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The Delta Saxophone Quartet (www.deltasax.com) was formed in 1984. The group aims to
present British and international new music in a dynamic and thought provoking
way. A sample of its repertoire may include works by Gavin Bryars, Philip
Glass, Steve Reich, Louis Andriessen or jazz composer Mike Westbrook to
re-workings from the 70’s Jazz/Rock group The Soft Machine. The quartet has
commissioned over 400 new works since its formation with some becoming a
mainstay of the saxophone quartet repertoire. ....
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The quartet has performed widely within the United Kingdom and
overseas including in 2002, a ground breaking tour of Uzbekistan, performing in
Tashkent, Ferghana (the first overseas group to perform there for 25 years) and
Samarkand. This led to the commissioning of three works by Uzbek composers for
the quartet and subsequently to a second visit to Tashkent, performing at the
Ilkhom Music Festival in April 2005. The quartet has undertaken two tours of
Taiwan, the second during 2003 and has also performed in Russia (Moscow),
Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. The British Council has supported the DSQ
in Taiwan, China, Italy and Uzbekistan. UK Festival performances include,
Huddersfield, Brighton, Meltdown (RFH London), London ’Oris’ Jazz Festival,
Brighton,Bradford, Almeida, plus workshop residencies in Aberdeen, Nottingham,
Wavendon, Brandenburg,St Poelten and Catania. In September 2005 the quartet
performed in Beijing, China, as part of the EU/China trade celebrations. The
quartet performed for over 1,000 people at the Europe Street venue plus an
informal evening at the British Ambassador’s residency.This trip was sponsored
by the British Council. To end the year of 2005 with a bang, the quartet was
invited to perform at Classic FM’s Chiller Cabinet Christmas party at the hip
Notting Hill Arts Club, London.....
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Over a number of years the DSQ has developed its own innovative
educational and outreach programme, encouraging people of all ages and
abilities to share in the experience of group improvisation and composition.
The workshops have been much in demand, recent projects include a week long
residency in Brandenburg, Germany and a compositional project with music
conservatoire students in Catania, Sicily. The DSQ is currently ensemble in
residence at Kingston University in West London, where the professional work of
the quartet is combined with creating and performing works by students, leading
classes and directing workshops dealing with all aspects of musical performance
and interpretation. As part of its work there the quartet has performed at The
Albert Hall and the Barbican hall in London plus the Kingston Jazz Futures
Festival and Autumn Festival. in the Autumn of 2006 this residency was extended
to the summer of 2008.....
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In the Spring of 2006 the quartet presented quartets by Sir Richard
Rodney Bennett and Steve Reich as part of their 70th anniversary years plus the
world premiere of Steve Goss’s Uneasy Dreams, which will be recorded for
release later in 2007. January 2007 was a busy month for the quartet with its
association with Etnafest in Italy continuing with a three day creative
workshop followed by the workshop performance, two special Italian Etnafest
commissions plus the new Delta Sax Qt project which features the spirit and
music of the Soft Machine - Dedicated to you but you weren’t listening with
Hugh Hopper as their special guest.....
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In 2007 The quartet recorded and released on the Moonjune label its fourth solo cd titled
dedicated to you but your weren’t listening.. the reviews for this have been exceptional. Check out www.deltasax.com to see some of these....
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In May of 2007 the quartet presented its first live internet relay
from its performance of new works by Stephen Goss, Mike Searby, Daniel Wilson
and Tim Ewers The quartet has recently recorded Stephen Goss’s Uneasy Dreams
which was released on the Cadenza Music label in December 2007. As part of its
commitment to British new music and in celebration of its Kingston
Connection,a DVD featuring some of the in-house composers at Kingston
University combined with the International ‘big hitters’ of Michael Finnissy
and Gerald Barry. This is set for a release in the autumn of 2009 on the FMR
label. ....
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In the Autumn of 2007 the quartet had a UK tour (which was supported by Jazz Services and The Arts Council) which was linked
with its album launch of Dedicated For You But You Weren’t Listening, performances
were given in London, Stafford (+workshop), Bristol,Kettles Yard in
Cambridge in February of 2008. Further performances in 2008/09 has seen the quartet in Germany, Netherlands, China and the DPRK (North Korea). Performances are scheduled in Croatia and italy for the summer of 2009.....
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check out the new Delta Sax Quartet blog (http://deltasaxquartet.blogspot.com). ....
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Plans for 2009/10 see the start of work on a new saxophone quartet
commission from Mike Westbrook for quartet and jazz vocalist plus work with
Dartmoor based author Sam North with music by Issie Barratt and the DSQ. ....
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2009/10 marks the DSQ’s 25th anniversary, quite an achievement for a
small chamber group!....
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Reviews:....
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“The DSQ offers top- notch musicianship and imagination” Downbeat
**** Magazine April 2008.....
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‘’'There is too much wonderful music found here to mention it all
and at one hour, it is consistently fascinating... Downtown Music Gallery New
York’’....
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‘’(This cd) ''may be the most revelational…and revolutionary look
at a legendary British group that ran the gamut from post-Dadaist psychedelia
to free jazz and fusion between 1966 and 1981''. John Kelman, All About Jazz’’....
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“One of Europes most distinguished new music ensembles” The
Guardian ****....
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“Just listening to this for the third time in a row, (I'm)already
quite sure this is one of the year's best albums'' Steve Lake, What's
Rattlin'’’....
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“A newly found desert island disc indeed” Glen Astirita (www.jazzreview.com)....
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“www.dmme.net *****”....
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“One of the most beautiful jazz records of 2007” Süddeutsche
Zeitung (Germany)....
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“Your (Delta Sax Quartet) Concert was a fairytale’’ Radio
Art- Tashkent....
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“ This is a fierce, passionate, yet giddily lyrical (CD). Exceptional”
Independent On Sunday....
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’’The Delta Saxophone Quartet’s rendition of Glass’ string quartet
is truly inspiring ’’ Amazon.com online reviews....
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"Delta is one of Britain’s most dynamic contemporary music
groups unveiling British premiers galore." The Gramophone....
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"Delta makes light of the extraordinary technical demands of
this work (Bryars) ...intense and energetic..." BBC music magazine 5 star
album of the month....
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