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@juliansiegel
JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - MUSIC FOR ABANDONED HEIGHTS
Recorded in 2019 at Eastcote Studios in London, an unforgettable day playing the great music of the one and only John McLaughlin!
John McLaughlin with
Gary Husband - Drums/Keys
Etienne Mbappe- Bass
Julian Siegel - Saxes
Misha Mullov - Abbado - Acoustic Bass
OUT NOW on CD and VINYL! Released on Impex Records
https://impexrecords.com/
UPCOMING DATES
2026
January 11th GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London
January 22nd TOM SMITH BIG BAND Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, Soho, London
January 30th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO Birmingham Jazz at 1000 Trades, Birmingham
February 13th GUILDHALL JAZZ ORCHESTRA with JULIAN SIEGEL Milton Court Concert Hall, London
February 16th JIM MULLEN'S VOLUNTEERS Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, Soho, London
February 19th NICK COSTLEY-WHITE: PONCHA with Julian Siegel, Conor Chaplin and James Maddren Nottingham Jazz Steps, Bonington Theatre, Arnold, Nottingham
February 21st JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London
March 11th NICK COSTLEY-WHITE: PONCHA with Julian Siegel, Conor Chaplin and James Maddren The Spin, Oxford
March 25th SONGLINES featuring LIANE CARROLL, JULIAN SIEGEL and SIMON PURCELL Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, London
April 3rd SIMON PURCELL/JULIAN SIEGEL QUINTET with MICHELLE NICOLE JazzLab, Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, Brunswick, Melbourne AUS
April 5th - 10th AUSTRALIA JAZZ SCHOOL Ballarat, Victoria, AUS
April 22nd JAZZ VESPERS Scott Stroman Quintet featuring John Parricelli Julian Siegel AIC, Tottenham Court Road, London
April 23rd TRIBUTE TO PETER PALLAI 606 Club, Chelsea, London
May 1st JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET Friday Jazz at Ladbroke Hall, Ladbroke Grove, London
May 26th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London
May 30th LUIZ MORAIS BRAZILIAN BIG BAND Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London
June 9th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO Eastside Jazz Club, London
June 14th GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND 606 Club, Chelsea, London
June 28th MIKE DE SOUZA QUINTET Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London
August 8th - 15th and 16th - 23rd INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL Moreton Hall, Shropshire, England
Get your tickets to see Julian Siegel live.
2025
January 10th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO. VORTEX JAZZ CLUB DALSTON, LONDON
January 15th SONGLINES featuring LIANE CARROLL, JULIAN SIEGEL, SIMON PURCELL, LOZ GARRATT and WILL GLASER. RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
February 20th NICK RAMM AND JULIAN SIEGEL MU LONDON
February 22nd NICK COSTLEY-WHITE: PONCHA ALBUM RELEASE WORLD HEART BEAT, LONDON
TINDERSTICKS with Strings and Guests ON TOUR MARCH 6th - 17th
May 11th NIKKI ILES JAZZ ORCHESTRA PIZZA EXPRESS JAZZ CLUB, SOHO, LONDON
May 16th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO. VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON, LONDON
June 1st GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND Pizza Express Dean Street, Soho, London - Lunchtime
June 7th ECLECTIC VOICES with 6 piece band 'Songs in the Key of Life' Actors Church Covent Garden , London
June 19th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Winchester, England
June 20th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Vortex, London, England
June 21st NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET The Bear Club, Luton, England
June 23rd NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Edinburgh, Scotland
June 24th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Glasgow, Scotland
June 26th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Poole, England
June 27th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Birmingham, England
June 28th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Nottingham, England
July 1st NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Bristol, England
July 12th NICK COSTLEY - WHITE QUARTET Wells, England
July 25th BLUE NOTTE GORIZIA JAZZ FESTIVAL GABRIELE DE LEPORINI BAND with guest JULIAN SIEGEL Parco Villa Ritter, Gorizia, Italy
August 9th to 23rd INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL 30th ANNIVERSARY with LIANE CARROLL, SIMON PURCELL, JULIAN SIEGEL, LOZ GARRATT and WILL GLASER, Moreton Hall, Shropshire, England
