Ant Law - Riverside Yule Jazz

Ant Law

Ant Law - guitar
Terence Collie - piano
Richard Sadler - bass
Paul Cavaciuti - drums
Janet McCunn - vocals
Jenni De Vere - vocals

Terence Collie

Date - 11th December 2016
Venue - Riverside Arts Jazz, Sunbury on Thames, UK
Current album - Zero Sum World (Whirlwind Recordings 2015)

Richard Sadler

Future performance - Ant Law

December 21st, 2016 - Will Vinson/Jason Rebello 5tet @ Ronnie Scott's

December 23rd, 2016 - AL3 @ The Archduke

January 6th, 2017 - Lindsey Webster @ The Pheasantry, Chelsea

January 14th, 2017 - Tim Garland @ The Hive, Belmont (with Jason Rebello, Asaf Sirkis)

Paul Cavaciuti

Described as “An Innovator" by The Guardian, Guitarist Ant Law was a scholar at Edinburgh University and Berklee College of Music. He now lives in London and works extensively with his own quintet, as well as (Grammy-winner and Chick Corea sideman) Tim Garland's “Lighthouse" (along with Jason Rebello and Asaf Sirkis), and with saxophonist/composer Paul Riley and Trio HLK.

For those of you who like their art as much as the music then have a read of our piece about Ant Law's album artwork for Zero Sum World.

http://artofjazz.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/ant-law-iza-turska-zero-sum-world.html

Janet McCunn

Riverside Arts Jazz is a relatively new night on the London Jazz scene. Held on the first or second Sunday of the month it draws a healthy crowd from the banks of the Thames. It is run by local fixers Janet McCunn and Terence Collie, who are also responsible for the TW12 Jazz Festival and Jazz Café Posk.

www.moodindigoevents.co.uk/

Jenni De Vere

Future Jazz at Riverside Arts

8th January 2017 - Tribute to Michael Brecker

Ten years ago following a two-and-a-half year illness, Michael Brecker passed away at the age of 57 in January 2007. As a result of his stylistic and harmonic innovations, Brecker is the most influential saxophonist of the last 30 years and is among the most studied contemporary instrumentalists in music schools throughout the world today. He is also a 13-time Grammy winner. Riverside Arts Jazz pay tribute to him by playing selected tracks from his solo albums. This concert will feature self-confessed Brecker lover and brilliant tenor player Sean Freeman (Level 42).

Ant Law & Iza Turska - Zero Sum World

Front cover - Zero Sum World, Ant Law

Whether we look into a dystopian future or it's past, you can't help but teeter on the verge of discovery when you experience Ant Law's imminent release (16th Feb 2015) on Whirlwind Recordings. As ever here at AOJ we like to delve into both the music and the art that represents it visually. The artist who has drawn her inspiration from Law's new album, Zero Sum World, is the multi-talented Iza Turska. She has form with Law for it is she who created the artwork for Entanglement, his debut album in 2013.

Iza Turska

It is unsurprisingly that Iza Turska has handled Zero Sum World with such skill, she originally trained in both Product Design (BA) and Graphic Design, Painting, Drawing, Ceramics (MA) at the Wroclaw Academy of Fine Arts in Poland. The buildings we see before us on the album cover have withstood a blast that has raised the surrounding landscape to mere scattered particles. An underground world is revealed and Man metaphorically stands above the abyss. Yet there is hope, for where there is a ladder, there is the opportunity to climb up as well as down. The choice is ours.

Initial idea for Zero Sum World
copyright of Iza Turska/Ant Law

The image was developed gradually, starting off with a portfolio of ideas and styles. Iza Turska was inspired by the music itself and the title/concept behind it.  Then it was a matter of honing what they liked with a few chosen ideas being fleshed out into more powerful statements. Eventually it was the combination of shadows against the stony backdrop and warm earthy buildings that caught the discerning eye.

Ant Law explains, "We wanted the concept to come across as far as is possible without it being too obvious. I was toying with much more apocalyptic ideas too. If you listen to the title track (track one) it builds from very very sparse to total chaos and then disintegrates, which has an apocalyptic vibe. I actually was influenced heavily by Vijay Iyer's “Because Of Guns” piece."



2nd phase idea for Zero Sum World
copyright of Iza Turska/Ant Law

The title comes from the “Zero Sum Game” in mathematics (Law himself was a scholar in Physics at Edinburgh University): when the total number of points belonging to the winner added to that of the loser equals zero. As such in a zero sum world no one can profit without someone else's loss.

The music on his new release was recorded immediately after an extensive 29 date UK tour and a brief sojourn to Brazil. His band features four guiding lights in British contemporary music: Ivo Neame (piano), James Maddren (drums), Michael Chillingworth (​multiple reeds​) and Tom Farmer (bass).
Check out the official promo video for Zero Sum World - http://youtu.be/MESU1nqV1jU
The album already has a 4 star recommendation from Marlbank.

The album's 7th track, “Triviophobia” is about not taking things too seriously, in particular the arts, and especially music. It is therefore admirable that Ant Law has chosen the artwork of Iza Turska to represent his music. She treads a tightrope with his concepts, quite possibly with the serious battles we face ahead, but it is done with a simplicity in mind. It is an idea. Just one simple idea to start the thinking process.

AL.

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