JAZZ
PAUL TOWNDROW SEXTET
Jazz Centre at The Lot, Edinburgh, Thu 7 Jun; City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 8 Jun; lnverclyde Sports Centre, Largs, Sun 10 Jun
Saxophonist Paul Towndrow has spent the best part of two years working toward this Tune Up tour with his new Sextet. and had always factored a simultaneous album release into the equation. When the band rolled up to the recording studio near Edinburgh earlier this year. however. fate almost threw a serious spanner into the works.
Storm damage meant that there was no power for their scheduled session. a disaster only averted when they managed to borrow a small petrol-driven generator from a neighbour. and succeeded in squeezing in a six-hour session. during which they recorded the entire album, Six by Six. Paul can laugh about it now. but it didn't seem funny at the time.
'It certainly didn't. but it's a good story once it had worked out okay. and I'm looking at it positively. The sense of urgency really gave us focus. and very often the optimum energy is in the first couple of takes anyway. I think if we had had the original two days we might not have gotten anything much better or even as goodl
The Sextet began this tour with several dates in the Highlands. and should be well played in by now. The band is one that he has been eager to put together for some time, and adds fellow-Scottish National Jazz Orchestra mainstays Tom McNiven (trumpet) and Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor sax) to his established quartet with Steve Hamilton (piano). Michael Janisch (baSS) and Alyn Cosker (drums).
‘I had two main aims with it. The first was specifically to bring these two players into the band. and the second was to give me more possibilities for new writing. I've tried not to over- compose the material. but to retain the kind of spontaneous feel we have With the quartet. and augment it with some different colours and possibilities.‘ (Kenny Mathieson)
60 THE LIST 7' ~71 Jun 200/
ELECTROINDIEGRIME HADOUKEN! Classic Grand, Glasgow, Thu 14 Jun
Surely the last thing we want is safe and predictable indie types dominating the music scene? If that were the case we’d be forced to get our rocks off to Keane records and Editors would be the epitome of cool. So whether you approve of their insanely catchy, electro- tinged grime punk or not we should all be thanking the heavens for Hadouken! - currently causing a stir after just one single release.
We catch up with amiable frontman James Smith to find out what it’s like to be in one of the most hotly debated new acts around.
‘We’re still a really young band and I think people forget that sometimes,’ he laughs. ‘We only formed a year ago and have just written our ninth song and
INDIE ART BRUT Oran Mor, Glasgow, Sat 16 Jun
Bad reviews and disappointing chart placings often ruffle the feathers of yOur average rock star. but they've got nothing on an early morning call — which if timed wrongly can tip even the calmest crooner over the edge. So it's slightly neme wracking to discover that we have woken Eddie Argos from a long. post-gig slumber to tell us about Art Brut. Yet far from the moody chat we feared by way of reprisal. the frontman is positively charming; nattering away non-stop. Thank heavens for that. ‘l’m )ust so excited to be back and releasing stuff,‘ explains Argos excitedly. ‘With the first one. it was all bit rushed whereas this time it was nice to be able to actually sit down and plan it properly. We're so proud of this record and are all )ust feeling really happy at the moment.‘
Argos' enthusiasm is as infectious as the music he is Currently making. It a Bit Complicated reveals a snappy. poppier sound With a real polished sheen and diverse arrangements prompting people to hint at a more mature new direction for the band. The vocalist simply laughs at tnzs. however, “Well it's a very honest title in that it is more complex than the first and it does have the occasional horn section but if we've grown up. it's not that much ~ mayhe from me aged 17 to me aged 19 or something. We supported Ghostface Killah in America which was perhaps one of the most surreal experiences of my life.“ he goes ()l‘ to add. ‘and when l was watching his show I had a drunken epiphany and decided we should sound more like him. I'm not sure if it worked out or not though' We'll leave that up to yOu to dOCIde . . . (Camilla Pia)
already journalists are writing us off before we’ve had time to find ourselves. Basically we don’t let the criticism get to us because if people are arguing about us that encourages others to listen and then make their own minds up. We always set out to provoke reactions and piss people off and we’ve obviously managed to do that.’
With a spectacular new single out this month in the form of ‘Liquid Lives’, 3 completely sold out headline tour of the UK, a recent major label deal and an album on the way before the year is out, this nattin dressed quintet are obviously doing something right and hope to silence the haters by ‘soldiering on and proving them wrong’. ‘We’re constantly developing and making quality music and it just feels really exciting to be in Hadouken! at the moment,’ Smith adds. ‘We’re on a roll.’ (Camilla Pia)