Sept 5th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET featuring LIAM NOBLE, OLI HAYHURST and GENE CALDERAZZO. VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON, LONDON
Sept 26th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET LIMERICK JAZZ FESTIVAL
Oct 4th A.M. SOUTHEND JAZZ WORKSHOP with JULIAN SIEGEL
Oct 4th 8pm Frank and Marks , Iffley Church Hall, Oxford, with Special guest JULIAN SIEGEL
Oct 5th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET Forest Row, UK
Oct 7th GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND NORWICH JAZZ CLUB
Oct 8th TOM SMITH BIG BAND Concorde Club, Eastleigh
Oct 11th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET JAZZ CAFE POSK, Polish Social and Cultural Association 238-246 King Street London W6 0RF
November 5th MULATU ASTATKE FAREWELL TOUR Selam Festival, Stockholm, Sweden
November 7th MULATU ASTATKE FAREWELL TOUR Cosmopolite Oslo, Norway
November 18th NICK COSTLEY WHITE QUARTET Eastside Jazz Club, London
November 26th and 27th JULIAN SIEGEL WORKSHOP Conservatorio di Trieste, Italy
December 7th GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND 606 Club, Chelsea, London
December 13th DAVIDE GIOVANNINI’S ‘MINAS PROJECT’ Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham
December 15th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London
2024
JANUARY 31ST PAUL BOOTH'S BANDSANGU ORCHESTRA SPICE OF LIFE, SOHO, LONDON
FEBRUARY 3rd DESCHANEL GORDON QUARTET with JULIAN SIEGEL 606 CLUB, CHELSEA, LONDON
FEBRUARY 6th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET EAST SIDE JAZZ CLUB LEYTONSTONE, LONDON
MARCH 16th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
APRIL 25th LAUREN KINSELLA TRIO with LIAM NOBLE AND JULIAN SIEGEL VORTEX JAZZ CLUB
JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET UK/IRELAND TOUR SPRING 2024 DATES
APRIL 27th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET MAGYS FARM, DROMARA, Co.DOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND
APRIL 28th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET WESTPORT JAZZ, CLEW BAY HOTEL, Co MAYO, IRELAND
APRIL 29th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET CRANE LANE THEATRE , CORK, Co CORK, IRELAND
MAY 1st JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET CAMDEN STUDIOS, ' 'SPEAKEASY SESSIONS', DUBLIN, IRELAND
MAY 2nd JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET CITY OF DERRY JAZZ AND BIG BAND FESTIVAL, BENNIGANS, DERRY Co. LONDONDERRY, NORTHERN IRELAND
MAY 3rd JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET UNESCO & CV Jazz World Jazz Celebration 2024 SpArC Theatre Bishop's Castle, Shropshire
MAY 6th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND Ribble Valley Jazz festival, UK
MAY 12th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho, London
MAY 17th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB, SOHO, LONDON
MAY 18th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
JUNE 7th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET Verdict Jazz Club, Brighton
JUNE 20th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND Y THEATRE, HARBOROUGH JAZZ AND LEICESTER JAZZ HOUSE
JULY 23 - 28th SLIGO INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL
JULY 24th Double Bill: SUN MI HONG TRIO + GARETH LOCKRANE & JULIAN SIEGEL + SPECIAL GUESTS Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo
JULY 25th ELIO VILLAFRANCA’S SLIGO AFRO-LATIN & JAZZ ORCHESTRA Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo
AUGUST 10 - 17th and 18 - 25th INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL , Shropshire, UK
SEPTEMBER 1ST NIKKI ILES MINI BIG BAND Ambleside Days, Lake District, UK
SEPTEMBER 28TH NIKKI ILES 'SMALL PRINT' with NORMA WINSTONE, JULIAN SIEGEL and STEVE WATTS Derby Museum of Making, Derby, UK
OCTOBER 25th + 26th JULIAN SIEGEL and ROB LUFT meets ENZO ZIRILLI 'ZIROBOP' Alexanderplatz Jazz Club Rome, Italy
2023
April 12th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
April 20th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET ATTENBOROUGH ARTS CENTRE - LEICESTER JAZZ HOUSE
May 9th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - WATERMILL JAZZ CLUB, DORKING
May 14th NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB LONDON
MAY 16TH EMPIRICAL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JASON REBELLO AND JULIAN SIEGEL VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON
JUNE 17th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
JULY 13th SONGLINES featuring LIANE CARROLL, SIMON PURCELL, JULIAN SIEGEL, LOZ GARRATT and WILL GLASER ROPETACKLE ARTS CENTRE, SHOREHAM BY SEA
