MetaQuorum

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0 Good review scores for Witchcraft Jazz

May 9, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

In the last couple of weeks MetaQuorum was getting some good reviews in various music magz.

For example, Andrew Howlie of The Pop Break gave Witchcraft Jazz 10 out of 10!

“After listening all the way through, I can’t wait to start again. It’s a dynamite record full of refreshing sounds, melodies, and textures. If you’re into outside-the-box instrumental music with a heavy dose of futuristic improvisation and a mind-melting sound, Witchcraft Jazz is for you.” Full review @ https://thepopbreak.com/2018/04/10/review/

And André de Boer wrote in Dutch Progressive Rock Page – DPRP.net:

“This Witchcraft Jazz album of MetaQuorum is an hour of amazingly crafted tunes in ever changing positive cheer up moods and very addictive. If you think this is not your music, I recommend to listen anyway right now. And if you like #snarkypuppy then I recommend you to listen too! This album is a real must in the jazz rock genre. Highly recommended.” Score 8.5 out of 10. Issue 2018-029 Published: Sunday 6 May 2018 @ http://www.dprp.net/reviews/2018-029

Also, we recently made friends with Warren, owner of Newcastle-upon-Tyne‘s great Hoochie Coochie Dance Club dedicated to soul, funk, jazz & disco. Looking forward to gigging there one day, meantime you can enjoy some Witchcraft Jazz with your evening cocktails when you visit the bar 😉

0 HAPPY INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY!

April 30, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

Арт-центр “Пушкинская-10” Pushkinskaya 10 Art Centre, 1991. Photo by Carol Ermakova who – concidentally! – also lived there for a few months in 1991.

Since it is #InternationalJazzDay we send our #jazzy greetings to everyone who is into any Jazz of any kind! And it seems a good occasion to look back into the history and mechanics of how our latest album Wicthcraft Jazz came about. So let’s start with the title track Witchcraft Jazz The original score which became the foundation for this track was written by Dmitry Ermakov back in 1989 after the “Room 118” jazz funk fusion project he ran with Victor Mikheyev disintegrated due to the turbulent changes and harsh economic realities in the Soviet Union during perestroika. Everything turned upside down and the project (which included some of the best Saint Petersburg, Russia #jazz/ #funk/ #progrock/ #avantegarde #musicians such as #trumpeter Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky, #drummer Roman Dubinnikov etc.) fell apart due to pressures of survival. Dmitry found himself living in a delapidated attic appartment right in the centre of St. Petersburg right as the famous Art-centre “Pushkinskaya 10” ( Арт-центр “Пушкинская-10” ) was being started up by his father’s friend Valery Astrashkin, his childhood friend Tatiana Astashkina and his own father Edward Ermakov). The building had many flats which were slowly being converted into art workshops for various painters and sculptors and Dmitry got a huge five room flat on top for a kind of studio.

He had to sell his Steinway (as there was no way it could be brought up the stairs leading to the attic) but money from the sale got him a good upright piano and a Korg synth. The future looked very bleak for #jazzfunk and #improvisedmusic in Russia then but Dmitry used his time at “Pushkinskaya 10” to write down some ideas (Room 118 project collapsed before they could realise them). At that time Dmitry listened to a great variety of #jazzrockfusion, #funkjazz and #progressiverock, in particular Jazz from Hell by Frank Zappa and electric Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, U.K., King Crimson, Peter Gabriel etc. as well as more avante-garde stuff like Art Ensemble of Chicago and Art Of Noise etc. and… of course, his beloved #baroque composers! So these were the influences flying around the first draft of what was to become Witchcraft Jazz almost 3 decades later! Dmitry wrote this score and several others (some of which also found their way into other tracks in Wicthcraft Jazz album and our first album, Midnight Sun). Lack of money, available musicians, instruments and equipment in post-Soviet Russia meant this off-the-wall music couldn’t be recorded, so Witchcraft Jazz and the rest of the scores were bundled together and put into a folder that travelled with Dmitry for 20 plus years and silently visited UK, Italy, France etc. until they sprang to life when The Spatial Kode, precursor to MetaQuorum project, was born in 2012 as a result of Dmitry and Victor reconnecting by chance thanks to late night internet browsing. So that is a sort of pre-history During the preparation and recording of Witchcraft Jazz the score was revised and new musical and technical elements introduced. As for the result, judge for yourselves!

