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The Magic Hat Ensemble

The Magic Hat Ensemble Radio

General Info

  • Genre: Jazz

    Location MANCHESTER, UK

    Profile Views: 34751

    Last Login: 4/7/2012

    Member Since 3/30/2007

    Website themagichatensemble.co.uk

    Record Label Jellymould Jazz - www.jellymouldjazz.net

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    ................ .......... ....The Magic Hat Ensemble.................. DEBUT ALBUM 'This Conversation is Over' AVAILABLE FROM www.jellymouldjazz.net .... ........ Or order CD direct from PayPal. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...... "The Magic Hat Ensemble have their own voice with many different inflections from Monk, Shelley Manne, even Oscar Peterson and they put it all together with a unique twist." - Jerry Bergonzi.... "The Magic Hat Ensemble is a startlingly good jazz group. All the members are accomplished soloists, who seem to really improvise rather than regurgitate learnt licks. More importantly, they are all “team-players” who contribute to making a unique sound. The music seems to be tight and loose at the same time joyful and utterly unpretentious. The arrangements of often familiar material are both ingenious and intriguing and are perfect launching pads for inspired improvisation. This is one of the most refreshing groups I’ve heard in ages." - Alan Barnes.... "The Magic Hat Ensemble have built a solid name for themselves as a cracking live unit around the UK. Offering a youthful and often irreverent take on standards asserted through incredibly tight rhythmic playing and cheeky metric modulations the result is pulsating post bop given a refreshing boot up the behind. Led by Steve Chadwick on cornet with pianist Andrzej Baranek, guitarist Tony Ormesher, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Rob Turner this is a dynamic and hugely listenable band worth catching live" - Jazzwise.... “...(an) adventurous spirit is still afoot in British jazz in groups like The Magic Hat Ensemble....(This Conversation is Over is) a highly individual collection of standards.” - Geoffrey Smith (BBC R3 Jazz Record Requests).... "'The Magic Hat Ensemble', have transmitted the excitement of their live performances onto CD, I've had the pleasure of hearing them twice in Nottingham and been disappointed that no commercial recordings were available, I can now re-live the whole experience over again in the privacy of my front room, fortunately we're detached. 'The Conversation is Over', has six tracks, Monk would've loved track 1, 'Epistrophy', and track 3 elevates Bart's sacharine 'Who Will Buy' to Jazz standard status, 'Darn That Dream' plus Kenny Barron's 'Voyage' are two knock out versions I remember from the bands 'live' set. 'Magic Hats' treatment of 'Dream' has moments of high excitement and controlled abandon that'll have you shaking your head at the sheer audacity of the arrangement and how it stirs up this normally sedate ballad. (check Track 12 on Miles Davis' 'Birth of The Cool' LP, if you want to hear the reverential version), and the bands 'speed up and slow down' treatment is carried on into their stunning version of 'Voyage'. Guitarist Tony Ormesher is featured on Freddie Hubbards 'Up Jumped Spring' complemented by Andrezej Barancks excellent comping, but there's no stars on this super set from 'The Magic Hat Ensemble', the star is the 'Ensemble'. The incredible Steve Chadwick and the pulsating rhythm team of Nick Blacka and Rob Turner making up a superb Quintet, you should go and see 'live' at your earliest opportunity. Just one more comment, song writer and composer of light operetta, Jerome Kern and his estate would always threaten a visit from solicitors if anyone messed with the composers themes. If this CD becomes as well known as it deserves to be, the 'Hats' last track Kern's, 'The Song is You', should see the Quintet off the scene for a long time should 'the men in suits' get wind of it!" - Chris Moore presenter of 'Jazz Incorporated' 7pm...till 9 pm..every Thursday on the BBC East Midlands Radio....103.8 FM....'on-line' and 'listen again'....www.bbc.co.uk/radionottingham....MHE's 'This Conversation is Over' is one of that small number of jazz CDs that 'surprise' the listener. You get home and look at the track list and think, "OK, fair enough - another airing of classical standards" - press .. and you launch yourself onto MHE's big-dipping, twisting, loop-the-loop roller-coaster of metre, rhythm, swing and improvisation. And just like a roller-coaster; especially if you're at an age where you might perhaps be better stood securely on terra firma; you set-off with some trepidation, gripping the arms of your comfy chair firmly, immediately to be thrown into the dips, dives, multi-G bends and crests, all the while the smile spreading across your chops - arms up in the air, until you finally and regrettably, come to a halt with the biggest, irremovable smile on your mush, so persistent it aches. Then you race back to the hifi-cum-rollercoaster for another play. Yet there is much more to MHE than the 'virtual-reality' of their excellent CD! - Free