France’s Le Soir gives the London-based pianist a big boost.
REVIEW: O'Higgins & Luft
The Scotsman’s Jim Gilchrist writes, “they gel with pretty unstoppable creative energy.” 4 STARS
REVIEWS: O'Higgins & Luft + His'n'Hers
Jazz Journal’s Simon Adams writes, “Let’s hope they (His’n’Hers) manage to complete another full album soon.”
INTERVIEW & REVIEW: Dave Sear
The Trombonist’s Martin Gladdish writes, “It's a straight-ahead hard bop album, featuring excellent contemporary playing all round, and a welcome addition to the jazz trombone canon. Heartily recommended.”
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Steve Baker
At The barrier writes, “The compositions resonate with an epic and multi-layered musical delivery, that is both immersive and engaging.”
REVIEW: Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars
Jazz Rag’s Ron Simpson writes, “though Oatts plays well and Rotondi superbly, this fine album owes as much to six Europeans from five countries and gives plenty of solo space to all the band in between the tight arrangements that often suggest a bigger band.”
REVIEW: Andrew McCormack
Jazz Rag’s Alan Musson writes, “This album sees the pianist returning to his musical root, whilst investigating the new avenues that the jazz piano trio has to offer. What will he bring us next?”
REVIEW: Sean Gibbs
London Jazz News’ Patrick Hadfield writes, “Gibbs’ tunes span emotions, moving from melancholy to joyous…Giggs’ own trumpet playing is excellent.”
Ubuntu Music Signs Five-Way Split For Debut Album Release
Five-Way Split / All The Way
Release Date: 17th March 2023
CD & Digital Formats / UBU0129
Left to right: Rob Barron, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Matt Home, Quentin Collins, Matyas Hofecker (Photographer: Monika S Jakubowska)
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the upcoming release of All the Way, the debut album from Five-Way Split, which will be available worldwide from 17th March 2023.
Five-Way Split is a new jointly led band which was formed in 2020 and features some of the finest contemporary jazz bebop musicians in the UK. Five-Way Split is fronted by internationally renowned trumpet star Quentin Collins, Greek saxophone phenomenon Vasilis Xenopoulos and the golden touch of pianist Rob Barron. Added to this is virtuosic double bassist Matyas Hofecker and hard-swinging drummer Matt Home. The band’s vision is to carry on the lineage of groups like Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers as well as mirroring the New York contemporary-bop scene. From this inspiration, the band presents a sound that respects the tradition of the hard-bop era whilst also bringing it up to date for today’s audience. With an extensive repertoire of carefully crafted and imaginative original compositions, along with cool, swinging material by greats like Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton and Horace Silver, Five-Way Split delivers some of the best swinging and soulful music in contemporary jazz.
Left to right: Rob Barron, Matyas Hofecker, Quentin Collins, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Matt Home (Photographer: Martin Hummel)
The band explains: “Five-Way Split is a group born in 2020 at a time when performance opportunities were scarce, but creative energy was strong, by musicians with a shared passion for continuing the lineage of contemporary bop music.
“We are thrilled to join the impressive Ubuntu Music roster. It also makes perfect sense for Rob Barron and Ubuntu Music co-founder Quentin Collins to continue their strong association with one of the best independent jazz labels on the international scene.”
Left to right: Rob Barron, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Matt Home, Quentin Collins, Matyas Hofecker (Photographer: Monika S Jakubowska)
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “It’s a pleasure to be working with such a gifted group of musicians, who keep the contemporary jazz flag flying high and proud. I’m so happy to be back with Quentin Collins, my original label partner, and with Rob Barron, whose trio project we recently released and received exceptional critical acclaim. Five-Way split is a group of equal talents who deliver on their promise of great hard-bop jazz that is as good as it gets. We love to have these guys as members of the Ubuntu Music Family.”
For further information, please contact:
Quentin Collins (Artist): qctrumpet@gmail.com
Emma Perry (UK Publicity): emmasarahperry@gmail.com
Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
REVIEW: The W
LJN’s Graham Spry writes, “Bruno Heinen has gathered together a truly outstanding quartet.”
