session, featuring a house band of SE Collective original members. And just because it's Christmas we thought we'd make it a Freebie!

So start celebrating early, grab your horn, axe, microphone, costume... or just grab a drink at the bar, kick back with the Amersham's plush NEW HEATING SYSTEM, and enjoy a cosy crimbo playalong!

Be warned, there may even be some giveaway Mince Pies...

Tuesday 10th December: Holler

Ryan Trebilcock – Double Bass

Lewis Wright – Vibraphone

Hannes Riepler – Guitar

Tim Giles – Drums

George Crowley - Clarinet / Tenor Saxophone

Arthur Lea gave the SECollective piano a thorough workout down at the Amersham Arms this week performing two intimate sets of trio music, thanks to those who made it down! Next week we’re very excited to be welcoming back one of the most exciting and absorbing ensembles on the London scene…

Holler

Formed by bassist Ryan Trebilcock, Holler combines some of the hottest young talent from the London scene playing Trebilcock’s hypnotic, labyrinthine originals, intense grooves and raw, assertive improvising. Featuring Ryan Trebilcock (double bass, compositions), MOBO award-winning Empirical member Lewis Wright (vibraphone), the brilliant Hannes Riepler (guitar), Joshua Morrison (drums) and George Crowley (clarinet / tenor saxophone).

Trebilcock’s writing for Holler combines influences as diverse as Hendrix, Steve Reich, John Hollenbeck and many more; this promises to be a fascinating and absorbing evening of new music!

http://www.whirlwindrecordings.com/ryan-trebilcock/

As usual, doors open at 8:30 with music from 9pm; entry is a mere £5.

See you down at The Amersham!

Tuesday 3rd December: The Way That You Do It

Arthur Lea - Piano

Henrik Jensen - Bass

Pete Ibbetson - Drums

George Crowley and co. beat away the post-jazz-festival-blues with aplomb this week, playing two storming sets of atmospheric originals and inspired repertoire from the jazz canon. Our new piano also got another workout – and it’ll be back in action again this week courtesy of one of the SECollective’s original and best...

The Way That You Do It

The Way That You Do It are a 21^st century piano trio playing a collection of quirky London riffs, elegant Danish ballads and burning northern bop. Arthur Lea fronts this ever-dynamic ensemble, together with two of his most long-standing co-conspirators. Featuring...

'21st Century Thelonious Monk' on piano (John Fordham)

'absorbing and inventive' basslines (thejazzmann.com)

+

'drummer of the future' (Jazzwise)

Acknowledging tradition with a smile, originals to keep you on your toes, and to keep your toes tapping. Sometimes with guests of the UK jazz glitterati!

You can preview the band via their Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/thewaythatyoudoit

We’ll be there from 8.30, with tickets £5 on-the-door, come and join us down at The Amersham Arms!

Tuesday 26th November: George Crowley Quintet

George Crowley / Tom Challenger - Saxophones

Dan Nicholls - Piano

Sam Lasserson - Double Bass

Dave Smith - Drums

The dust is finally settling on the hugely successful 2013 EFG London Jazz Festival – thanks to all who supported the three SECollective nights that we put on last week, we really couldn’t have done it without you! Thanks must also go to all the musicians that joined us in making it such a wonderful celebration of our local scene; the future is indeed bright!

And so the show must go on – and thankfully we’ve saved a little post-festival treat for you! This Tuesday evening (TOMORROW!) we are delighted to be welcoming one of London’s finest upcoming saxophonists: George Crowley – who will be ably supported by some of the most in demand creative players in Britain. Come and check it out!

George Crowley Quintet

A newish project from saxophonist and composer Crowley, this quintet play original music with an emphasis on open, interactive improvising and fun, influenced by a range of things from doleful drunken blues to taught, frenetic grooves. Completed by the brilliant and individual musical personalities of  Tom Challenger (Outhouse, Brass Mask), Dan Nicholls (Strobes, Nostalgia 77, Zhenya Strigalev / Eric Harland), Sam Lasserson (Jeff Williams, Martin Speake) and on this occasion Dave Smith (Outhouse, Cloudmakers, Robert Plant) this band promises to bring an immersive and exciting night of music!

As ever, we’ll be opening up the backroom from 8.30pm, with tickets just £5 on-the-door, a fine selection of beers available form the bar (open ‘til 12) and the new SECollective piano to listen to! See you there…

Thursday 21st November: Draw By Four + Pickpocket + Late Jam Session

Within the blink of an eye we’ve reached the final day of the SECollective festival-within-the-festival. So far we’ve been treated to a veritable smorgasbord of contemporary jazz; be it the lush woodwind orchestrations of People & Places, the polyrhythmic pulse of Dice Factory, Acrobat’s subtle yet stylish funk or Arthur Lea’s down-home blues.

For our final night we’re cranking the voltage right up with a full-on analogue assault of Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, crackling drums and pumping bass – and some great tunes as well! Not to mention our late ‘n’ Live Jam session in the front bar where we’ll be swinging away until 2am – don’t forget to bring your horns and axes so you can come and join us for a play until the wee small hours!

