#Sophie Alloway

[alittlemorevodka]

Joyful jazz aficionado's Lydian Collective return to Vodka with what will no doubt be one track on the upcoming, as yet unnamed, LP, due out sometime this year. (No release date has is set.) Shuffle Bubble (seen/heard here) picks up where tracks like Thirty One from LC’s previous March 2018 LP left off. Frankly, Vodka cannot wait for the new LP!

Shuffle Bubble has a wonderful question and answer section where keyboard (Aaron Wheeler), lead guitar (Todd Baker), and bass (Ida Hollis) all play the same melody line in mini-solos, one following the other, while the beat is laid down with the expert delivery of the  ever-smiling Sophie Alloway. It should be noted here that, based on the fade-out, it’s altogether possible that the LP version of Shuffle Bubble will be longer. This track joins Out Of The Woods and High 555 as tracks that will likely appear on the new LP.  In a previous review of High 555, Vodka erroneously said that track was from the Adventure LP. In my excitement for that track, I did not double-check my facts! As noted by the included links above, Vodka has been a fan of Lydian Collective since we covered East back in December 2018.

You can find more information on Lydian Collective by heading up to their nicely formatted and complete website. Everything is there, including purchase, social, and streaming links.

While instrumental music does not play a big part on the Vodka blog, Lydian Collective is one of the notable exceptions. Watch for the release of the new LP and consider a purchase when it comes out. You won’t be sorry!

Note: It looked like we were heading for clear skies as far as Covid 19 was concerned. The variants are making a comeback, which means that the livelihoods of artists like Lydian Collective and many others are still threatened. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. Please, if you are physically able to do so, get the vaccine! –Vodka

[malsrp]

1. Aida Wilks 2. Alexandria Gillham 3. Alia Maxwell 4. Alisia Carabajal 5. Alissa Kytönen 6. Amanda H. Nørgaard 7. Amelie Robin 8. Anna B. Mathiasen 9. Apolline Tachel 10. April Olson 11. Asmarina Tesmi 12. Aurora Moon 13. Ava Hunter 14. Breana Logston 15. Brooke Nicholas 16. Caley Greene 17. Caty White 18. Celeste Goodman 19. Célia Méndes 20. Charisse Walther 21. Chelsea Tassinari 22. Cheryl Blossom 23. Ciera Folger   24. Clarissa Fairchild 25. Clarke Griffin 26. Cleopatra Mercia 27. Deanna Scofield 28. Demi-leigh Maclean 29. Diana Lanham 30. Dorothea Lightwood-Bane 31. Dorothy Baum 32. Dyana Roy 33. Edelira Réyes 34. Eden Farley 35. Eleanor Blackburn 36. Émelié Overgard 37. Emily Robin 38. Erin Madden 39. Eva Coleman 40. Eva Rosales 41. Evangelina Stigall 42. Evie Trippe 43. Faye Thompson 44. Gabriela Méndes 45. Genevive Janowski 46. Georgette Fresne 47. Georgianne Rentfro 48. Grace Quinn 49. Hailee Lewis 50. Harley Quinn 51. Hayley Marshall-Kenner 52. Hazel Arden 53. Imelda Navarro 54. Isis Monohan 55. Ivy Romano 56. Jacqui Valo 57. Jellybean Jones 58. Jenna Ormond 59. Johanna Söderström 60. Jordan Burton 61. Julie R. Mogensen 62. Justine Schoolcraft 63. Karisa Sandström 64. Karleen Widell   65. Kaylah Robles 66. Kenzi Malikov 67. Kira Connor 68. Kis Szabolcs 69. Kisanet Isaias 70. Kitty Sullivan 71. Krista Albertsdóttir 72. Kristyn Dilley 73. Lacey Tauber 74. Lauranne Leemburg 75. Laurence Lachord 76. Leah Holt 77. Lenore Francoeur 78. Lesli Mclaurin 79. Lexa Kom Trikru 80. Lita Balsley 81. Livia Hullett 82. Lizbeth Burton 83. Lola Porter 84. Lorie Garnett 85. Mackenzie Greyr 86. Madelaine Thomas 87. Majestas Upriti 88. Mal 89. Marina Alves 90. Melanie Widing 91. Mercedes Abbott 92. Merida Dunbroch 93. Mia Alloway 94. Mira Martin 95. Morgana Pendragon 96. Nadia Lowe 97. Nelle Leng 98. Nine/Nina 99. Nola Delpozo 100. Octavia Blake 101. Olivia Octavian 102. Olympia Green 103. Paige Kerler 104. Poppy Martin 105. Presley Lowe 106. Quinn Simons 107. Rebecca Conway 108. Renée Gorski 109. Riley Bowman 110. Robin Buckley 111. Rosa Hurley 112. Rosemary Daniele 113. Rosia Obryan 114. Ruby 115. Sabrina Spellman 116. Sara Narjus 117. Scarlet Patton 118. Sophia Tulloch 119. Sophie Lasiter 120. Sophie Windsor 121. Susanna Sandström 122. Suzume Ahumada 123. Tabitha Mersey 124. Talia Sholes 125. Tess Friedkin 126. Tinkerbell 127. Toby Kao 128. Toni Topaz 129. Trista Dutra 130. Venus Gallo 131. Verona Watkins 132. Veronica Beck 133. Veronica Lodge/Luna 134. Viki Leick 135. Violet Addison 136. Yalena Yardeen 137. Zoe Cole

