news
26/01/24
Spaces Unfolding + Pierre Alexandre Tremblay
Just got news that PRS Foundation will be funding my trio Spaces Unfolding’s next album titled Shadow Figures! The trio has been active for a couple of years now and it’s been fantastic to perform regularly alongside the great Neil Metcalfe on flute, and violinist Phil Wachsmann. We’ve really evolved as a group and this is definitely the right time to document where we’re at.
We will however not be recording as a trio, but joined by the one and only Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, this time doing live processing and modular synth. We first met via Alex Bonney on a very enjoyable recording session back in 2021 (which culminated in ‘The Undanced Dance’ - BEAD 44) and have since stayed in touch performing in various other improvised situations.
I‘m thrilled to have this great group of people as part of this new release which wouldn’t be possible without the generous support from PRS Foundation!
The album is scheduled for release on Bead Records spring 2025
25/01/24
Live footage from Bangor Music Festival just released
Tern
Philipp Wachsmann (violin/electronics)
Martin Hackett (Korg MS10)
EK - drums
3/01/24
I recently had the pleasure of contributing to a feature on Bead Records in the latest issue of The Wire.
There's also a complementary playlist featuring works stretching from 1988 to 2023 with reviews of albums by John Butcher, Paul Dunmall, GushWachs, Mark Sanders, Pierre Alexandre Tremblay ++
Thanks to Julian Cowley for making it all happen!
“A taste of that amalgam of inquisitiveness and constructive energy, imagination and collaborative spirit that pervades Bead’s compact discography.” - Julian Cowley
27/10/2023
Had a busy October performing at various UK venues and festivals including Marsden Jazz Fest and Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music with both new and previous collaborators.
The month was crowned off with the performance of Chris Cundy’s piece ‘A Sound Map of The Roman Bath’s’, a site-specific work exploring spatial audio, poetry, cello, violin, Japanese flutes, electronics, bass clarinet and percussion, reacting to the acoustics of the original Roman Baths.
Also, just uploaded to Youtube, a trio performance with Ted Moore (laptop) and Pierre Alexandre Tremblay (bass/electronics) recorded at AME in Huddersfield 18th June 2022
14/10/2023
Had a nice few days collaborating with the fantastic Lawrence Casserley known from his work in signal-processing with musicians like Evan Parker and Barry Guy. We performed in Manchester on 12th October followed by a live recording session with a small audience at Huddersfield University the day after.
I’m very pleased to see new reviews emerging for previous recordings, Here’s a recent review by Tor Hammerø in Nettavisen for: The Undanced Dance - light.box + Emil Karlsen
12/09/2023
The Exu’s single That’ll Do It! was released 8th September on Lamplight Social Records.
It’s a part of 3 singles coming out this year with more activity in 2024.
The Exu is:
James Mainwaring - saxophone
Dave Kane - double bass
EK - drums
Had a lovely time talking to BBC 3/Corey Mwamba about the Leeds Improvised music scene and Bead Records.
Alongside the interview was plays of various recordings from the Leeds scene and beyond, including my trio with John Butcher and Dominic Lash.
Check out the interview here
10/07/2023
I’m happy to launch a trio with John Butcher and Dominic Lash. Our debut album ‘Here and How’ will be released on Bead Records 16th July with a launch gig at Hundred Years Gallery.
Full reviews at
Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg / Salt Peanuts / The Wire / Foxy Digitalis
05/04/2023
I’m thrilled to announce a drum duet with Mark Sanders - Muted Language.
“Brilliant drumming by two fearless artisans; hearing, resounding the real world around us. Truth is in our ears.” Chris Searle (The Morningstar)
“Karlsen and Sanders engage in a dialog and play off of one another, but do so individualistically and to the point that either’s drum track taken alone would be an interesting listen” – Mike Borella (Avant-Music News)
“A jungle of signs and gestures where the listener can let loose his curiosity and his imagination.” - Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg
full reviews at
Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg / Avant-Music News / Tony Dudley Evans / Salt-Peanuts / The Morning Star
Excerpt from the liner notes written by Phil Durrant
"Each track showcases a wide range different areas from textural sustained sonics to polyrhythmic contrapuntal dialogues. Sometimes we hear sounds shift slowly from left to right and back again, whereas on other occasions we hear moment by moment interactions where fleeting sparks drift very quickly across the stereo field. The selected material/vocabulary is carefully chosen, and the result is a fantastic drum duo album full of variety. The playing is virtuosic throughout, but never at the expense of musicality.”
07/03/2023
Had a great time launching our album ‘The Undanced Dance’ with Alex Bonney and Pierre Alexandre Tremblay back in February. The full set is now up on YouTube.
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