Laura Jurd (back row) and Chaos Collective

LAURA JURD writes about the new Chaos Collective monthly residency at the Spice of Life.

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Chaos Collective was founded in September 2011. Musicians Corrie Dick, Elliot Galvin and I found that there was a group of musicians with very similar ideals and outlooks when it came to making music. We want to support each other’s musical development and to create opportunities for other like-minded artists.

Whilst improvisation is at the heart of many ‘Chaos’ ensembles, the collective doesn’t define itself as deeply rooted in the jazz tradition. Instead, ‘Chaos’ provides a platform for new, collaborative music that draws from a wealth of traditions, focusing on raw, honest music-making that avoids being weighed down by any kind of stylistic prejudice. It’s all about that special moment when Thomas Tallis might meet the second Viennese school which, in turn, might meet eighties electro-pop. There are so many sound worlds out there that improvisation can be a big part of … that’s what makes the future of music so exciting.

On Thursday 16th February at 8pm, we will be launching our brand new, monthly residency at the Spice of Life, alongside SpiceJazz. With the intention of starting off with a bang, the evening will present the debut performance of Chaos’s very own 20-piece big band – the Chaos Orchestra, featuring some of the UK’s finest young improvisers and composers.

We’ll be premiering some brand new music by the likes of Elliot Galvin, Simon Marsh, Alex Roth and myself as well as playing the music of established composers such as Mark Lockheart and Issie Barratt. Expect hard-hitting, folky melodies with a smile on their face, in addition to heavy-duty grooves and Messiaenic harmony as the orchestra prepares to put a healthy dose of attitude back into the British-big band sound.

Laura Jurd was a Dankworth 2011 Prize Winner for composition. We reviewed her prizewinning composition HERE

Chaos Collective live at the Spice of Life –

Advance bookings details : info (at)spicejazz.co.uk
www.chaos-collective.com/ www.spicejazz.co.uk