[burlveneer-music]

Yazz Ahmed - Lahan al-Mansour - new track is epic in both scope and personnel:

Johanna Burnheart, electric violin Helena Kay, alto saxophone Tori Freestone, alto flute, soprano saxophone & tenor saxophone Gemma Moore, baritone saxophone Becca Toft, trumpet Alex Ridout, trumpet Yazz Ahmed, trumpet, flugelhorn & handclaps Carol Jarvis, trombone Samuel Hällkvist, guitars Ralph Wyld, vibraphone Alcyona Mick, Fender Rhodes Charlie Pyne, bass guitar Corrina Silvester, percussion & handclaps Sophie Alloway, drums Camilla George, cosmic alto saxophone lines Shirley Tetteh, additional guitar textures Sarah Tandy, additional Fender Rhodes (solo transition) Noel Langley, additional Fender Rhodes (free introduction)

Composed by Yazz Ahmed Soprano saxophone solo - Tori Freestone Trumpet solo - Yazz Ahmed

[riffsstrides]

Patrick Naylor

Days of Blue

2015

Patrick Naylor: guitar; Ian East: sax; David Beebee: piano, bass; Milo Fell: drums; Natalie Rozario: cello; Dan Teper: accordion; Alex Keen: bass (tracks 5,6,7 and 9); Sophie Alloway: drums; Stephanie O'Brien: vocals; Sara Mitra: vocals

"Baba" opens this album by British guitarist Patrick Naylor, with a middle eastern-tinged sax melody embellished with fast, acrobatic interplay between guitar and sax. Vocalist Stephanie O'Brien guests on the exquisitely executed song "Naggar" with elegant cello from Natalie Rozario, and this is all underpinned by graceful accordion from Daniel Teper. On "Rifferama" Naylor's quiet yet confident approach to his instrument is apparent. He's not short of technique, allowing himself just enough flowing runs to demonstrate his chops. The title track, sung by Sara Mitra, is the sort of song that in an ideal world would top the charts, but is ironically just too tasteful and subtle. It opens with almost imperceptibly quiet triangle and majestic cello from Natalie Rozario who gives a magnificent solo too. "Blue Morning" is a lengthy slinky bluesy workout, with a head arrangement and interspersed with a jam-like feel. "Waiting" is a quiet waltz with brushed snare drum and a resonant double bass solo from Alex Keen. The opening guitar work on "Restless" is most redolent of the under sung and under-recorded guitarist Amancio D'Silva, of Hum Dono fame, whose sensitive, almost gentle playing Naylor seems often to invoke. A sax and guitar duet opens "Lost Song," arranged as a quartet piece with bass and drums. "After Dark" sees Naylor on acoustic guitar and Ian East playing the melody line. The short solo by Naylor here is reminiscent of John Abercrombie in feel and the piece is augmented by deft percussion and piano. The final track "Vamp" offers a more extended yet restrained fuzz guitar solo from Naylor, who shows he is more than equal to the challenge of well-crafted and dextrous finger work. Naylor's unique selling point is that despite his undoubted technical ability and imaginative delivery he doesn't use the guitar as a weapon; his band is guitar-led but not guitar-dominated and this is the crucial difference. His talent, as with Miles Davis, is to push other soloists forward into the limelight. However, when he does solo, Naylor acquits himself with flying colours. This excellent album, mostly written by Naylor but with some of the other musicians too, stays with the listener long after it's finished.

