Ubuntu Music Signs Tomorrow’s New Quartet For Debut Album Release

Tomorrow’s New Quartet / All Together, Now!

20th May 2022

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0110

Left to right: Deschanel Gordon, Flo Moore, Rod Oughton, Helena Kay (Photographer: Teddy Smith)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the talented young ensemble, Tomorrow’s New Quartet, for the release of their debut album, All Together, Now!, on 20th May 2022.

Led by drummer Rod Oughton, the music was born out of the deepest, darkest depths of lockdown. It was composed in isolation in his north-west London flat, in the latter half of 2020, and rehearsed at irregular intervals throughout the spring months of the following year (restrictions allowing).

Rod Oughton (video image)

Rod is a British jazz drummer/composer who is currently based in Amsterdam. He has worked with the James Taylor Quartet, Hailey Tuck and Hudson Taylor, and has performed in Cuba, Dubai and Saudi Arabia as well as all over the UK and Europe. His own band, OK Aurora, released their debut album to a sold-out Pizza Express Soho audience in August 2021. The album went on be featured by BBC Introducing and Jazz FM and received a 5 Star review from Jazz Journal. 

Rod explains the genesis of his latest project: “I think the music encompasses everything I was feeling during that period, from fear and uncertainty to fleeting moments of optimism. There’s even one tune on the album dedicated to my neighbour who sadly passed away from Covid related complications in November 2020.”

Rod continues: “I named the band ‘Tomorrow’s New Quartet’ as I felt it embodied the optimism that composing this music and arranging the recording of this album gave me. This project provided a sense of purpose during that challenging period, and this album is the final product of all that work. The band’s line up comprises of Helena Kay, Deschanel Gordon, Flo Moore and myself. These guys are some of my favourite musicians to play with and I felt super lucky that they agreed to get involved and continued to contribute so much to the project.”

Helena Kay (video image)

Scottish saxophonist Helena Kay has recently spent time in New York City, studying and playing locally. Electric bass extraordinaire Flo Moore continues to manage her hectic schedule, performing and recording. And keyboard ace Deschanel Gordon, BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, maintains his relentlessly demanding schedule.

Deschanel Gordon (video image)

Concerning his extended relationship with Ubuntu Music, Rod elaborates: “I’m really happy to release this album on Ubuntu. Martin’s help with the debut OK Aurora release (‘Only In Autumn’) was invaluable and I feel very lucky that he is involved with this release as well. I really feel as though Ubuntu is a force for good in UK Jazz, and the fact that they work just as hard for emerging artists as they do for their top talent is testament to this.”

Flo Moore (video image)

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his perspective: “It was a pleasure working with Rod on his OK Aurora release last year. When he approached me about Tomorrow’s New Quartet, it was a no-brainer. Helena, Deschanel and Flo have all appeared on previous Ubuntu releases. It’s an exceptional line-up and they delivered a fantastic record. These four are ones to watch. Welcome to the Ubuntu Music Family.”

For further information, please contact:

Rod Oughton (Artist):                                                rod_oughton8@hotmail.co.uk

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide):           martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com

★★★★★ REVIEW: OK Aurora - 'Only In Autumn' ★★★★★

Jazz Journal’s Jeremy Isaac writes, “this is the business.”

REVIEW: OK Aurora - 'Only In Autumn'

All About Jazz’s Chris May writes, “An entertaining debut album.”

For the full review, please click on the image, above.

FEATURE: Rod Oughton’s OK Aurora. New album ‘Only In Autumn’ (Ubuntu)

‘We’ve got a small big band, we’ve got a rock band, we’ve got a jazz quartet, we’ve got a vocalist so there’s lyrics to write. It’s endless possibilities,” says drummer, composer, lyricist and bandleader Rod Oughton of his octet OK Aurora, whose debut album Only in Autumn is released on Ubuntu Music on 6 August 2021. Album feature by Dan Paton

For the full article, please click on the image, above.

