Formed from a busking band in 1983, the HQ rapidly graduated to playing clubs and festivals throughout the UK and Europe. Crowd pleasing favorites at their local Brecon Jazz Festival, they have the distinction of being the only band to have performed every year since the festivals inception 25 years ago. Membership of the band which has fluctuated over the years, currently stands at 8 musicians.
"Excellent po-faced music" - The Gaurdian
A group that shuns the common labels, the HQ represent vibrant musical irreverance and unpredictable eclecticism. Although their roots are in jazz and the focus is on original compositions, their electrically propelled grooves are just as likely to incorporate ska, reggae and klezma as any jazz style. Live, they have had a tendency towards radical reworkings of such major composers as Sidney Bechet, Dudu Pukwana, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and KC and the Sunshine band.
"A post-modernist experience." - Worldbeat
Constantly evolving the HQ have released a number of critically acclaimed albums, their latest, MACHINE ,recorded in 2004, finds the band in its larger incarnation with 12 players mixing up a big band sound with intricate improvisation. A funky collection of grooves, it's big-sound jazz, ska, funk and dub, with a few african rhythms and the occaisional electronic wild card thrown in.
"The HQ are that rare thing, a modern jazz group committed to a non-elitist popular culture and insisting on communication with their audience, try and see them!" - Venue
2008 will find the band back in the studio to record the new and 14th album for which they are currently writing and playing in new material.
"Their is a controlled abandon about their approach, the Heavies transcend brilliance traversing the fine line between the serious and the psychotic with infinite ease." - Gair Rhydd
Discography
Hammer and Sickle (1986) Bomb (1987) Poum (1988) A Screaming Tradition (1989) Short Stories (1991) Carnivore (1995) Bootleg Vol.1 (1995) Live at the FBI (1998) Hung, Drawn & Quartetted (live at Brecon Jazz Festival) (1999) Delete Memory (2002) Tales from the Riverbank Vols. 1 & 2 (2004) MACHINE (2004)
We are dealing with an entity that both mocks and embraces its source and thus creates something which defies comparison" - Impact.
I think there is a strong indication to say yes. Just got a new camera and gonna start making little skits and stuff for the web site possibly video blogging. Got some good footage yesterday of Huw wrestling in a proper ring dressed as a mormon "Brother Destruction" which will find its way on here soon
hey thanks for the birthday wishes but wasn't my birthday. don't like to put my real one down to avoid identity theft. my real one's in may. happy new year!
hellO! I'm ashamed to say i havent seen you play live for aGes....! but the first time was in pontypool park on a sunday, you were playing in the bandstand.. about 6/7 years ago! I'll get to a gig soon.x
Cheers Neil. Guinness will be imbibed, have no fear! The Fiji game must have been amazing for neutrals. I felt sick as a dog for the entire duration. Some clever sports pundit once said, 'It's not the expectation that hurts, it's the hope'. When Williams scored that late interception try I nearly puked! Anyway, I'm right behind the Pumas and the French now! Should be a good weekend!
ill tr make it im currently moving up to london so its been hectic with job/flat hunting ill try pop in when u are there i think when term startsXX take care
Hey, MissT comes out solo and in posse format! Just read your message and think I didnt respond to it, cos Brecon Jazz took over! ha ha!! Miss Triflesky plays at Meltdown Clwb Ifor Cardiff on Sunday.
Hiya Neill thanks for yr comment! Hope you've recovered from the madness that is Brecon Jazz! We're doing an electronic improv thang at meltdown on Sun 26th August in cardiff, if you're about. Yes I play alone and also with nice jazzers that love improvisation.
Bonjour Monsieur Pedder... Jason here... We (Sicknote) are playing tonight, supporting the Dub Pistols, if you fancy catching us... We're on at about 3 am... At the Q- Bar... Parrallel with Queen Street... Usually a snooker bar, but all the tables are being moved and there is a 600 capacity... Should be fun... an all nighter, celebrating Dave Grooveslaves birthday... Hope you have the spirit, and the stamina... Doghouse (Sicknote) X
Hey Neil, yeah Library or Wedi Marw as its now know has changed quite abit hasnt it!
Sorry didnt make it to Dempseys, the stress of organising our move, coupled with meetings to do with summer festvials and single release have all been abit hectic.
Once we're all settled into the new pad, you should come round for tea or beer, poss both. Living with Nige, Fay, Caroline and the almight Guy Prowse.
Found my old Guy Prowse T-shirt a little while ago and worn it last time we went on Bandit.
its easy: for the next 30 days (today is the 4th day) the person who leaves the most convincing comment gets our new album THE AIM IS THE WAY shipped FREE to your home address!
Hi everyone. Just announcing that my new album 'The Ill-Tempered Klavier' is now available from my page. Please take a listen to the sample tracks on my page's player. The music is a kind of cross between jazz, classical and rock music. Thanks. Chris L
LOL This was my initial Myspace site... before I realised I could/should have a music page. Ppl are still contacting me there as well... so... it goes on!
I have a new track up from a forthcoming cdr entitled "The sum of any number of zeros..." with 12 duo-tracks with myself and drummer/percussionist Martin Öhman on Electronic Musik.
Hey Neil, yes the years fly.......starting a new dance theatre project here in Brazil.....just finished another as the oldest codger on the stage! But hey WTF. Brecon? Ghod, I miss living there. Not so sure about the festival, tho. :-P
