TRIPTYCH
Stars of the screen The quiet ones are always the ones you need to watch. Jason Swinscoe was inconspicuously grafting away in the 90s as part of Ninja Tune Records backroom team. exporting Ninja's sonorous black gold to everywhere from Tokyo to Toronto. He was. of course. simultanemisly doing his own musical thing. which slipped out into the world in 1999. The cinematic orchestra have grown to be one of Britain's most innovative and compelling musical forces. Swinscoe's music is a seamless Synergy of atmospheric. lush Gil Evans jazz ingrained with vivid contemporaiy turns. It has been five years since The Cinematic Orchestra's mesmeric. acclaimed long player Everyday. Forthcoming album Ma Fleur. due to be premiered at Triptych. is of blockbuster proportions. This collection of plaintive. uplifting and moving songs takes the band beyond the realms of soundtrackers and into uncharted territory. (Mark Robertson) I Lemon Tree. Aberdeen, Wed 25 Apr: Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Thu 26 Apr; Tramway. Glasgow. Fri 2,7 Apr. Ma Fleur is out Mon 7 May on NIH/(I Tune.
The fortunes of the long forgotten soul chanteuse who wrote hits like ‘Rescue Me’ were revived by her collaborations with The Cinematic Orchestra.
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Few bands could match the mouth-watering, luminary line-up of this all-star outfit. At its heart beats the drumming duo behind many of James Brown's most enduring stomps. John ‘Jabo' Starks and Clyde Stubblefield.
‘Clyde is like a brother of mine.‘ says Jabo. ‘We are The Funkmasters; we are the core of the group.‘ Fred Wesley is the golden era trombonist and bandleader with The COunt Basie Orchestra. Ray Charles and again James Brown. Parliament Funkadelic keys master magician Bernie Worrell (pictured) joins them in Scotland. Starks says. ‘I came into the funk groove with James Brown but I still played the way Jabo would play. Even James would sit behind the kit and do his thing. and then he'd say “Did you get that?" “Yeah I got that". And then I'd sit down and play what I was gonna play anyway.‘ (Mark Edmundson)
I Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Fri 27 Apr; Renfrew Ferry, Glasgow, Sat 28 Apr.
Some of these men were the musical engine room for the godfather of soul.
12 THE LIST 12—26 Apr 2007
Along with Roots Manuva they showed there was more to the record label than just laptop boffinry and nerdy boys in
Clyde Stubblefield was responsible for the most sampled drum beat in history, ‘the funky drummer'.
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Opening the floodgates for the likes of Royksopp, they took the sounds destined for the background and pushed them skilfully into the foreground.
They plundered Bernie Worrell’s songbook, Jabo’s beats and Fred Wesley’s tunes.
HEAR AND NOW
Here’s eight more morsels to chow down on from Triptych’s packed timetable
I 688 Brazil's most ferocious arrivistes. whose live show is akin to Pan's People re-enacting the battle of the Jutland to a soundtrack of boisterous
‘ ‘ party indie funk. Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Wed 25 Apr; Barrow/and, Glasgow, Thu 26 Apr.
II!” I Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators Real. raw innovative soul music from this veteran New York vocalist who has crossed swords with everyone from Curtis Mayfield to Leftfield in her time. Liquid Room, Edinburgh. Sat 28 Apr; Renfrew Ferry. Glasgow, Sun 29 Apr.
I Erol Alkan
You can't really go wrong with the electro meets indie mash up of Erol Alkan. the mastermind behind Trash. This appearance includes a set from his psychedelic rock act Behind the Wizard's Sleeve. Cabaret Voltaire. Edinburgh, Fri 27 Apr; The Adn'iiral, Glasgow. Sun 29 Apr.
I Ballads of the Book This event is the daddy of them all with tons of the writers and musicians involved in the project descending for a day—long poetry/pop nexus. Tramway. Glasgow Sun 29 Apr.
I Terry Riley A Scottish debut for this mystic master Of minimalism. Riley is up there with Phillip Glass and Steve Reich and was an influence on everyone from The Who to Brian Eno with his evocative. barely there magic. Usher Hall. Edinburgh, Wed 25 Apr; Tramway, Glasgow. Thu 26 Apr.
I Etienne de Crecy
Crecy's 1996‘s Super Discount album helped usher in the new wave of French electronica (Air, Daft Punk. etc). A sublime album of deep house. showcasing the possibilities of the genre. Glasgow School of Art. Glasgow, Sat 28 Apr.
I Love Story No. not the Ali McGraw/Ryan O'Neal sobfest but the fascinating cinematic tribute to Arthur Lee's legendary 608 group with plaudits and tributes from everyone from Primal Scream to The Doors. GFT. Glasgow, Sat 28 Apr; Filmhouse. Edinburgh, Sun 29 Apr.
I Pinch
The sounds of urban Britain from one of the key players in the UK dubstep scene (a mix of dub. grime and 2step garage) heads this night of nasty beats and dark bass. The Bongo Club. Edinburgh, Thu 26 Apr.