“Under the leadership of saxophonist Adam Waldmann, Kairos 4Tet have found a melodious medium between traditional Jazz and the forward facing nature that typifies so much young British Jazz. The band’s compositions are open and accessible, but there’s no compromise when it comes to intuitive, intelligent playing and adventurous arrangements” THE MERCURY PRIZE
"Back with his fantastic second album 'Statement of Intent', tenor and soprano sax man Adam Waldmann's extremely able crew of bassist Jasper Høiby, pianist Ivo Neame and dark horse drummer Jon Scott, are all reaping the rewards of two years hard gigging. A formidable yet flexible unit, Kairos 4tet make free flowing contemporary music that packs melody, rhythm and high flying improv into a tightly wound whole. Hence you're as likely to leave whistling one of their many refreshing tunes as you are to be impressed by the group's compelling interplay and imaginative solo skills." JAZZWISE MAGAZINE
‘Statement of Intent’ is the hotly anticipated second release from 2011 MOBO Award Winners Kairos 4tet - an album that has something to say by a band with a truly distinctive identity and vision. Their widely acclaimed debut ‘Kairos Moment’ was described by Jazzwise Magazine as “one of the most assured and melodically potent debuts of 2010” while BBC Music declared them “a powerful new voice in British jazz”. Now, after 2 years on the road and firing on all cylinders, Kairos 4tet have released their second album ‘Statement of Intent’ on “the UK’s premiere Jazz label”, Edition Records to even greater plaudits with 4* reviews including MOJO Magazine, Time Out, Jazzwise Magazine and The Irish Times. The album made it to #2 in MOJO Magazine's Jazz Albums of 2011 and #14 in Jazzwise's Albums of The Year. Kairos (καιρός) is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment (the supreme moment). The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment undetermined in which something special happens. What the special something is depends on who is using the word. While chronos is quantitative, kairos has a qualitative nature. Kairos 4tet was born out of a desire to explore times past, present and future, creating music with a sense of space, between the competing worlds of written melody and in-the-moment improvisation. The band play the distinctive compositions of saxophonist Adam Waldmann, who has been described as "a young master in the making" by Time Out and a "precociously talented composer and player" by AllAboutJazz.com. Despite comparisons to some of his musical idols including Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd and former teacher Julian Arguelles, Waldmann's unique voice and approach on his instrument make him "one of the most distinctive saxophonists in the UK" according to the Manchester Evening News, while John Fordham of The Guardian stated in his 4* review that "Waldmann's luxurious tenor sound and poised phrasing are both tradition-rooted and restlessly contemporary”. In 2010 he was selected by world renowned Jazz and World Music promoters Serious for their groundbreaking initiative Take Five, joining the ranks of previous esteemed participants including Gwilym Symcock, Soweto Kinch, Seb Rochford, Kit Downes and Jules Buckley. Statement of Intent sees Waldmann reunite with vocalist Emilia Mårtensson, owner of one of the most seductive and expressive voices in British Jazz. She is featured on the gentle waltz ‘The Calling’ to which she penned lyrics as well as the "beautifully haunting" ‘Maybe Next Year’, whose bespoke words come from the scribe of writer, director and star of stage and screen, Rupert Friend. Kairos 4tet are a band passionate about the political, social and cultural issues that surround our everyday life. They strive to make music in an honest and personal way that somehow reflects the complex times in which we are living. These intentions resonate throughout Statement of Intent, from it’s bold opening title track – a rallying call for the positive reappropriation of political spin, on the funky dedication to comedian and activist Bill Hicks ‘Hicks’ to the hypnotic ‘Philosophy of Futility’, a term coined by the economist Paul Nystrom, that speaks of certain forms of cynical marketing.By way of contributing to the campaign to raise awareness of referendum on voting reform that took place on May 5th 2011 in the UK, Waldmann made the bonus track ‘Yes In May’ (a lively, urgent composition named after the campaign of the same title) available as a free download exclusively from kairos4tet.com. It is not all politics though! The odd-metre groove laden ‘Me and You, 100°’ is an ode to a drunken friend’s conversation with a kettle; the multi-layered ‘Box Set Anti-Hero’ a take on the bizarre dream state induced by watching too many episodes of ‘The Wire’, while ‘Simpler Times’ is a wistful look at nostalgia. Statement of Intent is the latest document of the journey of a band who are intent on telling their own story. A wide range of listeners have been drawn to Kairos 4tet’s music – be it jazz-heads, students or simply open-minded music lovers in search of something different. The band are now surging forward, continuing to hit hard, making a lasting impression. "One of a very few jazz groups to bridge the elusive gap between crossover appeal and serious jazz credentials, Kairos 4tet bring a modern twist to the classic jazz quartet. Blurring the boundaries between accessible, tune-led music with heavy grooves and improvising of the highest order, this is a band whose time has come." Mike Flynn (Time Out/Jazzwise) |
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