Author: birminghamreview

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ALBUM: The Dark Red Room / David Austin Grey & Greyish Quartet

Ed’s Note

The Dark Red Room is the first studio album from David Austin Grey, the Birmingham based pianist and composer.

Written and arranged for Greyish Quartet; DAG’s four piece ensemble, this 14 track debut ‘explore(s) the creative possibilities which may present themselves where music attempts to reflect photography, film & cinematography, and vice versa ’.

Local saxophonist and Hip Hop artist, Soweto Kinch, features on the album; as does vocalist Jason McDougall. There are also collaborations with New York emcees; iLLspokinn and Why G?

The Dark Red Room was released earlier this year, and is available to buy on iTunes, Amazon or on www.davidaustingrey.com

Read the Birmingham Review of The Dark Red Room below; from our resident Jazz aficionado, Robert Kornriech:

 

The Dark Red Room / David Austin Grey & Greyish Quartet

Words by Robert Kornreich

Greyish Quartet are:

David Austin Grey (acoustic piano and Roland RD-300NX)

Sam Wooster (trumpet)

Nick Jurd (double bass)

James Bashford (drum kit)

Featuring; Soweto Kinch (alto saxophone), Jason McDougall (vocal), iLLspokinn (MC), Why G? (MC).

Monotonous this is not. Not in rhythm, not in style. Good it is. (Sheesh. I’m becoming Yoda.) They sound good to watch.

Something for everyone; jazz, romantic ballad, rap, hip hop. Not that this is a mish-mash rag-bag. No, there’s something clearly underlying this diversity, this (don’t you just love the current jargon?) ‘multiplicity’.

Great piano, trumpet, double bass (do I hear Jaco Pastorius? I hope so) and sax. To me the dominant style is 1960s/70s post-bebop cool; Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Bill Evans. But that’s what I like – so perhaps I project this on their work.

But I can do without their jazz-fusion – shades of Joe Zawinul on Miles Davis’ ‘Bitches Brew’. And without the Herbie Hancock jazz-funk version. Well, y’know, I just don’t like that type of electric piano on ‘You’re Like Kryptonite’ and ‘Why So Negative?’”

Come on, David; leave Joe and Herbie behind and play a (split/chopped) Hammond organ – a B-3 with a Leslie speaker, like Jimmy Smith or Steve Winwood. I know you can.

And iLLspokinn and Why G? Sorry, I just don’t get. OK, OK, I don’t like rap and hip hop – so perhaps I project that too. Truth. It reminds me of Vincent Price hamming up. But now you know where I’m coming from.

All in all? It’s still a great record.

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OPINION: Ageism in music

By ViX (Victoria Perks)

We can all rationalise that after a certain age it may not be in anyone’s best interest to become a fireman, policeman, soldier etc; but can we justify a cut-off age for a musician in the mainstream music biz?

 True, many have a ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date; but if the product is tried, tested and still in good working order, is there any legitimate reason why musicians should be labelled with a ‘sell-by’ date?

Anyway, how old is TOO old? And too old for whom?

Are we so offended by the odd wrinkle that we can overlook the creativity of the composition, or the professionalism of the performer?

Jazz and Blues allow a crease or two; Classical music you’d get away with it too, though unlikely on primetime TV. Is packaging really more important than the product itself?

 What is everybody so afraid of; a clued-up, skilled-up artist with direction and drive? Ooh, I’m shaking with fear… Run for cover media moguls.

Even in this day and age of ‘equality’ for all, the music business would rather use pliable, plastic puppets who sing the songs and wear the clothes they are given; who can be easily shoved in a box on the commercial conveyor belt and dumped when the BOGOF offer expires.

Unless the artists have already had substantial success and retained theirown fan base there seems to be no way through. The ‘powers that be’ at Radio1 for example, would refuse to play a ‘new’ artist overtwenty-something because they are ‘too old’. In any other industry, age discrimination would be against the law don’t you know.

If they can still belt like Bassey; croon like Christie; compose like Costello or they’ve got the moves like Jagger, like it or not, who are we to tell them to stop? Musicianship and musicality, like wine gets BETTER over time.

The naive consumer questions,“Why are they still doing it? I mean, it’s not like they need the money.” Pay attention: Being a musician isn’t something you DO, it’s something you ARE, fool. Geddit?!

I will conclude with a quote from George Bernard Shaw. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

Rock til you drop.

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PREVIEW: ‘Underrated: Birmingham – the Musical’ @ MAC, 14th & 15th June

‘Underrated: Birmingham – the Musical’, is the latest production from Birmingham based Women & Theatre.