AUGUST 5th - 20th INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SUMMER SCHOOL MORETON HALL SCHOOL, UK
SEPTEMBER 12th RICHARD FAIRHURST QUINTET, EASTSIDE JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
SEPTEMBER 28th SHANTI JAZZ , EASTSIDE JAZZ CLUB, ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE
SEPTEMBER 30th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
OCTOBER 5th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET JAZZ LEEDS, SEVEN ARTS CENTRE, LEEDS
OCTOBER 6th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET WORKSHOP AT LEEDS CONSERVATOIRE OF MUSIC
OCTOBER 11th NINA SIMONE LEGACY with JOSETTE BUSHELL-MINGO OBE MILTON COURT, BARBICAN CENTRE, LONDON
OCTOBER 12th JULIAN SIEGEL & THE SPIN BAND (feat LIAM DUNACHIE) THE SPIN, OXFORD
OCTOBER 15th GARETH LOCKRANE BIG BAND 606 CLUB CHELSEA 1.30 to 4pm
OCTOBER 22nd TRISTAN BANKS BAND Peggys Skylight Nottingham
OCTOBER 23rd JULIAN SIEGEL with SIMON PURCELL TRIO Jazz at the Fox N13
NOVEMBER 2nd TINDERSTICKS/ CLAIRE DENIS AUDITORIUM DE LYON, FRANCE
NOVEMBER 5th TINDERSTICKS/CLAIRE DENIS PHILHARMONIE DE PARIS, FRANCE
NOVEMBER 10th LAUREN KINSELLA TRIO WITH LIAM NOBLE AND JULIAN SIEGEL KILDARE JAZZ FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 11th LAUREN KINSELLA TRIO WITH LIAM NOBLE AND JULIAN SIEGEL TOWN HALL STUDIO, GALWAY 1pm
NOVEMBER 12th LAUREN KINSELLA TRIO WITH LIAM NOBLE AND JULIAN SIEGEL SUNDAYS AT NOON, HUGH LANE GALLERY, DUBLIN
NOVEMBER 17th LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL - JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
NOVEMBER 19th LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL - NIKKI ILES FEATURING THE NDR BIGBAND CADOGAN HALL, LONDON
NOVEMBER 30th SONGLINES with LIANE CARROLL, SIMON PURCELL, JULIAN SIEGEL, LOZ GARRATT and WILL GLASER RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET UK/IRELAND TOUR SPRING 2024
Julian Siegel tenor and soprano sax, bass clarinet Liam Noble piano Oli Hayhurst double bass Gene Calderazzo drums
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKET LINKS
SATURDAY APRIL 27th MAGYS FARM, DROMARA, N.IRL
SUNDAY APRIL 28th WESTPORT JAZZ, CLEW BAY HOTEL, Co MAYO, IRL
MONDAY APRIL 29th CRANE LANE THEATRE, CORK, Co CORK, IRL
WEDNESDAY MAY 1st CAMDEN STUDIOS, 'SPEAKEASY SESSIONS', DUBLIN, IRL
THURSDAY MAY 2nd CITY OF DERRY JAZZ AND BIG BAND FESTIVAL, BENNIGANS, DERRY, Co. LONDONDERRY, N.IRL
FRIDAY MAY 3rd UNESCO & CV JAZZ WORLD JAZZ CELEBRATION 2024 SpArC THEATRE, BISHOP'S CASTLE, SHROPSHIRE, ENG
FRIDAY MAY 17th RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB, SOHO, LONDON, ENG
FRIDAY JUNE 7th VERDICT JAZZ CLUB, BRIGHTON, ENG
With the Julian Siegel Quartet, the BBC Jazz Award winning saxophonist and composer Julian Siegel can be heard alongside some of this generation’s most distinctive voices, creating an in-demand Quartet on the UK and European Jazz scene. The band features inspirational pianist Liam Noble, his fluid touch and dazzling imagination perfectly complementing Siegel’s music and playing, and providing a perfect foil for the many directions the music can turn. With the creative spark of dynamic drummer Gene Calderazzo and the deep groove of bassist Oli Hayhurst dove-tailing perfectly with Siegel and Noble this is unquestionably one of the UK’s most exciting and powerful quartets. Following up from their London Jazz Award winning album Urban Theme Park (Basho Music), 2018 saw the release of VISTA, the second album of the Julian Siegel Quartet and the first on the Whirlwind Recordings label. The album features ten of Julian’s compositions plus an arrangement of Bud Powell's ‘Un Poco Loco’. This acoustic set of music moves freely through varied sound worlds and colours, from undercurrents of bop to searching ballads and joyful melodies. The bands UK/Ireland Tour Spring 2024 will feature music from the bands albums plus new music written especially for the band's upcoming tour.
“Expressive direct music…. tightly wound post-bop, pensive improv. and more.” John Fordham, The Guardian ★ ★ ★ ★ Jazz Album of the Month, February 2018
“A great quartet with an enthralling agility.” ★ ★ ★ ★ In Music
”Exciting, dynamic music with improvisation at its centre.”- London Jazz News
JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA - 'TWISTHANDS' - LIVE AT BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL
Here’s a tune from the first gig of the Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra 'Tales from the Jacquard' Album Celebration Tour from February of this year, a new piece especially written for the tour called 'TWISTHANDS'.
JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA - ' TWISTHANDS' - composed / arranged by Julian SiegelFilmed and recorded live in concert at Birmingham Symphon
All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2023
Delighted that the Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra has been nominated in the category of Jazz Ensemble of the year in the All-Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2023!
Good luck to all the nominees! For a full list see the link below
This year’s nominees recognise a wide-range of musicians, organisations, venues and jazz media, who have made an impression in the past year
UPCOMING DATES 2023
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKET LINKS
TUESDAY 7th FEBRUARY BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL STAGE
THURSDAY 9th FEBRUARY TURNER SIMS, SOUTHAMPTON
FRIDAY 10th FEBRUARY SHEFFIELD JAZZ
SATURDAY 11th FEBRUARY DERBY JAZZ, DEDA STUDIO THEATRE
SUNDAY 12th FEBRUARY LONDON, RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB
BBC Jazz Award winning saxophonist Julian Siegel embarks on a major tour in February 2023 with the Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra celebrating his acclaimed album Tales from the Jacquard (Whirlwind Recordings). The Orchestra features some of Julian's favourite musicians from the UK and European scenes and presents a rare opportunity to see this handpicked, stellar line-up perform together (see full tour line up below).
The tour will feature Julian’s music for Jazz Orchestra from the new album, from expansions and arrangements of music written for small band to the suite commissioned by Derby Jazz composed especially for the orchestra ‘Tales from the Jacquard’ plus new arrangements and compositions written for this tour. ’Tales from the Jacquard’ draws inspiration from the lace-making process and the Jacquard cards, which controlled the lace knitting machines. (Julian’s parents and family ran a lace manufacturing business in Nottingham for over 50 years).
Julian gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England in making this tour possible.
“One of the major highlights of this year’s jazz calendar” London Jazz News
“Essential listening” The Jazz Mann
"A beautiful balance between an open writing and more traditional pictures." ★★★★ All About Jazz
"Razor-sharp section work and a string of superlative solos." Bebop Spoken Here
The JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA contains renowned bandleaders, composers and soloists in their own right. Conducted by Nick Smart, the band features saxophonists Stan Sulzmann, Tori Freestone, Nathaniel Facey (Feb 7, 10 + 11 ) Paul Booth (Feb 9 + 12), Michael Chillingworth and Gemma Moore, Trumpeters Tom Walsh and Steve Fishwick alongside Claus Stötter and Percy Pursglove from NDR Bigband Hamburg, Trombonists Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires, Harry Brown and Richard Henry, Guitarist Mike Outram, all based around the dynamic and creative rhythm section of his long standing group the Julian Siegel Quartet, featuring pianist Liam Noble (Feb 7 + 12), bassist Oli Hayhurst and drummer Gene Calderazzo. The highly in-demand pianist Ross Stanley also features on three dates of the tour (Feb 9, 10+11)
(see below for full line up)
JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LINE UP
Saxes / Clarinets / Compositions / Arrangements Julian Siegel
Conductor Nick Smart
Trumpets Tom Walsh, Percy Pursglove, Steve Fishwick, Claus Stötter
Alto Saxophone Mike Chillingworth, Nathaniel Facey (7th, 10th, 11th) Paul Booth (9th, 12th)
Tenor Saxophone Stan Sulzmann
Tenor Saxophone and Flute Tori Freestone
Baritone Sax and Bass Clarinet Gemma Moore
Trombones Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires, Harry Brown
Bass Trombone and Tuba Richard Henry
Guitar Mike Outram
Piano Liam Noble (7th, 12th) Ross Stanley (9th, 10th, 11th)
Double and Electric Bass Oli Hayhurst
Drums Gene Calderazzo
JULIAN SIEGEL SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Julian Siegel is an in-demand saxophonist on the UK and European Jazz scene who has worked with many of the top figures in the music. In 2007, he was awarded the BBC Jazz Award for Best Instrumentalist. He is currently touring with the Julian Siegel Quartet, featuring pianist Liam Noble, bassist Oli Hayhurst and drummer Gene Calderazzo.
As a sideman Julian has played in large ensembles led by Kenny Wheeler, Andrew Hill, Hermeto Pascoal, Michael Gibbs, Django Bates, John Taylor, Nikki Iles, Stan Sulzmann, NDR Big Band, Colin Towns and Jason Yarde to name a few. Inspired by these great experiences and coupled with a long standing wish to write for larger ensemble, Julian formed the Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra embarking on its debut UK tour in March 2017.
