Blog, Projects & Gigs

SPRING – 2023

In March there will be the release, on Discus, of ‘Orchestra of The Upper Atmosphere’, ‘Theta 6’, our 6 th album. Watch out for that!

Also released at the same time will be ‘Germination’ by the trio of Lorin Halsall bass, Jan Todd harp and electronics and myself on percussion and electronics.

I am showing work in a group show at The Old Lock Up Gallery – 19, The Hill, Swifts Hollow, Cromford, Derbyshire from 19 th March to the 29 th April, 2023.

There is an opening on the 19 th March from 2pm to 5pm. All very welcome.

I have a very interesting gig coming up at Dubrek in February.

Here is all you need to know.

YOWL

DUBREK, Derby, 67, Bridge Street DE1 3LB

Saturday February 18th

 

Gill Whiteley – piano, viola, hurdy-gurdy, voice
Geoff Bright – bass, tenor, and soprano saxophones, voice
Walt Shaw – percussion, electronics , voice
Lyn Hodnett – voice, cello, trumpet, objects

“Free improv collective YOWL cook sonic collisions across an accelerating event-space from whispered zero right through to the scream of libidinal wrench.

Expect a weird conjunct of wind, voices, strings, percussion and full-on animal bodies pushing towards a maximal threshold of intensity.”

Geoff, Gill, Lyn and Walt have worked together in different collaborations in duos, trios, & larger groups for many years, but this particular quartet is new and is being brought to Derby from Sheffield, Wales and Burton-on-Trent

There will also be an exciting set from William McGiven

Will is a free form DJ on SoulandJazz.com
His sets always surprise, shock, amaze and innovate

£5 on the door – Open 7-30pm

Autumn news

I will be doing a solo set at Dubrek on October 26th, 7-30pm. It will be percussion with electronics.

 

After a very successful gig at Marsden Jazz Festival with the Pursuance project, with Laura Cole, we are looking to develop the project further, with future gigs.
We are honoured to have been commissioned by Marsden Jazz Festival to have performed there.
Future performances will include myself, Laura Cole, Charlotte Keefe, Faye MacCalman and Lara Jones.

I am part of a new 4 piece band “Yowl”
We will be doing a gig at Dubrek, Derby, on the Saturday evening of February 18th.
‘Yowl’ is Gillian Whiteley, Geoff Bright, Lyn Hodnett and myself.
It has saxophones, hurdy gurdy, piano, percussion, cello and voices.
It’s a whirlwind of sound.

Summer news

‘Skin and Bone’ are playing at Nottingham Street Art Festival at 2pm on Saturday August 6th. ‘Skin and Bone’ are an exciting percussion / electronics trio of myself, Greg Rawson and George Grignon. The gig is at The Surface Gallery, 16, Southwell Road, NG1 1DL. Free. All welcome!

Preparations are going apace for the Marsden Jazz Festival performance of the ‘Pursuance” project. We are myself (percussion / electronics) Laura Cole (Piano and text) Faye MacCalman (sax) Lara Jones (sax and electronics) We are on at 4pm, Saturday October 6th , in St Bartholomew’s Church, Marsden. There will be some of my paintings on show, projections of my work and some amazing music. Not to be missed.

Spring 2022

At the moment I have work at the Creative Melbourne Gallery, Wellington House, Church Street, Melbourne. DE73 8EJ
It’s part of an exhibition, ‘Light and Shade’, which runs from March 30th to April 23rd.
The gallery is open Thursday to Sunday.
Check out this exciting show while it is still on.

I will have a one person exhibition at the Dubrek Gallery, starting on May 2nd until the end of that month on 31st May.
Dubrek has only recently moved into this wonderful new space at 67, Bridge Street, Derby, DE1 3LB
It’s next door to Banks Mill, studios, and gallery.
Watch out for exciting news soon about a performance I will be involved with in the space during the exhibition.
Many thanks to Jay Dean and Jonny Hill for making this possible.

The Martin Archer trio now has released an album, ‘See You Soon Or See You Sometime’, on the Discus label.
It has Martin on saxophones, Michael Bardon on bass and myself on percusion.
A must to check out!

Finally, I have been invited to play Marsden Jazz Festival in October with Laura Cole ( piano and poetry ), Faye MacCalman ( Sax ) and Lara Jones ( sax and electronic soundscapes )
It will be part of an ongoing project, ‘Pursuance’, involving my imagery, Laura’s poetry, interacting, and Faye and Lara responding too with sounds.
The gig will take place in The Mechanics Hall, Marsden, Yorkshire on the afternoon of Saturday, October 8th.
After 30 years of evolving, Marsden Jazz Festival is now one of the leading festivals in the UK for Jazz, Improvisation and Contemporary Sounds.

October 2021

I am continuing to contribute pieces monthly to The United Isolation Ensemble.
https://unitedisolationensemble.bandcamp.com

The Martin Archer trio album with myself on percussion and Michael Bardon on bass will be out on Discus early next year.

I will be doing a gig at Marsden Jazz Festival 2022, celebrating my ongoing collaboration with musician / poet Laura Cole.
My paintings will be shown along with Laura reciting her poems, all accompanied by music from myself on percussion, Laura on piano, Faye MacCalman on sax and Lara Jones electronic soundscapes.