Aspyrian - The Pheasantry (Pizza Express Chelsea)

Aspyrian
Robin Porter
Jack Gillen
Matt Parkinson
https://aspyrianmusic.bandcamp.com/music

14th June 2023
The Pheasantry (Pizza Express Chelsea)

to explore (vol. 1)’ is the debut album from London-based trio, ‘Aspyrian’, featuring long-standing friends and collaborators Robin Porter on tenor and soprano saxophone, Jack Gillen on guitar and Matt Parkinson on drums. The album title is the translation of the band name – an old English word – and reflects the band’s approach to playing and creating music together. Whilst this particular ensemble only formed in 2021, the relationship that binds these three musicians has been nurtured in a range of other musical contexts since they met at Leeds Conservatoire over ten years ago. The result is a shared musical language that allows the trio to interact on a profound level.

All seven tracks on the album are original compositions – three written by Robin and four by Matt – which collectively exhibit a broad range of styles. Make no mistake however, this album has a cohesive sound that is enchantingly original, devoid of clichés and true to the band’s shared experiences.

This debut album from the band – whilst still paying homage to a growing tradition of sax, guitar, and drums line-up – is a bold and individual record that firmly places the band’s sound in the present day. ‘Aspyrian’ are immensely grateful and honoured to have been awarded the Help Musicians UK Record/Release Fund in 2022, which has not only supported the recording/manufacturing costs but also provided valuable business advice sessions to help the group better understand the release process.

Joanna Strand and Jacqui Tate - The Pheasantry

Jacqui Tate

Joanna Strand & Jacqui Tate - vocals
John Bailey - piano
Romano Viazzani - accordion
Yaron Stavi - double bass
Jason Reeve - drums

Romano Viazzani

Date - 16th November 2016
Venue - The Pheasantry, London, UK
Current album - Fly Transatlantic by Joanna Strand (NMP Records, 2012)

John Bailey

Future performance -
18th December 2016, The Pheasantry, Chelsea, 8pm - Christmas Show

Joanna Strand

Jazz singer and cabaret performer, Joanna Strand, brings her 'beautiful, pure and richly melodic voice' (John Etheridge) and dazzles audiences with her original arrangements.
Her musical journey has taken in many genres, which she weaves into her programmes with elegance and taste. Joanna studied at postgraduate level at The Royal Academy of Music, she specialised in lieder and French art song, and was invited to sing with the Royal Academy Big Band. Joanna enjoys performing at jazz venues across the UK and US, and has performed at the Crazy Coqs, Pizza Express Dean Street, The Pheasantry and in New York at Feinsteins, 54 Below, The Algonquin and many more. Joanna’s theatre credits include Jekyll and Hyde, Terrence McNally’s Broadway transfer of Master Class with Tyne Daly (West end), The Phantom of the Opera (West end), Dolly in Hello Dolly, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance  (WLO), as well as soprano roles with Garsington Opera, Savoy Opera, Grange Park Opera, Opera Holland Park and the Tête à Tête Opera Festival at Riverside Studios.

Yaron Stavi

Jacqui Tate's theatre credits include the Broadway transfer of Bartlett Sher's South Pacific, Avenue Q (West end & national tour), Avenue Q for Sell A Door (National & International Tour), and The Phantom of the Opera (West end). World tours have included Evita (Beirut) and My Fair Lady (Singapore) for Nicolai Foster, The Pirates of Penzance (UK & USA) and The Merry Widow (UK & South Africa) for The Carl Rosa Opera Company and Karl Jenkins’ Adiemus, for Dubai Financial Centre’s One Voice, under Brad Cohen. She has performed in concert with The London Symphony Orchestra under Marin Alsop and the Israeli Chamber Orchestra under Nicholas Kraemer.
No stranger to the cabaret circuit, Jacqui spent two years performing with the divas of Ali McGregor's Opera Burlesque. These ladies slipped out of their show costumes & in to their corsets for The Whoopee Club, The Famous Spiegeltent, The Gilded Ballroom and for Lost Vagueness & Continental Drift at Glastonbury Festival and the Hackney Empire. She has also appeared at New York's Feinstein's/54 Below, Live at Zedel/the Crazy Coqs, The Pheasantry and as a guest at Pizza Express Dean Street.

AL.

Chris Rand - Gathering - The Pheasantry

Chris Rand

Chris Rand - saxophones
Andrew Noble - keys/piano/organ
Jason Reeve - drums
Jacqui Tate - voice
Jamie McCredie - guitar

Jason Reeve

Date - 27th July 2016
Venue - Pizza Express, The Pheasantry, Chelsea

Current Album - Gathering (Dot Time Records, 2016)

Future performance

Sept 4th 2016 - Cinnamon Club, London
Sept 11th 2016 - Cinnamon Club, London

Sept 25th 2016 - Cinnamon Club, London

Jacqui Tate

Since graduating from the Guildhall School of Music Chris Rand has quickly became one of the UK’s top saxophone side men, playing and recording throughout the world with many of UK’s top Jazz and Blues artists. He has performed with the Rolling Stones Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood, and has performed as guest artist with George Porter Jr (The Meters) and Guitarists Mick Taylor and Chris Jagger to name but a few. Chris released his Debut CD “Gathering” (Dot Time Records DT9047) which features a series of original compositions influenced by all the various styles that have inspired him over the years.

Andrew Noble

Duck and swivel, sitting in a comical cockpit you push the buttons, ringing bells and whistles. We are skyborne, brushing steel as we skirt past a world of urban totems, their skeletal bodies cutting across the blue in a trigonometric craze. The tune is Sidewalk and it is a 3 card Mondrian trick. Rand strips away the city to reveal a world of animal chaos disguised as humans on the move.

Jamie McCredie

Rip tide Gathering, sliding into a pot of toffee. A zoot train shuffle sees us arrive at Nash Central Station. Heads together, eye to eye, catch the corner of a smile and it spreads across your face. Overheard calls and I rest my finger on this beast's throbbing mechanic chest, the chrome contours smear beneath me. A crash but we can rebuild him! Jumping box, Charlie chops, Linda Lovelace, Peter Piper well and truly pickled. In the frame, we sway, no prayers, just hold on.

Jacqui Tate's Black Coffee reverses the trends and slows the engines, an oil patch collects and seeps in a gradually widening stain. Once trapped we are crushed by her purpose, she is a mangle, the rollers are her attraction and her poise.

AL.

Chris Rand