READ MORE ABOUT THE WRITING OF TALES FROM THE JACQUARD
COMPOSER BLOG
It was a huge thrill and honour to be invited by the legendary guitarist and composer John McLaughlin to play on the track 'Right Here, Right Now, Right On' from his recent studio album 'Liberation Time' (Abstract Logix). Released in July 2021 the album was recorded remotely in Monaco, Paris, London, Cairo and Los Angeles during lockdown.
The album is available on CD and LP from the Abstract Logix label, see link below 👇
Photo by Bill Shakespeare
DOWNLOAD JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA EPK
FOR JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA PHOTOS PLEASE SEND EMAIL
UPCOMING DATES - 2022
January 17th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET NQ JAZZ MANCHESTER
February 4th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET SHEFFIELD JAZZ
February 11th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET JAZZLIVE AT THE CRYPT, LONDON
February 19th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET PEGGYS SKYLIGHT NOTTINGHAM
March 4th STEVE BUCKLEY / JULIAN SIEGEL / DAVE WHITFORD/ GENE CALDERAZZO VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON, LONDON
March 6th NIKKI ILES JAZZ ORCHESTRA RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB, LONDON
April 7th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET THE WILLOW TREE CAFE, LONDON
April 28th RICK SIMPSON PLAYS 'KID-A' THE WILLOW TREE CAFE, LONDON
April 30th INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY: OLÁH KRISZTIÁN QUARTET FEAT. TRYPL HORNS with special guests RYAN QUIGLEY + JULIAN SIEGEL BUDAPEST JAZZ CLUB, HUNGARY
May 27th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET JAZZ AT MORLEY COLLEGE LONDON
June 14th LIANE CARROLL , SIMON PURCELL , JULIAN SIEGEL , LOZ GARRATT and MARK TAYLOR Eastside Jazz Club, London
June 18th SIMON PURCELL QUINTET Vortex Jazz Club, London
June 24th ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC BIG BAND WITH JULIAN SIEGEL, ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC, LONDON
July 16th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON, LONDON
August 27th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET CLUN VALLEY JAZZ
September 16th ALEX HUTTON TRIO WITH JULIAN SIEGEL NORDEN FARM CENTRE FOR THE ARTS , MAIDENHEAD
September 22nd JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET JAZZ COVENTRY
October 6th (1 - 3pm) JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET Workshop at ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE
October 6th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET NOTTINGHAM JAZZ STEPS
October 7th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET BIRMINGHAM JAZZ 1000 TRADES, BIRMINGHAM
October 15th JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET VORTEX JAZZ CLUB, DALSTON, LONDON
JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET
RECORDED LIVE AT PIZZA EXPRESS DEAN STREET, LONDON
DOWNLOAD JULIAN SIEGEL BIOGRAPHY
Julian Siegel - photograph by Carl Hyde Studios
www.carlhyde.com
FOR JULIAN SIEGEL PHOTOS PLEASE SEND EMAIL
Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra - 'Tales from the Jacquard' out now on Whirlwind Recordings
FEATURING
Julian Siegel - tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, composition, arrangements
Nick Smart - conductor
Tom Walsh, Percy Pursglove, Henry Lowther & Claus Stotter - trumpets
Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires & Harry Brown - trombones
Richard Henry - bass trombone, tuba
Mike Chillingworth - alto saxophone
Jason Yarde - alto & soprano saxophones
Stan Sulzmann - tenor saxophone
Tori Freestone - tenor saxophone, flute
Gemma Moore - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Mike Outram - guitar
Liam Noble - piano
Oli Hayhurst - double bass
Gene Calderazzo - drums PRESS HIGHLIGHTS "A terrific achievement from one of the UK’s finest player/composers." Jazz Views - June 2021
Top 20 Jazz Albums of 2021 Jazzwise Magazine One of the Top 25 New Albums of 2021 in Richard Williams’ TheBlueMoment.com Number 1 in Jazzwise Magazine’s European Jazz Media Chart, September 2021 "Siegel masterfully deploys rhythm, colour and texture to create a lustrous ensemble sound." ★★★★ 1/2 - The Jazz Mann “Tales From The Jacquard is a very powerful belated big-band debut for an artist who sounds in fine shape to make an enthralling habit of it. “ ★★★★ John Fordham, Jazzwise "The album reveals the strength in depth of British jazz." Financial Times "Razor-sharp section work and a string of superlative solos." Bebop Spoken Here "A work of substance and originality which Siegel enthusiasts will cherish." All About Jazz "A beautiful balance between an open writing and more traditional pictures." ★★★★ All About Jazz (IT) "This whole album raises the spirits. An excellent recording with a great atmosphere” ★★★★ UK Vibe "A joy of an album." Simply Jazz Talk “An essential record of a jubilant concert” London Jazz News “Wonderful contrast in moods throughout and although thoroughly contemporary, somewhere in its DNA, echoes of classic sounds of the past” - Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra at Ronnie Scotts Jazzwise 20th Anniversary week, Bebop Spoken Here Blog Review by Brian Blain "Siegel's music looks for an equilibrium between the impressionism of current orchestras and the traditional swing bands." Catalunya Music
