‘Good Evening’ continue their gigs at No 178 New Cross Road with a performance from vibraphonist Lewis Wright featuring fellow Empirical members Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Tom Farmer (bass) and Shaney Forbes (drums) . 


LondonJazz News:  You’re going to be previewing new Empirical material. Have you played the new material much yet?

Lewis Wright: No not really. We have been working on some new pieces over the past few months in preparation for a new album. We premiered a few pieces a couple of weeks ago at King’s Place so a few of them have been played once before. It’s one of my favourite parts of the process; where you are figuring out what you have and seeing how an audience responds.

LJ: And what are the future plans for touring and releases?

LW: We are looking to release a new album in Spring 2015. With that will come some touring. We are very much looking to play more in other parts of Europe where there is a greater audience for the type of music we make. There will be some UK touring too. In the lead up to recording the album, we plan to hold a residency in a London venue to develop the new music in front of a live audience, similar to the way some of our favourite bands would have done it in the 1960’s and 70’s, so watch out for that.

LJ: What have you been working on apart from Empirical?

LW: I have been working on an album of Vibraphone and Piano duo music for myself and pianist Kit Downes. This is scheduled for release in 2015.

LJ: Have you done much other work with ‘Good Evening’?

LW: I’ve done quite a bit of work with Good Evening now. I think Tom Sankey is a force for good working hard to promote music of value spanning various different creative scenes. I hope Good Evening gets the attention it deserves and continues to grow.

LJ: What do you think about the south London jazz scene in general?

LW: I feel like the Jazz scene in south London along with the rest of London is doing well against the odds. There is no lack of creativity but due to major cuts country-wide there is less funding available for musicians, venues and promoters alike. Thanks to movements like Good Evening, there are more venues becoming available for live creative music.

The Lewis Wright Quartet perform at No 178 New Cross Road on 9th October.

Subsequent dates:

16th October – Fergus Ireland Quartet – New music from leading double bassist and composer Fergus Ireland featuring Josh Arcoleo (Tenor Sax), Mike Soper (Trumpet), Elliot Galvin (Piano) and George Bird (Drums).

23rd October – Glasshopper – Progressive jazz from Jonathan Chung (Saxophone), James Kitchman (Guitar) and Corrie Dick (Drums).

30th October – Groundation – Progressive Afro Jazz led by double bassist Gary Crosby OBE with Nathaniel Facey (Saxophone), Shirley Tetteh (Guitar) and Moses Boyd (Drums).