First House | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | London, UK |
| Genres | modern jazz, jazz fusion |
| Years active | 1983–1990 |
| Labels | ECM Records, |
| Past members | Ken Stubbs, Django Bates, Mick Hutton, Martin France |
First House was a British jazz quartet that was active between 1983 and 1990. Founded and led by saxophonist and composer Ken Stubbs, the group also consisted of Django Bates on piano (and composer), Mick Hutton on acoustic bass and Martin France on drum kit and percussion.
After receiving an Arts Council of Great Britain Jazz Bursary Award in 1983, Ken Stubbs formed this London based quartet – with the intention of recording an album on his own label. After encouragement and advice from jazz pianist John Taylor, the group were fortunate to become acquainted with saxophonist and improviser Evan Parker who in 1984 agreed to informally co-produce the recording. The project was halted as a result of Evan Parker contacting ECM Records founder and producer, Manfred Eicher. [1] [2]
In July 1985 First House toured Norway and played at the Molde International Jazz Festival. During the visit they recorded their first album for ECM Records at Rainbow Studios in Oslo. This was released in 1986 as 'Eréndira', achieving high critical praise internationally. [1] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
In 1984 First House were also the winners of the Third International Jazz Federation European Jazz Competition at Leverkusen, Germany. They were awarded the title, "European Young Jazz Artists 1984" [9] [10]
Between 1984 and 1989 they performed throughout Europe, including British Council funded tours of Finland and Poland, with successful performances at the Warsaw Jazz Jamboree and the Helsinki Jazz Festival. [11] [12] [13]
In 1986 they were invited to tour South America by the British Council performing in Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador and Chile, gaining highly successful reviews. [14] [15] Between 1986 and 1989 they performed throughout the UK, including 2 performances at Ronnie Scott's Club and recorded several performances for the BBC Radio 3 Jazz Today and Jazz in Britain programmes.
The quartet finally disbanded in 1989 after recording their second album release from ECM Records, 'Cantilena' which was released in 1990, again receiving critical acclaim internationally. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]
During this same period, all of the members of First House played permanently or occasionally with British jazz ensemble, Loose Tubes. Django Bates, Ken Stubbs and Martin France all performed on the last 3 albums that Loose Tubes released – 'Dancing on Frith Street' (2010), 'Säd Afrika' (2012) and 'Arriving' (2015).
Between 1986 and 1988, Mick Hutton and Django Bates were members of Bill Bruford's band, Earthworks. They also played with co-Earthworks member, saxophonist Iain Ballamy in, 'The Iains", with drummer, Steve Arguelles.
Since its disbandment, all of the members of First House have pursued individual careers within the UK and the international jazz scene.
Django Bates and Martin France have played in various ensembles together, including Human Chain, and also with groups led by Iain Ballamy and Julian Arguelles.
In 2004 Ken Stubbs was one of the 60 composers invited to create one bar of music for the composition, 'Premature Celebration' by Django Bates – written for Evan Parker and the London Sinfonietta, to celebrate Evan's 60th birthday. It was performed at the FuseLeeds Festival and broadcast by BBC Radio 3. [28]
Evan Shaw Parker is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation.
Barre Phillips is an American jazz bassist. A professional musician since 1960, he moved to New York City in 1962, then to Europe in 1967. Since 1972, he has been based in southern France where, in 2014, he founded the European Improvisation Center.
Django Bates is a British jazz musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, band leader and educator. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. Bates has been described as "one of the most talented musicians Britain has produced... his work covers the entire spectrum of jazz, from early jazz through to bebop and free jazz to jazz-rock fusion."
Loose Tubes were a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to be the focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz. It was the main launchpad for the careers of many future leading British jazz players including Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Eddie Parker, Julian and Steve Argüelles, Mark Lockheart, Steve Berry, Tim Whitehead, Ashley Slater. In 2015, the band reformed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band's formation, with concerts at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival and a sold out week at Ronnie Scott's.
Human Chain are a British jazz quartet led by composer and keyboard virtuoso Django Bates. The band have been Bates's main musical outlet since 1990 and have performed on most of his albums.
Iain Ballamy is a British composer and saxophonist. He is considered one of the 25 greatest jazz saxophonists of all time and was featured as one of the world's all-time greats in BBC Music Magazine's "100 Jazz Legends". The Guardian described him as "one of the world's distinctive saxophone voices". One of his closest musical collaborators is Django Bates.
Bill Bruford's Earthworks were a British jazz band led by drummer Bill Bruford. The band recorded several albums for Editions EG, Discipline Global Mobile and Summerfold Records.
Delightful Precipice is a 19-piece British jazz big band/orchestra led by Django Bates.
Julian Argüelles is an English jazz saxophonist.
The Bracknell Jazz Festival was a major showcase for British modern jazz in the 1980s. The festival was known for attracting a largish audience for free improvisation, modern jazz composition and all kinds of British modern jazz in general.
Earthworks is the first album by Bill Bruford's Earthworks, a jazz fusion band led by drummer Bill Bruford with keyboardist and trumpeter Django Bates, saxophonist Iain Ballamy, and acoustic bassist Mick Hutton. It was released in 1987 on EG Records and reissued on Summerforld in 2005. The album was co-produced by Bruford's former bandmate Dave Stewart.
Loose Tubes is the debut album by English jazz Loose Tubes. It was released in 1985 as an LP on Loose Tubes Limited. The recording has never been reissued on CD.
The Seven Dials Jazz Club opened its doors in 1980 as a venue for live music in Covent Garden, London. It hosted a range of artists and styles of jazz and began to attract a regular audience. Starting in 1983, a series of saxophone festivals was held on the premises each year.
Ken Stubbs is an English jazz musician, alto saxophonist and composer.
Cantilena is the second album recorded by the British jazz quartet, First House. It was released by ECM. The album presents a studio performance of leader and saxophonist Ken Stubbs with Django Bates on piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Martin France on drums, recorded over 2 days in March, 1989 in Norway.
Eréndira is the first album recorded by the British jazz quartet, First House. It was released by ECM. The album presents a studio performance of leader and saxophonist Ken Stubbs with Django Bates on piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Martin France on drums, recorded over 2 days in July, 1985 in Norway.
Quercus is a 2013 live album by English folksinger June Tabor, Welsh jazz pianist Huw Warren & English saxophonist Iain Ballamy. It is also the name of the trio project which derived from an earlier collaboration on Tabor's At the Wood's Heart from 2005. Though, Warren has been a pianist and musical director for Tabor since 1988. The recording took place at The Anvil in Basingstoke at the end of a tour in March 2006. Ballamy, who has previously recorded for ECM Records with his experimental jazz duo Food, recalled “the piano was excellent, the acoustics in the hall were good, and nobody coughed.”
Summer Fruits (and Unrest) is an album led by composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader Django Bates which was recorded in 1993 and released on the JMT label.
Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) is an album led by composer, multi-instrumentalist and band leader Django Bates which was recorded in 1995 and released on the JMT label.
Mick Hutton is a British jazz bassist and composer.
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