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Climbing In Circles
Climbing in Circles pt. 4 - April 2022 - Limited Noise.
Having finished this first round of Circles albums, I was starting to think about the next duo records with Matthew (Herd) and Liam (Noble). Matt and I had previously experimented playing duo and overdubbing things - it had been fun and we had always said we'd like to do it again... So that was the basis of an idea...
Then there was a global pandemic... and everything stopped for a while, which was odd... and for better or for worse I had a lot more time on my hands. I was lucky to have been awarded Arts Council Funding for this period, but the aforementioned international crisis somewhat changed those plans. Long story short, I, like many, spent a hefty proportion of the alone times learning about recording, processing live instruments, production and synthesisers - and it was bloody great.
My original funding plan included working on this album with Matthew; we wanted to explore ways of composing with improvisation in the studio... We did this, but a year later than planned... A year spent making odd sounds with various fun gadgets and, although not the intention at the time, this very much influenced the music.
We had no real agenda when recording, other than to try making music in this way... This record is the result.
I had such an excellent time making this with Matthew and Alex. They are both amazing people and musicians - as is Mr Ed Begley whose company sustained us all throughout. I loved expanding the sound of the duo through production and processing - and the opportunity to think in terms of sound, texture and mood.
I like the sound worlds. Hope you do too. You can hear it here.
Huge love and thanks to Kazland for his amazing artwork. He's amazing.
Huge love and thanks also to Andrew Plummer for his tireless and amazing work releasing this record on Limited Noise.
Here's a link to the album.
Here are a handful of favourable reviews - incase you need convincing by a faceless stranger...
Liverpool sound and vision.
Jazz Views.
Aural Aggravation.
Hello reader... thanks for making it this far. From now on I'm going to do away with all this third person narrative stuff... It's an ever increasingly failed attempt to appear professional... both you, and most definitely I, know that I am not. If you didn't well you now do. These websites are written by the person who it features, we all know the score... I'm supposed to wax lyrical about myself as if I'm someone else... and make out that I, but not I... him... that is to say Will Glaser... (thats me) is... or am... important enough for someone else to do that on my behalf... I'm not, and neither is he.
It's stupid and exhausting.
Anyway, this page features some of the music I've made, namely a project titled Climbing In Circles. I thought It'd be a nice thing to write a little about each of them just incase anyones interested. The digital version of liner notes I guess...
It's not a blog. I really wont be updating this that much. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
Climbing In Circles (the 3rd one...) - from the liner notes.
"The music I enjoy most is about communication between close friends- sometimes playful, sometimes bickering, sometimes joyous, sometimes angry, but always rooted in trust, sensitivity and, when necessary, forgiveness.
This album, which builds on the long-standing musical friendships between these three outstanding musicians (established over their two previous duo collaborations), has all of these elements.
This feels like an album that draws upon a wealth of deep learning that only happens between musicians who have played together a great deal; musicians who have taught each other by osmosis, rather than by creating a complex script or rigid structure to define the roles of the participants.
That’s why I love it.
This is music by a band.
This is magic - a conjuring of something beautiful out of the barest of suggestions.
This is human."
--James Allsopp
"This album is the culmination of three years of music making and two other records, Climbing in Circles Parts One and Two. These three records aim to shine a light on how each performer’s personality plays a role in shaping improvised music. To me, the resulting sounds feel very honest, warm and inviting."
--ME!
The 3rd album of this project was released back on January 22nd 2021 on the Ubuntu Music Label. If it so pleases you, one can buy a CD or support me by buying the music on BandCamp. This way you get hold some of Kazland's amazing artwork in your own hands...Also available on all other (bastard) streaming platforms.
Below are a couple of reviews and an article about the record which, if you need persuading, may persuade you...
John Fordham - London Jazz News
Chris May - All About Jazz 4* review
The Jazz Mann 4* review
Climbing in circles Pt. 1 - Released January 2019
Myself and the wonderful Matthew Herd have been playing duo together since 2014 when we left music college. We played standards, pop songs, 3 hour free improvisation noise odysseys and wrote our own music. We also drank a lot of coffee and beer and talked about music for hours and it was wonderful. I have very fond memories of those times.
This first album was intended to focus on standards and improvisations and was a really wonderful experience to make. Its part one of a pair of duo albums I'm making where the focus is about the dialogue between performers, to me its the really special element that I love about jazz and improvised music... its wonderful, exciting and mysterious when personalities bring noises to life. The album is available to buy on Bandcamp; here's a review. The next instalment is due to be released by the end of Summer 2019, and features Liam Noble on Piano.
Please check out Matthew's own music here.
I'd also like to thank the amazing Kaz of Kazland for the artwork and album title, and the wonderful Alex Bonney for mixing and mastering the record. Please check out their wonderful work too, it really is wonderful.
If this has peaked your curiosity and you'd like to find out more, below are two podcast interviews you can wash up to... the first is me waffling about my life and the second Matthew and myself waffling together about the album.
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Improvised Music Agenda Podcast - With Huw V Williams
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The Jazz Podcast - With Robe Cope
Climbing In Circles Pt. 2 - Released August 2019
When I first started thinking about making some albums I wanted to do something that got away from long form works and original compositions that sat in the sound world of contemporary jazz. Although I love this sort of music and have the pleasure of playing with a lot of my peers in this vain, I wanted to focus on a more open and loose form of improvisation where the personalities of the improvisers gave the music It's identity, as appose to a composers vision. Both albums feature the same compositions, augmented with one extra tune and free improvisations as a way of attempting to more clearly show the difference personality can make on the music. Personally I find it interesting to hear how my approach changes in these settings.
It was a great pleasure to make this music with Liam Noble on Piano. I have been healthily obsessed with Liam's unique and original playing since I was a teenager and first heard his record Starry Starry Night, a duo with one of my British drum heroes Paul Clarvis. Over the years I have been lucky enough to be taught by Liam and play with him in various situations, but it was such a joy to make this record as a duo.
See below for links to Alex Bonney's website - who mixed and mastered the albums, and Kazland who created the amazing artwork.
Here's a link to the album.
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Here's a link to Liam's website.
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