Saturday 4th December at 7.30 pm
Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston, London
Julian Siegel Quartet featuring
Julian Siegel Tenor and Soprano saxophones , Bass Clarinet , Compositions
Liam Noble Piano,
Oli Hayhurst Double bass
Gene Calderazzo Drums
DATES - AUTUMN 2021
Wednesday 15th September NICK COSTLEY WHITE TRIO with guest JULIAN SIEGEL
Saturday 25th September NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - Scarborough Jazz Festival
Wednesday 29th September LIANE CARROLL + JULIAN SIEGEL - Brighton Jazz Festival / New Generation Jazz / Pierfest
Thursday 30th September JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET ‘VISTA’ 606 Club Chelsea London
Thursday 7th October NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - Leeds 7 Arts
Friday 8th October NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - Sheffield Jazz
Saturday 9th October NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - The Sage, Gateshead
Saturday 30th October TREVOR MIRES BIG BAND feat. TONY MOMRELLE Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club, London
Friday 12th November JASON YARDE + THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC BIG BAND Royal Academy of Music, London
Tuesday 16th November STEVE BUCKLEY/ JULIAN SIEGEL/ DAVE WHITFORD /GENE CALDERAZZO Eastside Jazz Club , London
Friday 19th November LJF - JASON YARDE’S ‘ACOUTASTIC BOMBASTIC’ Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London
Sunday 21st November LJF - NIKKI ILES BIG BAND - Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho
Saturday 4th December JULIAN SIEGEL QUARTET with Liam Noble, Oli Hayhurst and Gene Calderazzo - Vortex Jazz Club, London
TALES FROM THE JACQUARD - COMPOSER BLOG
In early 2017 I was commissioned by Derby Jazz to write a new piece of music for Jazz Orchestra, and this led to the writing of Tales From The Jacquard. I was asked to write something with an East Midlands theme (my hometown of Nottingham, a close neighbour of Derby). I chose as a theme the Nottingham Lace Trade, which my family was involved in for over 50 years. My late father Bernard Siegel (1919 - 2006), originally from Poland, arrived in the UK in 1946, settled in Nottingham and found a new trade by studying Textiles and Hosiery at Nottingham Technical College (now Nottingham Trent University).
After serving apprenticeships at Lace companies in the city he eventually started his own business working with designers and draftsmen. His office was located in Nottingham’s busy and thriving Lace Market. He began designing his own lace patterns and these were transferred onto sets of Jacquard Cards, before being sent for manufacture in other factories on Leavers Lace Machines. He later started his own factory situated outside Nottingham city centre in Bulwell. He bought his own ‘state of the art’ Raschel Lace Machines which operated on the same principle as the Jacquard Card but using a metal chain system replacing the original punch card system. I remember seeing my Dad’s intricate lace design doodles scattered around the house, on envelopes and backs of letters. Here’s a poster for B. Siegel Nottingham Ltd from the 1960s ( stretch lace was just one style the company made!)
I have clear memories of trips to the lace factory with my Dad in the 1970’s and hearing the great sound of the machines (he wanted to conduct them!) as the pristine lace slowly appeared on the machine. In contrast, the Raschel metal linked chain carried the pattern next to the machine, covered in oil, dripping into a sump below.
Besides work, my Dad always had a great love for music and after work at home in Nottingham, Ellington, Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Lockjaw Davis, Paul Gonsalves and Ben Webster would be on the turntable as well as a lot of classical music. It seemed like a natural thing to try and explore the lace making process and use this research to inspire new music.
I’d like to say a big thanks to Charles Mason and all the staff at CLUNY LACE for the amazing opportunity to visit the Cluny Lace factory, situated on the Derbyshire / Nottinghamshire borders. Seeing their beautiful Leavers Lace Machines and Jacquard Machines in full flight brought back many memories of my Dad’s factory. Also big thanks to Ian Emm, a Leavers Lace Card Puncher since 1962, for his detailed explanation of the Jacquard Cards and their manufacture.
COMPOSITION RESEARCH AT THE FACTORY
Before my visit to Cluny Lace, Charles Mason sent me a Jacquard Card (below). Looking at this one card in detail turned out to be a really surprising and fun way of generating musical ideas for some sections of the piece. On the Jacquard Machine itself this one card represents a very small part of the overall lace pattern, representing just one pass of the shuttle through the Leavers Lace Machine.
