Members of Wild Flower Sextet. L-R: Matt Anderson, Sam Vicary, Laura Jurd

Saxophonist Matt Anderson will be launching the debut album of his band Wild Flower Sextet next Monday evening (9th February). He writes: 

Wild Flower Sextet plays original music inspired by the sound and approach of jazz legend Wayne Shorter (hence the band-name), as well as new arrangements of classic and lesser-known Shorter compositions. The line-up which is a true joy for me to perform with: Laura Jurd (trumpet), Alex Munk (guitar), Jamil Sheriff (piano), Sam Vicary (double-bass), Sam Gardner (drums).

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Our album was recorded last February in the Leeds College of Music recital room, as many of us have close links to this college (Jamil is the pathway leader for jazz, for example), with support from the Jazz Services Recording Support Scheme. One year on, it’s being released by the Jellymould Jazz label later this month alongside a U.K. tour. We’re going all over the country touring the album – I write this article on my battered old laptop from the train down to Ashburton in Devon – and I’m really proud to have the official album launch at such a great venue as Pizza Express. It’s going to be a great night!

I put the band together in 2012, and it’s been an incredible experience working with these wonderful musicians over the past couple of years. Since there are six of us and the band has been split between people living in London and Leeds, it’s the kind of group that only converges on special occasions, doing occasional tours when I can make it happen. Whenever we do get to play though, as soon as we start I always remember why it’s worth putting in all the effort to organise these gigs and tours – the band is just such fun to play with, and I hope this comes across to the audience as well.

It’s kind of my perfect line-up, and I think we all feel that the band works really well as a unit. Sam Gardner and I were flat-mates together at Leeds College of Music in our first year back in 2007, and also at college at this time were Alex Munk and Sam Vicary (all three have later moved to London). Jamil Sheriff taught all of us musicianship and composition before we started playing with him a little later on, so the five of us have got a shared history of studying and playing together which I think really comes through when we play. Laura Jurd is I suppose ‘the outsider’ in this respect, but she fits in with the vibe of the band perfectly, balancing inspired ‘inside’, changes-based playing with a freer, rockier side in a way that perfectly complements this music.

TOUR DATES

St. Lawrence Chapel , Devon 01/02/15 8:00pm
North Devon Jazz Club , Devon 02/02/15 8:30pm Leeds Album-Launch Leeds College of Music Recital Room 03/02/15 7:30pm
The Lescar Sheffield 04/02/15 9:00pm
Jazz at the Priestley Bradford 06/02/15 8:30pm
Zeffirellis Ambleside, Cumbria 07/02/15 8:30pm
London Album-Launch Pizza Express Jazz Club 09/02/15 8:30pm
St. Ives Jazz Club St. Ives 10/02/15 8:30pm
SoundCellar Poole, Dorset 12/02/15 8:30pm
The Bebop Club Bristol 13/02/15 9:00pm
Northampton Contemporary Jazz Northampton 26/02/15 8:00pm
Birmingham Jazz Birmingham Jazz 27/02/15 7:45pm

This tour is supported by the Jazz Services National Touring Support Scheme

Links: www.matt-anderson.org.uk
 www.jellymouldjazz.net