Ubuntu Music Signs OK Aurora for Album Release in Summer 2021

“OK Aurora, described as ‘an eight-piece jazz-meets-pop ensemble’ are releasing their album ‘Only in Autumn’ in July 2021 on Ubuntu. The album was recorded in the Giant Wafer Studio in Wales”, writes Juliette Kay.

L-R: Alexandra Ridout, Ronan Perrett, Billy Marrows, Rod Oughton, Alina Miroshnichenko,
Pete Komor, Dan Smith, Jacky Naylor (Photo: Andrew Lawson)

For the complete article, please click on the image, above.

Ubuntu Music Signs OK Aurora For Album Release

Only In Autumn

30th July 2021

UBU0088 / CD & Digital Formats

Left to Right: Alexandra Ridout, Ronan Perrett, Billy Marrows, Rod Oughton, Alina Miroshnichenko, Pete Komor, Dan Smith, Jacky Naylor (Photography by Andrew Lawson)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of OK Aurora, and eight-piece jazz-meets-pop ensemble, for the release of their album, Only in Autumn, on 30th July 2021.

OK Aurora are a London based Octet led by drummer Rod Oughton. Taking inspiration from artists such as Steely Dan and Becca Stevens, this project fuses contemporary jazz and pop music. Their debut EP, Baby Zeza, was released in 2019, and since then the band has performed all over the UK, including venues in London, Bristol and the South-West. In 2020, the Arts Council of England funded OK Aurora’s UK tour and the recording of their upcoming debut album, Only in Autumn, which was recorded at Giant Wafer Studio in Wales.

The band is led by Rod Oughton, an up-and-coming jazz drummer based in London. Since graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music in 2015, Rod has performed all over the UK and Europe, as well as in Havana, Cuba and the Dubai Opera House. He has appeared on the main stages of the Latitude and Citadel Festivals with Hudson Taylor, in Cadogan Hall with the James Taylor Quartet and with emerging Pop star Hannah Grace at the BST Festival in Hyde Park (supporting Barbara Streisand).

Alina Miroshnichenko and Rod Oughton (Video Image)

The eight-piece outfit consists of a number of emerging musicians on the UK jazz scene, including Alina Miroshnichenko (vocals), Alexandra Ridout (trumpet), Ronan Perrett (alto sax), Dan Smith (tenor sax), Jacky Naylor (piano), Billy Marrows (guitar), Pete Komor (bass), along with Rod Oughton (drums and compositions).

OK Aurora Video Images

Rod explains the idea behind the project: “OK Aurora was formed to make a big sound. It’s an eight-piece band, including three horns and a singer, so it’s a lot of fun when we all get going. I take a lot of influence from artists such as Steely Dan and Becca Stevens, who blur the lines between pop and jazz, and I’ve always tried to write in a way that allows the musicians to stretch out but is also accessible to an audience that might not be too familiar with jazz.”

Rod continues: “The music on this album draws influence from many different parts of the world, from Laurel Canyon to Rio De Janeiro. I really love samba, salsa and soukous (The Three S’s!) and in the last few years I’ve travelled to Brazil, Cuba and various parts of East Africa to experience these styles of music in their natural habitat. I think these trips have really influenced my writing style. The songs I’ve written are all inspired by my own personal experiences, and I love the way that Alina Miroshnichenko (vocalist) has interpreted my lyrics. She makes my stories her own and translates them to the listener.”

Describing their new relationship with Ubuntu Music, Rod concludes: “I’m super happy to sign to Ubuntu, as I feel honoured to be part of their community. So many artists on their roster are not only incredible musicians, but also my friends and peers. I feel as though this label is a great representation of some of the amazing stuff that’s going on in the UK right now, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, adds his perspective: “I was absolutely knocked out when I listened to the title track, ‘Only in Autumn’, and the rest is history. Rod and OK Aurora have a distinct sound all their own. It’s accessible jazz with contemporary music twist, that’s bound to put a smile on your face and movement in your feet. We’re happy to have OK Aurora join us.”

For further information, please contact:

Rod Oughton (Artist)                                                  rodoughton@outlook.com

Martin Hummel (Ubuntu Music)                               martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com