ROGER FARBEY  in All About Jazz

[ducdemoneton]

Andrea Vicari’s Jazz Ambassadors

Paola Vera - voice, Andrea Vicari - piano, Emma Rawicz - sax, Sophie Alloway - drums, Amy Baldwin - bass

Tuesday 19 October 8pm @ Southampton Jazz ClubJane Austin Suite, The Dolphin Hotel 34-35 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 2HN http://southamptonjazzclub.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/events/1968977329946174

[architectnews]

Nicolas Pople Architects creates vaulted CLT church in Stroud

Nicolas Pople Architects has created a facetted cross-laminated timber chapel for a church in the town of Stroud in southwest England.

Built for the Christian Community in Stroud, the timber chapel was made from a combination of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and glue-laminated (glulam) structural beams.

Nicolas Pople Architects worked with structural engineer Corbett Tasker to create the facetted CLT structure, which was designed to invoke the feeling of a contemporary gothic cathedral.

Nicolas Pople Architects has created a vaulted CLT church in Stroud

"We wanted to create a contemporary, well-crafted sacred space, inspired by the great medieval gothic cathedral and church builders in a way which isn't noticeably of a particular style or religious group," explained Peter Corbett, co-founder of Corbett Tasker.

"It's a space where the structure is honestly expressed without being visually distracting. In the words of Aaron Mirkin – priest at the Stroud chapel – it is 'uplifting but not overwhelming'," he told Dezeen.

The interior is made from facetted CLT panels

Within the main chapel, the walls and roof are made from angled slabs of exposed structural CLT.

The architecture studio wanted to create a space with interesting geometries, but one that had clean lines and did not distract from the Christian Community services that take place.

The chapel has an exposed CLT roof

"The space should not be the focus of attention: the ritual is what matters," said Nicolas Pople Architects founder Nicolas Pople.

"From a design point of view this requires a balancing act between static and dynamic, and careful attention to detail so that paradoxically, it does not draw the eye."

It has facetted timber walls

The design team chose to build the structure from CLT as it allowed them to reinterpret the stone, curved vaults of gothic cathedrals in a contemporary way with a sustainable material.

"Fundamentally CLT allowed the design team to create a beautifully crafted space using complex geometry whilst significantly de-risking the construction phase – it is not feasible to build cathedrals like the gothic masons did!" said Corbett.

"There are also strong ethical reasons for choosing to build in timber, the only truly sustainable material and the natural choice for a forward-thinking church community."

The CLT was used to create a vault-like structure

The architecture studio and engineer aimed to push the possibilities of CLT construction and created a facetted timber vault from CLT, which was supported by glulam beams.

"Very often CLT structures are built with horizontal slabs supported on vertical walls, or a grid of orthogonal beams and columns," explained Corbett.

"Here, in perhaps a first in this country, we used the panels to create a timber vault, where compression forces dominate over bending forces, creating an 18-metre spanning arch from altar to congregation and using a 'folded plate' technique to give additional structural stiffness."

The main chapel is wrapped in single-storey rooms

The chapel was built on the site of the church's former community hall and other facilities, which were demolished, at a 90-degree angle to the previous chapel that has been converted into a community room.

Wrapping around the double-height main hall is a single-storey structure that contains the church's entrance hall, office, cloakroom, toilets, a wake room and the vestry.

The church isfinished in white render

The walls of the timber structure are covered in white render, while cedar shingles were used on the chapel's roof and a green roof was installed on the flat roofs of the surrounding rooms.

German studio Architektur3 also used timber for a triangular tower and public viewpoint that was added to a church in the Black Forest, while TSDS Interior Architects built a church entirely from wood on a rubber plantation in Indonesia.