yourself of the comfort, safety and solid ground which is your 'castle' and go to the nearest jazz theme park and experience the real-deal, live MHE - all the thrill of the CD plus the 70 mph+ MHE jazz 'hurricane' blowing through your locks for even bigger and broader smiles. MHE are unique I think in that they retain the comfort of some great jazz standards, yet rhythmically rejuvenate them in such an interesting and pleasurable manner that it's all 'new'. And in a strange way, this treatment of 'standards' propels their own compositions into a whole new, vibrant jazz territory. Live, MHE are simultaneously the tightest and loosest of outfits, clearly each enjoy the others company and this is piercingly evident in the quality of their musicianship and stagecraft. Actually, scratch the 'stagecraft' - there is no guile or craft in their 'delivery' - they don't need it - they have talent, innovation and personality in abundance and it is all natural, warm and engaging - feel free to comment, they like to know you are there. Testament to MHE and their 'The Conversation is Over' is most highly paid I think in my earnest suggestion that you see them live after buying the CD. I sincerely hope the conversation is not over and not for a long, long while. Now hold tight please, no loose objects, keep your arms inside the carriage and enjoy the jazz ride of your life! - Martin Powell (JATP, Bradford).... "I was blown away by the recording from beginning to end! A few things hit me straight away when I listen to this recording: the tightness of the group; the very sophisticated yet accessible arrangements; and obviously the musicianship of each band member which is of the highest order! The music is electrifying, it swings hard and is thoroughly joyful all qualities that personally made me want to start learning jazz in the first place.....if the music hits me like it has done through this recording I can't imagine how exciting it will be to hear them live!'' - Tomasso Starace.... "A fiercely but sensitively interactive unit, constantly striking sparks off each other." - Chris Parker, Vortex Jazz Reviews.... "…a living, breathing force, the sum of the whole being so much greater than the combination of each musician’s individual contribution. Such was the seamlessness of the band’s chemistry." - The Hive Music and Media Centre.... "Well worked out routines and crisp playing make this a most enjoyable album"- Peter Bevan (Northern Echo).... "Magic Hat is a very tight unit with a dynamic approach and a totally appealing sound. A gem of a band, and quite rare with its stimulating nature, in our sometimes staid or over self-conscious home-grown UK jazz scene. They present an exciting, upbeat programme of very original, quirky and sometimes even hilarious re-arrangements of standards, as well as some neat originals. Great individual playing and a very cool ensemble sound indeed!" - Bill Kyle (The Jazz Bar) .... 'An extremely well-rehearsed band with an invigorating and unusual take on the repertoire, ably led by Steve Chadwick's gorgeous tone and precise articulation.' - Stuart Johnson (Zefirellis) .... "Magic Hat was the most outstanding new band to appear at Stratford Jazz this year. They impressed with their new take on jazz standards coupled with stimulating tunes of their own. A tight, energetic and swinging band that is clearly going places." - Roy Stevens (Stratford Jazz).... "The Magic Hat Ensemble was a perfect opener for our 09 'Jazz on a Winter's Weekend'. Innovative, with tight and intriguing head arrangements of some well known standards and good soloing all round. Tony Ormesher's guitar work was particularly impressive on 'Darn That Dream'. A large proportion of the sell out crowd were not from the North West where the band is best known and we got lots of complimentary and 'who-are-they' comments after the gig." - Geoff Mathews (Southport Melodic Jazz Society).... “…it’s the spontaneity of the live show which makes this band special.” - Oundle Chronicle .... “…breathtaking arrangements…” - Westmorland Gazette .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .......... ...... .......... .. .. ...... .. .. .. .. .. ..

  • Members

    Steve Chadwick..Tony Ormesher..Andrzej Baranek.. Nick Blacka..Rob Turner.......... ......

  • Influences

  • Sounds Like

    Being stuck in a washing machine with a jazz CD on

Stream

  1. The Magic Hat Ensemble

    Tonight we're playing in Manchester at our own monthly night @mixupmcr. There are 2 other bands also plus food and DJs. £5 in. Doors: 7.30pm

  2. The Magic Hat Ensemble

    Merry Christmas to one and all. Eat, drink and be merry!

  3. The Magic Hat Ensemble

    Happy 30th birthday to our drummer Rob Turner! We'll be performing and partying tonight in Manchester to celebrate. Bring it on!

  4. The Magic Hat Ensemble

    We're playing at The Lescar in Sheffield tonight. Our last gig of 2012. Who's coming?

  5. The Magic Hat Ensemble

    Forgot to mention that we had a great gig at Watermill Jazz Club on Thursday evening. Thanks for the warm reception and hospitality.

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