Developed in partnership with; Queensbridge Secondary School, Priestley Smith School for the Visually Impaired, and The Children’s Society’s – ‘Strong Voices, Strong Lives’ project,  ‘Underrated’ sets out to discover ‘what our city means to our most dynamic residents’, i.e. it’s children and young adults.

The premise is simple; a guide book researcher comes to Birmingham, looking to ‘rate’ the city to outsiders. Preparing to ‘write it off’, they then encounter some of Birmingham younger residents; who ‘take them on a whirlwind tour of the cities delights and assets.’

Following the supposition ’Birmingham is the UK’s second city, so why should we struggle with a second-rate reputation?’ the narrative looks ‘beyond the Bullring and the Balti triangle’, in a ‘theatrical extravaganza celebrating the best bits of Brum’.

‘Underrated’ ustilises a range of media to deliver its message; including ‘film and multimedia combined with live performances, and songs’, with compositions coming from ‘the young people’ involved in the show.

Women & Theatre Artistic Director, Janice Connolly, says, “The project aims to bring together three groups of young Birmingham people to create a new piece of musical theatre.

The piece acknowledges the underrated reputation of the city through new songs written by the young people, and the aim is to begin to celebrate what is unique about our city. One of Birmingham’s main strengths is it’s super diversity which is reflected in the young talented cast.” 

‘Underrated’: Birmingham – the Musical’ is held at, and supported by, the MAC (Foyle Studio).

It runs for two performances, over two consecutive nights; 6pm & 7:30pm on 14th/15th June.

For more information visit http://www.womenandtheatre.co.uk/projects/underrated-birmingham-the-musical/

To book online, visit http://tickets.macarts.co.uk/PEO//show_events_list.asp

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Editors / Win 2x tickets – HMV Institute, 26.6.12

Clue’s in the title but…

Editors are playing their ONLY UK DATES this year at the HMV Institute in Birmingham, on Tues 26th & Weds 27th June.

And those kindly souls at Birmingham Promoters, have given us greedy souls at Birmingham Review a pair of tickets for the opening show (Tues 26th).

If you want ‘em, all you have to do is visit our new Facebook Page, click the ‘Like’ button and sit on your laurels. Simples – www.facebook.com/bhamreview

The pair of tickets will be given to one winner; who will be picked at total, unequivocal, too lazy to set a question, random.

Competition closes at midnight on Fri 22nd, winner announced first thing on Sat 23rd. 

__________

For more info on this and other gigs from Birmingham Promoters, visit http://www.birminghampromoters.com

For more on Editors, visit http://www.editorsofficial.com/

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ALBUM: ‘Strangeland’ / Keane

Words by Cesilia Oriana Trecaquista

Keane’s latest release,  ‘Strangeland’ – the fourth studio album from the British quartet, achieves its goal of being less production led, reverting back to the songwriting and keyboard dominance that made their first and second albums; ‘Hope and Fears’ and ‘Under the Iron Sea’, so successful.

‘Strangeland’ is pleasant enough; an album that allows Chaplin’s distinctive vocals to soar on a series on tracks reminiscent of early Keane days.

Personal favorites are the Lennon-esque, ‘Watch how you go’, and the melancholic ‘Sea fog’. The songwriting is strong and honest, with a clear recurring theme; that of prevailing against testing times, running through tracks such as ‘The Starting Line’ and ’You are young’.

There are, unfortunately, some tracks that do not make the grade. ’On the road’, is a power ballad almost so clichéd and predictable in its composition, it feels uncomfortable; and unnecessary to pursue listening to the end.

And for me, ‘Silenced by the Night’ has far too many Coldplay comparisons too mention. Imagine the drone of Chris Martin’s vocals instead of Chaplin’s, and you’ll understand what I mean.

But despite the fact Keane do nothing new with this album; in terms of style and substance, the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind.

If the criticism of Keane, when venturing out of their comfort zone (‘Perfect Symmetry’, Keane’s penultimate studio album) is anything to go by, they have been arguable wise to stick to what they know. And what they are known for.

Keane are now four albums old, and have at least tried (and, arguably, failed) to experiment with new sounds; whether through choice, natural band progression or simply to placate critics challenging them to be ‘less formulaic’.

And with ‘Strangeland’, Keane give their dedicated fanbase what they really want; solid songwriting, melodic (if not slightly clichéd) compositions and a comfortable collection of music.

One, albeit at times inevitably predictable, that will no doubt satisfy their followers.

‘Strangeland’ is available now. For more on Keane, visit http://www.keanemusic.com/