New Music – The Playroom, Arundel

OUT NOW! May 2023.

What a proud and exciting moment! This beautiful album is the first to be recorded here at The Playroom, Arundel using the recently acquired Yamaha Grand Piano (more about that on our previous blog entry here).

The Full Circle Quartet is made up of award winneing musicians and writers and are based in Sussex. They came to The Playroom, Arundel for 3 days in late 2022.

Once settled in, microphones in place, headphone levels set and tea made, the Quartet had a very relaxed and enjoyable few days recording tunes they had previously played live, expanding ideas and tweaking arrangements as they went. (The engineer enjoyed it very much too!!).

All of the members of Full Circle write and arrange, so 12 of the 13 tracks on the album are written and arranged within the band. One track, ‘One January Morning’, was written by friend of the band, multi-reed player Julian Nicholas and was arranged by members of the Quartet.

The album is called ‘The South Downs Suite’ and the music is inspired by and reflects living and working in the South Downs of England.

Josephine Davies – Soprano and Tenor Saxophones. Joss Peach – Piano and Percussion. Terry Pack – Double Bass. Angus Bishop – Drums

You will hear magnificent playing from all involved with ensemble cameos from Kate Hogg (Flutes) and Michelle Andrews (Clarinet and Bass Clarinet).

‘The South Downs Suite’ album is definitely worth a listen if you are a lover of Jazz and Soundtrack-style music. Pure escapism.

The album cover art is detail from a mixed painting named ‘Amberley’ by local artist Polly Dutton, who is working with the Quartet on a companion set of artwork which will be launched at Petworth Festival 2023. More information on this through Polly’s site: www.pollydutton .co.uk.

The Quartet will also be playing at the festival and various other venues through the South, details of which can be found though their website.

The South Downs Suite by The Full Circle Quartet – Recorded, mixed and mastered at The Playroom, Arundel.

Excerpt from ‘Flight of the Dragonfly’ by Josephine Davies

Further information about The Full Circle Quartet including live dates and album details can be found here: www.fullcirclequartet.com

Reviews – What ‘they’ say

Some pre-release comments that the album has received (via Bandcamp):-

fairman*****6

Bought it almost blind because I love Jo’s sound and inventiveness in her playing. However, I now have listened to this whole album. Wow ! what an album. Pianist, Bassist and Drummer are all top draw. A very classy album indeed. Thoroughly recommended for any jazz enthusiast. Go and buy it . You will not be disappointed. On this basis, I would gladly book the band for my Jazz club.

Groo*****8

This is a superb piece, it flows in a wonderful way. Great playing and recording. Just sit back and enjoy.

jazz #jazzmusic #soundtrack #josephinedavies #saxophone #piano #quartet #newmusic #inspiration #classy #album #josspeach #angusbishop #terrypack #juliannicholas #PlayroomArundel #pollydutton

REMEMBER, REMEMBER…

A cobbled street on 5 November in Victorian England, a gang of ragged children carry a battered effigy of Guy Fawkes in celebration of Bonfire Night. Unbeknownst to them, they stop outside the house of the old writer, William Harrison Ainsworth famed author of ‘Guy Fawkes or The Gunpowder Treason’. After scaring off the gang, Ainsworth mystically brings the effigy to life, making the straw-stuffed figure of Guy Fawkes appear before him. A bemused Fawkes urges Ainsworth to explain himself, desperate for its origins and asking who he really is? Ainsworth begins to tell him the story of Guido Fawkes, reliving the pages first told and expressed in his infamous novel.

While following in the footsteps of his past, Fawkes’s story becomes one of a battle for religious freedom, fought against a background of dire prophecy and prognostications from departed saints. His faith is bent to breaking point when he is torn between religious freedom and the chaste maiden, Viviana. A battle to decide between earthly love and the divine, the country House and the Tower of London, or between marriage and widowhood. As the plotters converge on London, Guy Fawkes must choose his destiny.

Now as an aged Ainsworth retells the famed story to the battered effigy of Guy Fawkes, reanimated on that fateful night and desperate for its origins, we follow the story of Fawkes as another generation viewed him. With nearly thirty new orchestrated songs, Guy Fawkes the Musical reveals how magic can help reveal secrets from the past, transporting the audience to new worlds.

We see no reason… Why gunpowder treason… Should ever be forgot!

More information on the orchestration and recording process can be found here.

Also available via iTunes (more expensive). The CD includes a 12 page booklet outlining the characters in the show and the history of the Gunpowder Plot
For more information about the show and where to buy the CD here:- www.guyfawkesmusical.co.uk

#rock #music #theatre #newmusical #AdamPearce #WaylonJacobs #FrancescaLeyland #SandyGrigelis #NickForrest #CraigDacey #TimEde #DannyEdwards #RebeccaMorton #CarolineLowe #DaveCottrell #RichardHorne #KateFish #EleanorSandbrook #NickTrish #MikeSaunders #JoeGiddy #OliBriant

Tag: New Music

The South Downs Suite by The Full Circle Quartet

GUY FAWKES AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN HIM, OR HEARD HIM, BEFORE.

Released today, 5th November 2020 – Guy Fawkes the Musical. 6 years of work, 27 songs, 12 piece band, West End performers (including Adam Pearce, Francesca Leyland, Waylon Jacobs and Sandy Grigelis) all on a stunning new Double-CD. It’s been a great project.

REMEMBER, REMEMBER…