Other recently completed churches on Dezeen include a circular church in Brno that is topped with a panoramic, rainbow-hued window and a porcelain-clad church designed by Espen Surnevik in Norway.

Photography is by Fernando Manoso Borgas.

Project credits:

Architect: Nicolas Pople Architects - Nic Pople, Serena Evans, Muneeb Ali Khan, George Sinclair and Sophie Woodhatch Project manager: Local Agenda – Geoff Haslam, Sarah Udo-Affia Structural engineers Corbett Tasker – David Tasker, Peter Corbett and Tom Bignell M&E consultant: Hydrock – Josh Bullard and Jack Gorman Acoustic consultant: Mach Acoustics – Max Reynolds Quantity surveyor: Gardiner and Theobald – Jack Jones and Michael Moss Drainage consultant: Clive Onions CLT manufacturer: Zublin – Daniel Kreissig Contractor: Beard – Sean Franks (contract manager) and Tim Alloway (site manager)

The post Nicolas Pople Architects creates vaulted CLT church in Stroud appeared first on Dezeen.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/warren-quakers-settle-for-2-2-tie-news-sports-jobs/

Warren, Quakers settle for 2-2 tie | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by Jordan Holland Warren’s Sophie Cochran (13) controls the ball as New Philadelphia’s Miranda Jagunic (18) defends during a high school girls soccer match Saturday in Vincent. The teams tied, 2-2.

VINCENT — Warren held a lead twice during Saturday afternoon’s girls soccer match against New Philadelphia, but both times the Quakers were able to find the equalizer and force a 2-2 tie.

“It was a very evenly matched game,” said Warren head coach Andy Pinkerton. “Both teams put together some pretty strong attacks. Just couldn’t finish as much as we wanted to. They had two quality players, No. 10 (Audrey Harr) and No. 5 (Lauryn Contini). They really gave us some fits. We did a good job in the first half limiting their opportunities. In the second half they got two behind us. Luckily we were able to get two of our own to equalize.”

Warren struck first just a minute and 10 seconds into the match. Sophie Cochran’s shot on goal was blocked by Quaker keeper Marilynn Stokey, but Payton Alloway was there to gather the deflection and put it into the back of the net for a 1-0 Warren lead.

Harr responded in the 10th minute with the first of her two goals on the afternoon. There was nothing Warren keeper Millie Ryan could do as Harr perfectly placed a shot to the upper left section of the net, making it 1-1.

“She’s a high quality player,” Pinkerton said of Harr. “We knew she was going to be good coming in. I think we just kind of allowed her to hold the ball a little bit too long.”

Just a slight relaxation (on defense) allowed that opening for her shot. It’s something we will work on and improve for next time we play them.”

It remained 1-all until the 68th minute when New Philadelphia’s Corinne Shimek was called for a handball in the box, setting up a Warren penalty kick. Macie Smith took the shot, and her kick to the ride side of the net was well beyond the reach of a diving Tori Kaiser, who played between the pipes in the second half for the Quakers. With that, Warren held a 2-1 advantage with 12:49 to play.

Warren nearly made it 3-1 at the 11:40 mark, but Alloway’s strike was corralled by Kaiser.

Then, with 7:13 left on the clock, Harr struck again with another unassisted goal to make it 2-2. From there, neither team could find the back of the net before the final horn blew.

Warren took 12 shots on goal in the match but the Quakers rejected 10 — six by Kaiser and four by Stokey.

“First half we just kind of played the ball more in space versus trying to work the ball together,” Pinkerton said. “Second half, we started putting a little bit more dangerous attacks together by working together and letting the ball do a lot of the work instead of us just chasing it like we did in the first half.

“That was only our third game with no preseason games or anything. Our fitness still isn’t where it should be at this point because we just haven’t had games. All of that stuff is going to improve throughout the year.”

The Quakers, who had four shots on goal, two of which were saved by Ryan, saw their record go to 1-3-1.

“Both teams played well,” said NPHS head coach Brian Rutunno.

“Just a lot of us hustle from my players up there.”