At the factory I saw the Floor Standing Jacquard Machine sending the pattern to the Leavers Lace Machine. Firstly, those machines make a great sound, both individually and together! In one room or ‘Shop’ in the factory there may be several machines working simultaneously, leading to some great rhythmic counterpoint (and it’s loud!). There’s often a strong ‘3 against 2’ rhythm happening and, depending on where you stand in the room, there could be many different rhythms happening at the same time. These rhythms influenced the music I wrote and I tried to convey that feeling of motion and movement in the piece. As I went deeper into the process of lacemaking, I discovered new and unexpected ways of creating music from the card itself.
QUICK DESCRIPTION OF THE LACE MAKING PROCESS
The first stage of creating a lace pattern is drawing the pattern freehand.
Then a Draftsman drafts the pattern up, carefully imposing the freehand pattern onto a numbered grid.
From this draft a ‘Figure Sheet’ is made, translating this pattern into numbers that split the pattern into left and right sides. This three stage process converts the freehand drawing into the language of the Floor Standing Jacquard Machine.
At Cluny lace the Jacquard patterns are made by the Card Puncher who reads off the Figure Sheet, punching the cards, which in turn instruct the machine.
Once on the Jacquard Machine two rolls of cards, working in front and back motion send the pattern to the Leavers Lace Machine. Each position in the card corresponds to a hook, which is raised or stopped when the hole in the card is punched out or solid. The hook raises or lowers the harness (or Bars) which carry and guide the Warp thread so that the Weft will either lie above or below it, creating the pattern.
FINDING RHYTHMS AND MELODIES FROM THE CARD
Initially I thought of the card I’d been sent (above) as a kind of a graphic score, finding different ideas by turning the card upside-down or back to front. However, Charles Mason at Cluny Lace showed me it had a ‘right way up’ so that was a helpful limitation. Also, I found out that the card tells the machine to move the bars where the card is blank, not where the holes are punched out.
From L to R there are 120 columns, this particular card being part of a 120 ‘bar’ pattern (meaning the number of actual metal bars running the length of the machine that the action of the Jacquard controls). In musical language I read the card in 120 beats L - R, dividing it into 3 sections of 40 beats (you can see where the big holes in the card appear, showing these divisions). Imagining some music in 4/4 time, 40 beats could mean 10 bars of 4/4, X 3 sections with each beat as a crotchet/ quarter note. I used this form in the intro section of the piece.
Translating that to making a note happen or not, the second row down from top left has three beats rest and plays the fourth note. In the first ensemble section I made the second row down correspond to the 2nd degree of the scale, the third row the 3rd of the scale etc. I used major scales in 5 parts, (sometimes 6) off different pedal points. Elsewhere, I added notes to support those blanked out making a fuller sound, like a ‘bellows’ effect between the on’s and off’s. Listening to the resulting music, I found a melody from the sound of the parts playing together and wrote that out for guitar and piano. Adding this melody helped to glue the music together and I was really happy to find a melody in this way. During this processI stencilled the card on to paper just to see it, dividing it up into bars of 4/4, three sections of 10 bars each.
MELODY FROM THE JACQUARD
At the factory, the Card Puncher showed me how each row actually adds up to a number (written below each column on the pictures above). The Figure Sheet is translated onto the Jacquard Card itself by the Card Puncher on a special machine. The numbers on the left edge of the sheet above (and the left edge of the actual card below) are 1⁄2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 8, 8 and these correspond to the combination of differently sized pins in the Jacquard Machine that the ‘blanks’ in the card direct to lift or lower the bars in the machine. The half row at the top of the card is called the ‘dummy’ and isn’t counted in the sum of each column.
On the card I’ve been working from (above) the columns L-R read 12-10-2-11-9-17-5-10 etc. The blanks in the first column instruct the machine to lift the 4 needle, plus the first 8 needle (= 12). In the second column, the 2 needle plus the first 8 needle are lifted (=10) and so on. I then wrote out the notes from this sequence in intervals above an imagined root (Eb). I did a major scale/diatonic version starting a 12th above Eb (= Bb), then a 10th above Eb (=G). I used this melody in the piano introduction, either in a single line or sometimes bunching up the notes.
Then I found a chromatic version, counting semitones from Eb, 12 = D, 10 = C etc. and used this melody later on in the piece. When I first looked at the card, it looked rhythmic and I didn’t expect to find melodies in it. I was really happy to find them, write them out and use them in the piece.