Here’s what’s going down…

Draw By Four

Jon Shenoy - Saxophones

Kristian Borring - Guitar

Will Bartlett - Organ

Dave Hamblett - Drums

With a line-up steeped in tradition, Draw By Four take the classic 60’s organ quartet into brand new territory where the compositions from leader Jon Shenoy (Ivo Neame Large Ensemble) mix contrapuntal bass lines and rhythmic hooks with thoughtful lyricism. Mixing stark ethereal voices with gritty Hammond boogaloo, organist Will Bartlett (Cliff Richard) draws on a wide palette of sounds that build the foundation for an infectious mix of groove-based original compositions, enchanting ballads and unique arrangements of avant-pop songs.

https://soundcloud.com/draw-by-four

Pick-Pocket

Ian Bumstead - Tenor Saxophone

Tom White - Trombone

Steve Pringle - Fender Rhodes

Spencer Brown - Double Bass

Jon Scott - Drums

Surreptitiously pilfering through the musical baggage, the fast-fingered SE-London quintet Pickpocket combine edgy grooves and sinuous lines amid sonorous free-improv with an almost criminal abandon. More artful than Artful Dodger, structured simplicity brushes against anarchic freedom, where dissonant vamps casually disappear into distant harmonious sequences. With a veiled nod in the directions of Dave Holland, Mark Turner and David Binney, dexterous misdirection is the name of the game, no matter how deep the pocket.

Late ‘n’ Live Jam Session (free entry)

Hosted by Arthur Lea, you’re invited to come and join us for a play late into the night. Bring your horns and axes, or recline at the bar and let the good times roll.

Wednesday 20th November: Acrobat + Dice Factory

A warm and welcoming crowd were beguiled by musical tales from far and wide last night courtesy of Sam Bullard, Arthur Lea and their respective bands – as well as being treated to hearing the SECollective piano for the very first time! Thank you to all at the gig for making it a really great start to our SE-jazz-festival-within-the-jazz-festival.

Tonight we’re continuing with a very special line-up: we’ll be hearing sets from SECollective lynchpins Acrobat along with the lesser-spotted Dice Factory – truly one of the London jazz scene’s hidden treasures.

As ever, doors open at 8.30, entry is just £5 and we’ll be hanging out ‘til the bar closes at midnight! See you there…

Acrobat

Kristian Borring - Guitar

Will Bartlett - Organ

Pat Davey - Drums

+ Tomas Challenger - Tenor Saxophone

Acrobat is a London-based Jazz organ trio, founded in 2008 by its three members. The warmth and presence of the classic organ/guitar groups are heard alongside new textures and stylish improvising. Compelling grooves and melodic clarity invite the listener inside one of the most exciting sounds in Jazz today. Collective effort is the key in Acrobat. All members contribute compositions, before spending time arranging and work-shopping the material together to create a sound that is original to Acrobat. This subtle, supportive interaction allows the music to grow from sparse colours and intimate dialogues to rugged sounds with electrifying solos: an evolving and involving experience.

For this performance Acrobat are very excited to be joined on stage by guest artist Tomas Chalenger.

http://acrobattrio.com

Dice Factory

Tomas Challenger - Saxophone

Dan Nicholls - Piano

Tom Farmer - Bass

Jon Scott - Drums

Musical decisions made by rolling dice to determine structural events, then lived through for periods of time. Digitally-inspired sparse grooves of prepared piano, staccato sax overtones, broken beats, and tricky meters create a charismatic shifting, polyrhythmic pulse.

http://babel-label.bandcamp.com/album/dice-factory

Tuesday 19th November: People & Places + Wandering Stories

We’re kicking off our three-day festival-within-a-festival down at The Amersham TONIGHT with a splendid double-bill! Featuring music from SECollective maestros Sam Bullard and Arthur Lea, with a host of other local collaborators, it promises to be a wonderful evening of music inspired by travels both distant and more close to home…

Doors open at 8.30 with music from 9pm, and don’t forget we’re running a 3-day Festival Special: all 3 gigs this week for just £10! We look forward to seeing you down in New Cross this evening!

Sam Bullard's People & Places

Sam Bullard - Saxophones/Bass Clarinet

Dave Manington - Bass

John Blease - Drums

Mick Foster - Saxophones/Clarinet/Flute

George Hogg - Trumpet/Flugelhorn

Tom White - Trombone

Sam Bullard’s flexible ensemble morphs from classical quartet to improvising jazz trio and sextet with consummate ease. Chorales contrast with free improvisations, Latin grooves contrast with driving swing and brooding ballads.

Arthur Lea's Wandering Stories

Arthur Lea - Piano/Vocals

Alam Nathoo - Saxophone

Henrik Jensen - Bass

John Blease - Drums

Arthur Lea has been hammering honky tonks since his hands could first reach the keys. He sings a retro brand of rhythm n blues, irregular riffs, and southern soul. Think Professor Longhair with Blue Note oil - songs that travel from New Orleans to Nashville to New York to New Cross Gate.

http://www.arthurlea.co.uk

Also this week: 

Wednesday 20^th November: Acrobat + Dice Factory 

Thursday 21^st November: Draw By Four + Pickpocket + Late Jam Session