Warren is back in action Thursday at Dover. The Warriors were scheduled to play Marietta last Thursday but it was postponed to Oct. 8.

“This is a definitely a much tougher conference schedule than we’ve played in a long time,” Pinkerton said of the East Central Ohio League. “There for a couple years we didn’t have a conference to play in. There’s really not too much of an easy team to be able to relax against in this league.”

Jordan Holland can be reached at jholland@mariettatimes.com.

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[gigsoupmusic]

Lydian Collective And The Capital Orchestra (18th October 2019)

Since our glowing review of their debut album Adventure, we at GIGsoup have been following every endeavour from the brightest band in modern jazz fusion. This time, the four performers are filling Cadogan Hall with the Capital Orchestra to run through a set of newly arranged works. The Capital Orchestra is made up of (and conducted by) students, so the prejudiced opinion may expect a lesser performance. However, any possible concern was thrown far away from the opening notes of the live premier of the new Laszlo tune ‘Press Start’. Alternation between majestic melodies, electronic heavy beats and some incredibly late-on-the-beat performances from the incredible percussion section. ‘East’ is the first Lydian Collective track of the night, and its explosive basslines are teleported to another dimension by the brass section which turn an innocent piece of jazz fusion into a James Bond theme. ‘Child’ (by LC guitarist Todd Wheeler) doesn’t pack the same punch, but allows the string section to shine. ‘Shapons Vindaloo’ was made famous by Snarky Puppy themselves thanks to a collaboration with Väsen. An incredibly complex 23/8 time signature (split into 7/8, 7/8, 9/8) and string showcases show off the folk influences within, being performed with exceptional tightness by all 89 musicians on stage. While she’s arguably still the most talented musician on the stage (and I still think she should be the most in demand session musician in the UK at the moment) Sophie Alloway’s drumming is slightly buried by the work of the four other (also brilliant) percussionists around her. The first half of the show came to a close with a cover of the Pat Metheny track ‘Third Wind’, in which the Capital Orchestra guitarist channelled the guitar virtuosity of the man himself. Despite the talent in the room and amazing LC tracks being played, it was this solo that inspired the biggest response of the night. ‘Loops’ opens the second half, with the brass basslines creating a truly apocalyptic feeling through their rumbling texture and colossal heaviness. ‘Mr Sunshine’ works particularly well alongside the orchestra, with the Lydian mode employed in full to create the brightest, happiest melody possible. Conductor Sam Gale also divulges the interesting titbit that Aaron Wheeler composed the track on the toilet... While ‘November’ and ‘Cartoon Hero’ work well too, it becomes more and more apparently that Lydian Collective will be yet again avoiding ‘Thirty One’. Its bouncy rhythms and addictive melodies would make it the perfect tune to arrange, but for some reason they’ve avoided it once more. Towards the end of the show, Gale informs the audience of his orchestras depressingly un-unique situation, announcing their hiatus from live shows for 12 months due to lack of funding. In a difficult time for the arts, this is a set of musicians who deserve to be able to play. Make sure you donate here in order to help them out.  

The main set comes to a close with the most recent LC tune, ‘High 555’. Its built on an Ida Hollis bassline which, in normal circumstances, sees her hands impressively weave their way around the neck of her bass. In this circumstance, five double basses surround her like an army, each throwing their arms around their instruments to keep up with the winding motif. Somehow, it works perfectly, and the track builds into an ecstatic and perfectly tight climactic chord. The show comes to a close with ‘Legend Of Lumbar’, which combines every element of tonight’s show into one four minute package. An atmospheric opening leans into some complex rhythmic stabs, impressive soloing, amazing tightness and a huge final chord which echoes around Cadogan Hall. A well-deserved standing ovation meet the musician, continuing to prove the importance of the criminally underrated Lydian Collective. However, this show also helped to prove that the Capital Orchestra and incredibly talented group of musicians who I’d love to see alongside other bands at some point within the next 12 months. Read the full article

[avadoramimouniantiques-blog]

Some of the flowers daughter Sophie Alloway gave me yesterday, Mothers Day. Typically spot on! @suenormanblueandwhite #blueandwhite #transferware #englishpottery #decorativeantiques #decorativefair #transferwarechinapottery (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvurFhYl3Mf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1d7k5afmvu9s3