MELODIC CELLS
I took the idea of the 1-2-4-8 sequence of numbers from the Jacquard numerical system to generate further melodic material or chords, so the C version = C-D-F-C (8va). As I only had one card to work from I imagined another with a complimentary set of 1-2-4-8 numbers in another key (the Jacquard Machine uses two alternating rolls of cards). I found that a C version (C-D-F-C) and an F version (F-G-Bb-F) combined to make a pentatonic scale C-D-F-G- Bb. Another interesting combination was two cells a tritone apart, to make a diminished scale sound (C-D-F-F#-G#-B).
WRITING OUT THE LONG RHYTHM
For the last section of the piece I wanted to find some ‘Swing’ phrasing and rhythms from the card. I wrote out the rhythm and rests of each line L - R (leaving out the 1⁄2 -‘Dummy’ row), starting from the 1 row, this time in quavers / 8th notes. Each section of 40 beats equals 5 bars of 4/4 in quavers, so the 1st line in itself, L - R of 120 quaver beats equals 15 bars of 4/4.
I used 3 lines from the card read L - R making 45 bars of 4/4. Then, I superimposed this long rhythm on a 12 bar blues form, making 12 bars X 3, plus 9 bars. After writing the rhythm out I added my own notes and harmonies. There were only a couple of times where I left notes out or needed to make a tie between two rhythms to make the rhythm flow, otherwise I used the exact rhythm of the card. It was really fun doing this and it led to some ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of without looking at the card in this way.
This music occurs in the last section of the 32 minute piece Tales from the Jacquard (as featured in the excerpt Jacquard Blues - Single Edit below, soloists are Henry Lowther trumpet, Julian Siegel tenor saxophone and Gene Calderazzo drums).
Finally, I didn’t want to get caught up in all the maths and numerical systems too much ( ! ) and when writing the piece I wrote ‘into’ and ‘out of’ sections where I used the card in more defined ways. I tried to have some fun with it and leave plenty of space for solos. I really enjoyed writing for particular soloists in mind, it’s really exciting to hear them shape the music in their own way. Because of the Musicians in the band I know the music will be different each night!
All images copyright juliansiegel.com
Images and film from the Cluny Lace factory used by kind permission www.clunylace.com
Tales from the Jacquard is now available in all formats!
VISIT:
https://juliansiegel-whirlwind.bandcamp.com/album/tales-from-the-jacquard
- 2 x 12" LP - 180g in Gatefold Artwork - Limited Edition with liner notes
- CD - High quality, 6 panel digifile with a velvety soft-touch laminate finish & 12 page booklet with liner notes
- Download Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Also available on all streaming platforms, here:
https://wwr.dj/talesfromthejacquard)
FEBRUARY 2023 JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA ‘TALES FROM THE JACQUARD’ - ALBUM CELEBRATION TOUR
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 7th BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9th TURNER SIMS, SOUTHAMPTON
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10th SHEFFIELD JAZZ
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11th DERBY JAZZ, DEDA STUDIO THEATRE
SUNDAY 12th FEBRUARY LONDON, RONNIE SCOTTS JAZZ CLUB
READ MORE
Listen to Jacquard Blues - Single Edit by Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra.
‘Jacquard Blues - Single Edit’ from TALES FROM THE JACQUARD - JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA is now available for streaming on all social media platforms
Visit the Whirlwind Recording online stores for more info/merch/download/streaming: http://wwr.dj/jacquardblues
Full album is released on June 25th !
8 track album
Delighted to announce that Julian Siegel Jazz Orchestra 'Tales from the Jacquard' is available for pre-order today from Whirlwind Recordings via Bandcamp #bandcampfriday
JULIAN SIEGEL JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LINE UP
Julian Siegel - tenor & soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, composition, arrangements Nick Smart - conductor Tom Walsh, Percy Pursglove, Henry Lowther & Claus Stotter - trumpets Mark Nightingale, Trevor Mires & Harry Brown - trombones Richard Henry - bass trombone, tuba Mike Chillingworth - alto saxophone Jason Yarde - alto & soprano saxophones Stan Sulzmann - tenor saxophone Tori Freestone - tenor saxophone, flute Gemma Moore - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet Mike Outram - guitar Liam Noble - piano Oli Hayhurst - double bass Gene Calderazzo - drums
Line-up: JULIAN SIEGEL tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet; LIAM NOBLE piano; OLI HAYHURST double bass; GENE CALDERAZZO drums“Expressive direct...
Can’t wait to play with the Julian Siegel Quartet at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club this Thursday April 29th, 8 till 9.15 pm as part of Ronnie Scotts #lockdownsessions Hope you can join us for the live stream! Please save the you Tube link above to watch the gig and for gig donations. Julian Siegel - tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, compositions Liam Noble - piano Oli Hayhurst - double bass Gene Calderazzo - drums ‘Expressive, direct music” John Fordham, The Guardian