Image: Karolina Heller
Empirical have been a major creative force of the UK jazz scene since emerging in 2007 with their acclaimed debut album 'Empirical’ and, according to Downbeat magazine are “one of the great British contributions to European jazz”.
The core group of Shaney Forbes (drums), Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone) and Tom Farmer (double bass) have adopted a more flexible line-up of late by enlisting high-calibre guest artists to complement the trio. Long-time musical collaborators Ivo Neame (piano) and David Preston (guitar) lend their notable musical voices to this superb line up for this gig as on new recording 'Like Lambs: To The Slaughter'.
Originally conceived during the pandemic, 'Like Lambs: To The Slaughter' explores ever-more relevant questions around the human capacity for independent thought and the line between innocence and ignorance. ‘It’s a concept album in the sense that it’s got a story to tell about where we all find ourselves in the world today - over-stimulated and under-informed’, notes Shaney Forbes.
While the music often reflects our frantic, split-attention world where individualism reigns supreme, it also represents a refusal to relinquish faith in the possibility of spiritual and intellectual enlightenment.
The album traverses the musical terrain between contemporary classical, film score, post-bop, and free jazz. While each movement has its own powerful character, it moves irresistibly into the next, commanding our full involvement as a listener, presenting a deliberate challenge for our fractured attention spans to engage and immerse ourselves in the flow.
With ‘Like Lambs: To The Slaughter’, Empirical have created an astounding and cohesive new articulation of their unique sonic world, made possible by their exceptional virtuosity and musical empathy and their daring emotional expressiveness. It’s a stand-out release even by Empirical’s high standards.
Line-up: Shaney Forbes (drums), Nathaniel Facey (alto saxophone), Tom Farmer (double bass), Ivo Neame (piano) & David Preston (guitar).
“Empirical are among the most admired and individual-sounding bands in contemporary jazz.”
“Empirical... are one of the great British contributions to European jazz.”
Doors 7pm / Music 8.30pm
Tickets £15 (Early Bird*)/£17/ £11 (Members)/ £20 on the door
All seating/tables are first-come, first-served.
*Early Bird pricing applies for one month