The Delta Saxophone Quartet (www.deltasax.com) was formed in 1984. The group aims to present British and international new music in a dynamic and thought provoking way. A sample of its repertoire may include works by Gavin Bryars, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Louis Andriessen or jazz composer Mike Westbrook to re-workings from the 70’s Jazz/Rock group The Soft Machine. The quartet has commissioned over 400 new works since its formation with some becoming a mainstay of the saxophone quartet repertoire.
The quartet was joined by new members Graeme Blevins (www.myspace.com/graemeblevins) and Tim Holmes in 2006 and with these additions a new journey of discovery has already started with the possibilities of improvisation being woven into the DSQ repertoire for the first time!
The quartet has performed widely within the United Kingdom and overseas including in 2002, a ground breaking tour of Uzbekistan, performing in Tashkent, Ferghana (the first overseas group to perform there for 25 years) and Samarkand. This led to the commissioning of three works by Uzbek composers for the quartet and subsequently to a second visit to Tashkent, performing at the Ilkhom Music Festival in April 2005. The quartet has undertaken two tours of Taiwan, the second during 2003 and has also performed in Russia (Moscow), Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. The British Council has supported the DSQ in Taiwan, China, Italy and Uzbekistan. UK Festival performances include, Huddersfield, Brighton, Meltdown (RFH London), London ’Oris’ Jazz Festival, Brighton,Bradford, Almeida, plus workshop residencies in Aberdeen, Nottingham, Wavendon, Brandenburg,St Poelten and Catania. In September 2005 the quartet performed in Beijing, China, as part of the EU/China trade celebrations. The quartet performed for over 1,000 people at the Europe Street venue plus an informal evening at the British Ambassador’s residency.This trip was sponsored by the British Council. To end the year of 2005 with a bang, the quartet was invited to perform at Classic FM’s Chiller Cabinet Christmas party at the hip Notting Hill Arts Club, London.
Over a number of years the DSQ has developed its own innovative educational and outreach programme, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to share in the experience of group improvisation and composition. The workshops have been much in demand, recent projects include a week long residency in Brandenburg, Germany and a compositional project with music conservatoire students in Catania, Sicily. The DSQ is currently ensemble in residence at Kingston University in West London, where the professional work of the quartet is combined with creating and performing works by students, leading classes and directing workshops dealing with all aspects of musical performance and interpretation. As part of its work there the quartet has performed at The Albert Hall and the Barbican hall in London plus the Kingston Jazz Futures Festival and Autumn Festival. in the Autumn of 2006 this residency was extended to the summer of 2008.
In the Spring of 2006 the quartet presented quartets by Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and Steve Reich as part of their 70th anniversary years plus the world premiere of Steve Goss’s Uneasy Dreams, which will be recorded for release later in 2007. January 2007 was a busy month for the quartet with its association with Etnafest in Italy continuing with a three day creative workshop followed by the workshop performance, two special Italian Etnafest commissions plus the new Delta Sax Qt project which features the spirit and music of the Soft Machine - Dedicated to you but you weren’t listening with Hugh Hopper as their special guest.
The quartet has recently recorded its fourth solo cd titled dedicated to you but your weren’t listening.. Via the quartet’s extensive International contacts, composers from Berlin,Tokyo and the UK (Joe Duddell, Udo Agnesens, Paul Englishby, Morgan Fisher, Issie Barratt - to name a few), will be adding an exciting mix to what should be another evocative release from the Deltas. This is set for a November 2007 release on the eclectic New York label, Moonjune records.
In May of 2007 the quartet presented its first live internet relay from its performance of new works by Stephen Goss, Mike Searby, Daniel Wilson and Tim Ewers The quartet has recently recorded Stephen Goss’s Uneasy Dreams which was released on the Cadenza Music label in December 2007. As part of its commitment to British new music and in celebration of its Kingston Connection,an album featuring some of the in-house composers at Kingston University combined with the International ‘big hitters’ of Michael Finnissy and Gerald Barry. This is set for a release in the autumn of 2008 on the FMR label.
In the Autumn of 2007 the quartet had a UK tour (which was supported by Jazz Services and The Arts Council) which was linked with its album launch of Dedicated For You But You Weren’t Listening, performances were given in London, Stafford (+workshop), Bristol, and at Kettled Yard in Cambridge in February of 2008.
The release of the album, dedicated to you but you weren’t listening has received amazing reviews being nominated as album of the year by many reviewers . Go to http://www.musicontheedge.com/deltareviews.html to see these reviews, also check out the new Delta Sax Quartet blog (http://deltasaxquartet.blogspot.com).
Plans for 2008 see the start of work on a new saxophone quartet commission from Mike Westbrook for quartet and jazz vocalist plus work with Sergio Lopez on a film project.
2009 marks the DSQ’s 25th anniversary, quite an achievement for a small chamber group!
Reviews:
“The DSQ offers top- notch musicianship and imagination†Downbeat **** Magazine April 2008.
‘’'There is too much wonderful music found here to mention it all and at one hour, it is consistently fascinating... Downtown Music Gallery New York’’
‘’(This cd) ''may be the most revelational…and revolutionary look at a legendary British group that ran the gamut from post-Dadaist psychedelia to free jazz and fusion between 1966 and 1981''. John Kelman, All About Jazz’’
“One of Europes most distinguished new music ensembles†The Guardian ****
“Just listening to this for the third time in a row, (I'm)already quite sure this is one of the year's best albums'' Steve Lake, What's Rattlin'’’
“A newly found desert island disc indeed†Glen Astirita ( www.jazzreview.com )
“www.dmme.net *****â€
“One of the most beautiful jazz records of 2007†Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany)
“Your (Delta Sax Quartet) Concert was a fairytale’’ Radio Art- Tashkent
“ This is a fierce, passionate, yet giddily lyrical (CD). Exceptional†Independent On Sunday
’’The Delta Saxophone Quartet’s rendition of Glass’ string quartet is truly inspiring ’’ Amazon.com online reviews
"Delta is one of Britain’s most dynamic contemporary music groups unveiling British premiers galore." The Gramophone
"Delta makes light of the extraordinary technical demands of this work (Bryars) ...intense and energetic..." BBC music magazine 5 star album of the month