ALEX WARD clarinet
ALEXANDER HAWKINS piano
DOMINIC LASH double bass
PAUL MAY percussion
1 - ALOPEKIS - 26:12
2 - BASENJI - 8:50
3 - CARNAUZER - 24:23
1 - 2: Digital concert recording made in Cambridge (Bateman Auditorium)
by Alexander Hawkins - 2006 September 26
3: Digital concert recording made in London (Red Rose)
by Rick Campion & Sebastian Lexer - 2007 May 7
Total time 59:40
All previously unissued
A quartet of four excellent young improvising musicians based in London and Oxford, none of whom have ever been to the outer London suburb of Barkingside.
"Despite sharing two of its members, Barkingside sounds very different to The Convergence Quartet, having no hint of its jazz syntax. Rather than focusing on individual contributions, Barkingside, predominantly, all improvise simultaneously, creating a free flowing, ever shifting soundscape. Alex Ward's clarinet is the sound that dominates the group, constantly probing, goading, reacting, making things happen.
At times, Ward almost takes the role of soloist, leading the foursome to some thrilling peaks, but he is never less than fully aware of the others and is ever ready to make an unexpected swerve in reaction to them. In a similar vein, Hawkins' piano clearly displays free jazz influences, piling up torrents of notes in a display of technique that is breathtaking. However, he never becomes the sole focus of the group and is just as impressive when adding spare, economic punctuations to four-way exchanges.
Altogether, the level of group empathy displayed here is scary given that the musicians had played comparatively few gigs together before these recordings were made. Barkingside have a very bright future."
JOHN EYLES - ALL ABOUT JAZZ 2008
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