[cuatropalabras]

(vía https://soundcloud.com/sophiealloway/naggar?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

[alittlemorevodka]

One of the best jazz fusion groups of all time, at least in Vodka’s opinion, is Lydian Collective. Their latest single Out Of The Woods (heard here), builds on the formula that this group has mastered: joyful, accessible jazz, played with a passion fitting the devotion that the individual members dedicate to it. It’s a winning formula, driven home by the commercial and critical success that Lydian Collective has amassed since jumping into the music scene with Adventure in March 2018. 

That, of course, isn’t the whole picture, because each of these musicians was successful in their own right prior to Adventure’s release. The coming together of these individuals to form Lydian Collective was the perfect combination, and it is a winning package for the listener’s ears as well.

Though notably a four piece, made up of Aaron Wheeler, keyboards, Ida Hollis, bass, Todd Baker, guitar and Sophie Alloway, drums, Out Of The Woods includes Lucie Treacher playing the ancient Scandinavian instrument, nyckelharpa. The nyckelharpa is also known as a keyed fiddle. This provides an otherworldly texture to Lydian Collective’s signature sound that takes it in a whole new direction. 

You can find more information on Lydian Collective from their very complete web site which includes all social and purchase links. For those looking for a direct link to purchase the music, slip on up to their bandcamp.com site.

Pick up some of the best jazz fusion music to be found on the planet by picking up some Lydian Collective music now!  Keep an eye out for the band’s new long player early in 2021.

Note: With Covid-19 still around, probably to be with us for some time, artists like Lydian Collective and many others need your purchases to keep their heads above water. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. –Vodka

[malsrp]

