10th October 2012: WWR signs world renown flautist, composer and film scorer Gareth Lockrane for NOV 12 release of ‘The Strut’
WWR happily announces the signing of one of the UK’s most internationally celebrated creative musicians: flautist, composer, pianist, arranger, and film scorer Gareth Lockrane, who’s one of the busiest and most versatile artists working today (also one of the very few non-Americans who has made the list for the coveted ‘Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll’ for Rising Star Flute). On Nov 12, 2012, he releases his album ‘The Strut’ with WWR, and features his longtime award-winning group ‘Grooveyard’ (also featuring WWR artist Alex Garnett on saxophones, Ross Stanley on Hammond Organ, Nia Lynn on wordless vocals (who turns out some stellar performances), Mike Outram on Guitar, and Nick Smalley on drums).
Gareth is known for his virtuosic and prolific music output, whether it is as a composer or formidable flautist (and he plays them ALL well, from C to Bass to Alto flutes, etc). Just check out these two tracks below from the album, which we have now added tour our Audio page, which will give you just a sample of the highly diverse soundworld he draws from on The Strut.
ABOUT ‘THE STRUT’ (CLICK HERE TO BE TAKEN TO THE NEW ALBUM PAGE FOR MORE MUSICAL SAMPLES AND INFO)
THE STRUT is the new Whirlwind Reordings album from internationally acclaimed jazz flautist Gareth Lockrane (currently residing in London) and his Hammond Organ Ensemble Grooveyard. Lockrane is known around the world as one of the most accomplished, prolific, virtuosic and versatile jazz flautists and composers, boasting an enviable resume full of accolades and awards (he is one of the only non-American jazz artists to maintain a presence in the prestigious ‘Downbeat Magazine Critic’s Poll’ in the ‘Rising-Star Flautist’ Category). Equally skilled as a composer, Lockrane has a Masters Degree from the National Film and Television School, the UK’s most prestigious university for Film Scoring, and his musical output is incredible as he leads chamber trios, quartets, quintets, septets (for which he won a Parliamentary Jazz Award in the ‘Best Album’ category for his album ‘No Messin’), and even his acclaimed contemporary big band.
‘The Strut’ is the long- awaited follow up to Lockrane’s 2003 debut album ‘Put The Cat Out’ (winner Best European Jazz Group Granada Jazz Festival 2003). This epic, ambitious and stylistically wide-ranging record fuses the spirit of the historic soul-jazz groups of yesteryear alongside contemporary jazz fused with gospel, chamber music, cinematic rock, funk and even world music influences, which showcases the wide-ranging palette of compositional colors and moods Lockrane is so known for. In addition to Lockrane who plays concert, alto & bass flutes, the album also features long-time Grooveyard cohort Alex Garnett on saxophones, inspirational guitar wizard Mike Outram, Hammond organ wunderkind Ross Stanley, drum dynamo Nick Smalley, and guesting on three tracks on wordless vocals is the astonishing Nia Lynn, whose ‘Bannau Trio’ with Gareth Lockrane and Ross Stanley has been quietly ploughing it’s own path in the contemporary chamber jazz world since 2005. Between them the musicians have performed or recorded with artists as diverse as the spirited South African pianist Bheki Mseleku (Lockrane was a member of his working band and Bheki is a huge influence on him and his music) Maceo Parker, Jack DeJohnette, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Turner, Michael Kiwanuka, Seamus Blake, The Rolling Stones, Phil Robson, Carleen Anderson, Tom Jones, Tim Garland and many others.
This is an album that exemplifies the trends in contemporary creative music to the fullest. Lockrane has spent a lifetime investigating, performing, and enjoying music from around the world, and as a highly skilled musical craftsman has fused these sounds, musical devices, and emotions for his own purposes, creating an album full of eccentricity and joy.