LIST FOR RANDOMISING

1. ADDISON CARVER 2. ALEKSEI MYCHALOVICH 3. ALEXANDER LIGHTWOOD 4. ALIA MAXWELL 5. ALYX HUMPHRIES 6. AMADEJ MORALIS 7. ANGEL DEVARIS 8. ANTHONY HIGGINS 9. APRIL OLSON 10. ARCHIE ANDREWS 11. ARLAN HAVERNATHY 12. ARRON CASTILLO 13. AVA HUNTER 14. BASTIAAN MORGAN 15. BELLAMY BLAKE 16. BELLE FRENCH 17. BELLE LANDRY 18. BENTLEY FRENCH 19. BLAIR MCKENZIE/MCKENNA 20. BLAKE ANDERSON 21. BOBBI DOWNES 22. CALEB ALEXANDER WHITTON 23. CALEY GREENE 24. CASEY FINCH 25. CASTIEL NOVAK 26. CATY WHITE 27. CELESTE GOODMAN 28. CERIN Ó'CAOIMH 29. CHERYL BLOSSOM 30. CIEL PHANTOMHIVE 31. CLARKE GRIFFIN 32. CLARISSA FAIRCHILD 33. CLAUDE DONOVAN 34. CLEOPATRA ISIS MERCIA 35. COREY HAMILTON 36. DAENERYS TARGARYEN 37. DALTON FULLER 38. DANA BELA 39. DEANE TRAGER 40. DEANNA SCOFIELD 41. DESTIN RUMANCEK 42. DMITRY ALKAEV 43. DOROTHEA LIGHTWOOD-BANE 44. DOROTHY BAUM 45. DYANA ROY 46. EDEN FARLEY 47. ELEANOR BLACKBURN 48. EVA COLEMAN 49. EVA ROSALES 50. FAYE JENNINGS 51. FAYE MCKENNA 52. GRACE QUINN 53. HAILEE LEWIS 54. HARLEY QUINN 55. HARPER FINCH 56. HARRY HOOK 57. HAYLEY MARSHALL-KENNER 58. HAZEL ARDEN 59. HOPE LEHANE 60. HUNTER HARRIS 61. ILIA TRENT 62. IMELDA NAVARRO 63. ISIS MONOHAN 64. ISRAEL PRESTON 65. IVY ROMANO 66. JACQUI VALO 67. JELLYBEAN JONES 68. JEM CARSTAIRS 69. JENNA ORMOND 70. JERIAH JONES 71. JERICHO LEFÉVRE 72. JETHRO JONES 73. JIMMIE SOUEN 74. JOAQUIN DESANTOS 75. JOAQUIN NERO 76. JOSHUA ABEL HOPE 77. JUDE GODFREY 78. JUGHEAD JONES 79. JUICE ORTIZ 80. JULIET GODFREY 81. JULIYN GODFREY 82. KADE WESTFIELD 83. KAILYN HOWARD 84. KAMERON GRAINGER 85. KAYLAH ROBLES 86. KENZI MALIKOV 87. KEVIN KELLER 88. KIAN WESTFIELD 89. KILLIAN JONES 90. KIRA CONNOR 91. KIRAN WILSON 92. KIT 93. KLAUS HARGREEVES 94. KODA WESTFIELD 95. LAGERTHA 96. LEAH HOLT 97. LEON Ó'CAOIMH 98. LEXA KOM TRIKRU 99. LIAM DUNBAR 100. LOLA PORTER 101. LUCAS ABBOTT 102. LYDIA MARTIN 103. MACKENZIE GREYR 104. MAJESTAS UPRITI 105. MAL 106. MARK BLACKTHORN 107. MARK WESTLOCK 108. MATTEUSZ VILLEGAS 109. MERCEDES ABBOTT 110. MERIDA DUNBROCH 111. MIA ALLOWAY 112. MICKEY MILKOVICH 113. MIHAI FENRIRSON 114. MIKA TANAKA 115. MONTY GREEN 116. MORGANA PENDRAGON 117. MURPHY MCMANUS 118. NADIA LOWE 119. NEAL CAFFREY 120. NIKKI HOWE 121. NIKO KING 122. NOAH LAMONT 123. OCTAVIA BLAKE 124. OLIVIA OCTAVIAN 125. OLYMPIA GREEN 126. PARIS DUPONT 127. PETER RUMANCEK 128. PHOENIX MONSOON 129. POPPY MARTIN 130. PRESLEY LOWE 131. QUINN SIMONS 132. RILEY BOWMAN 133. ROSA HURLEY 134. RUBY 135. SABRINA SPELLMAN 136. SAMUEL SILVER 137. SASCHA TRENT 138. SCARLET PATTON 139. SHANE HOLDEN 140. SIMON LEWIS 141. SKYLAR MATTIACHI 142. SOPHIA TULLOCH 143. SOPHIE WINDSOR 144. STILES STILINSKI 145. SUZUME AHUMADA 146. SZYMON TRUJILLO 147. TABITHA MERSEY 148. TAYLOR BEAUFORD 149. TEN-K 150. THOMAS ESCAMILLA 151. TIBERIUS BLACKTHORN 152. TINKERBELL 153. TJ HAMMOND 154. TONI TOPAZ 155. VERONICA BECK 156. VERONICA LODGE 157. VIOLET ADDISON 158. XAVIER CAMDEN 159. YALENA "DUTCH" YARDEN 160. ZAID KYLE 161. ZAKARIAH FRANCO 162. ZARINA 163. ZOE COLE

[alittlemorevodka]

If you are unfamiliar with The Laszlo Project, but know about the sound that  Lydian Collective makes, then there will be an immediate connection to this music. The reason is that The Laszlo Project is the side project of Lydian Collective founder, Aaron Wheeler. He is joined here by Lydian Collective drummer, Sophie Alloway, Simon Joyner  on trumpet, Michael Underwood on  saxophone and Phoebe Wright-Spinks, vocals. Phoebe uses her vocals as an instrument here and you will swear this is an 100% instrumental track!

Like Lydian Collective’s music, The Laszlo Project is what Vodka has termed “joyful jazz.” It isn’t pure jazz. It’s an amalgamation of more than one type of music, often combining genre’s that are disparate and making them work together. They /do/ work together, too! Aaron Wheeler is a melody-driven composer, who knows the fun of jazz, but refuses to be bound to it like a slave. This results in absolutely some of the best instrumental music that you’ll hear anywhere! Vodka hasn’t included tons of instrumental music over the years. I have always preferred a lyric overall, but there ARE exceptions and The Laszlo Project and Lydian Collective are two of those!

Kyoto Rain (heard here) (February 2021) is one of a handful of singles available.  The Laszlo Project has one LP from 2011, Radial Nerve, as well. You can find more information on The Laszlo Project by heading up to the web site, which though sparse in content, contains everything (biography, music, social links) required. You can purchase music from the bandcamp or apple music links also available on the web site. 

Pick up some great instrumental music from The Laszlo Project and smile!

Note: In many areas, things are opening up again, with Covid-19 vaccinations helping to ebb the flow of the virus, But artists like The Laszlo Project and many others are still struggling to keep their heads above water. If your situation allows it, consider purchasing more in these tough times. --Vodka

[alittlemorevodka]

It’s been a few weeks now since I first introduced Vodka readers to Lydian Collective with the review of East and a nod to the LP. With this video of High 555 from the Adventure long-player, I’d like to highlight the joy with which these musicians play their music. I’d like you to pay particular attention to the beaming smile of Sophie Alloway (drums). The band mates obviously love performing their music-all of them-but Sophie is the picture of pure joy here.

Lydian Collective’s embrace of everything modern to include in their jazz compositions makes them entirely accessible and, as we pointed out before, their music “feels” uplifting throughout. Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this band. Their CD continues to find its way into my player, and I marvel at the music each time I hear it. 

Need some information on Lydian Collective?  Head to their web site, bandcamp.com site, or click into any of their social links available on the web site.  

Music like this deserves to be heard! In this day and age where finding anything positive to consume is difficult at best, Lydian Collective makes it easy: Just go purchase their music! Do it now!

[alittlemorevodka]

Vodka seldom posts straight-up instrumentals, but there are exceptions, and East from Lydian Collective is an exception well worth the spotlight. East is from their debut long-player Adventure (March 2018), and the band may seem to have burst onto the music scene as some sort of a “where have these musicians been?!” moment. That isn’t the case. The collective, made up of Aaron Wheeler (keyboards), Todd Baker (guitar), Ida Hollis (bass) and Sophie Alloway (drums), all have individual success stories before forming as Lydian Collective. The composition duties fall generally to Aaron and Todd. 

Musically, the band is a fusion force to be reckoned with, blending jazz, rock and electronica to form a sound all their own. That sound has a general up-lifting feel to it. The lead-off track, Thirty One, was enough to hook Vodka into listening and eventually purchasing this great set of music.

You can find more information on Lydian Collective by heading up to their very complete web site. You can also pick up Adventure on their bandcamp site. The long-player is available as digital download, CD and Vinyl as of this writing. 

Vodka highly recommends this great set of instrumental music! Play it for an up-lifting day, as a positive background mood-setter. Play it anytime, but purchase it NOW!  Go... You know you want to!

[riffsstrides]

Polyhymnia - Yazz Ahmed (2019)

Rich, powerful, colourful, exciting and highly evocative. Ahmed’s most ambitious and most successful work to date has the feel of a ‘major statement’ about it.

Alcyona Mick – piano & Fender Rhodes

Alex Ridout – trumpet

Becca Toft – trumpet & voice

Camilla George - alto sax & voice

Carol Jarvis – trombone, bass trombone & voice

Charlie Pyne – double bass, bass guitar & voice

Chloë Abbott – trumpet

Corrina Silvester – percussion & voice

Gemma Moore – baritone sax

George Crowley – bass clarinet

Helena Kay – alto sax & voice

Johanna Burnheart – violin & voice

Josie Simmons – baritone sax & voice

Naadia Sheriff – piano

Noel Langley – trumpet, flugelhorn & voice

Nubya Garcia – tenor sax & voice

Ralph Wyld – vibraphone & glockenspiel

Rosie Turton – trombone & voice

Samuel Hällkvist – guitars

Sarah Tandy – piano, Fender Rhodes & voice

Sheila Maurice-Grey – voice

Shirley Tetteh – guitar & voice

Sophie Alloway – drums & voice

Tori Freestone – alto flute, soprano sax & tenor sax

Yazz Ahmed – trumpet, flugelhorn, Kaoss Pad & voice