Pages from the original 1989 score of Witchcraft Jazz by Dmitry Ermakov. Photo Carol Ermakova 2018

Adding final touches to Witchcraft Jazz mix. Low Bishopley Studio, 2017. Photo by Carol Ermakova

0 Witchcraft Jazz Gatefold CDs are here!

March 3, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Uncategorized

Yay! The Hermes delivery lady braved the snow and brought us…. the new Witchcraft Jazz gatefold 4-digipak CDs!

Listen and buy here: https://metaquorum.bandcamp.com/album/witchcraft-jazz

or contact us via FB if you’d like us to post you a copy.

0 HERE IT IS AT LAST!

February 22, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

Here at last, our second album Witchcraft Jazz is now out!

We all put a lot of work into it, and we’re all very excited about it being out there now, starting its own independent life in the big wild world.

As well core musicians Dmitry Ermakov and Koos van der Velde, the line-up for this album includes: bass player Victor Mikheyev (who also co-wrote three tracks with Dmitry Ermakov: The Bartender, Swagger and Seven Dwarfs Rock); his son George Mikheyev on cello; Andrew Guerin on trumpet; Carol Ermakova – vocals.

WITCHCRAFT JAZZ was recorded in several studios and venues in the UK, Russia and Bulgaria, produced and mixed by Dmitry Ermakov and Koos van der Velde, and mastered by Christopher Longwood at SugarHill Recording Studios, TX, USA.

In terms of style, this album flows organically from MetaQuorum’s previous compositions, further developing the concept of Meld music, a fusion of Prog,Funk, Jazz, Rock, Swing, Electronica and more. Compositions such as the title track Witchcraft Jazz, Parallax, Limping Mathematician and Autumn Groove further explore the technique of Structural Fusion. The coda – Goldfinch Charm – is an exquisite blend of Electronica with Jazz Fusion and Blues, while the opening track – Crimson Dreams – includes a lyric poem written and read by Dmitry Ermakov.

The new album has got a warm welcome so far, both here in UK and abroad. NARC Magazine ran a feature on our Meld music today:

You can read it here: http://narcmagazine.com/interview-metaquorum/

And Jazz.ru published a press release in English and an in-depth review (Russian only, sorry folks): http://jazzquad.ru/index.pl?act=PRODUCT&id=4876

Tomorrow WITCHCRAFT JAZZ has its very own radio launch with Denis Champagne at Prog Core Radio

Tune in at 22:00 GMT to hear all 12 tracks @ http://progcoreradio.com/

If you have other plans for Friday night, head straight over to our Bandcamp page where you can listen, and download the album, or buy a CD @ https://metaquorum.bandcamp.com/album/witchcraft-jazz

For those of you who get your music through Spotify, please follow ur Artist Page where you’ll find our whole catalogue, including Witchcraft Jazz, of course:

https://goo.gl/GEBggE

Drop us a line and tell us what you think.

Have a great weekend!

0 Sketchbook

February 22, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Banner

0 Witchcraft Jazz Full Album Teaser

January 27, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Uncategorized

Our second album – WITCHCRAFT JAZZ – is now available for PRE-ORDER @ https://goo.gl/KdmgC6 Check it out!
LIMITED EDITION DOUBLE LP VINYL+FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
Offer ends 22 Feb 2018 so be quick 😉
Format : 2 x LP 12″ (140g) 33 RPM
Outer Sleeve & Label: Colour
Print finish: Gloss varnish
Genres : Prog Rock, Fusion, Jazz-Funk
Country : United Kingdom
Includes: Digital Download on DIGITAL RELEASE Date: 22/02/2018

WITCHCRAFT JAZZ – a 12 track double LP from ground-breaking international music project MetaQuorum, an upbeat ride through prog, rock, funk, fusion, electronica, acid jazz and more.

Creatively composed, with original scores, grooves and riffs infused with spontaneous improvisation and funk jams, fused into a seamless meld polished with state-of-the-art production techniques, and skilfully mastered at SugarHill Studios, Houston, to bring you an album full of cool swing, hot funk and spicy rhythm.

Witchcraft Jazz – a breath of fresh air for 2018!

“Their debut album [Midnight Sun, 2015] is a splendid amalgamation of styles, featuring cosmic jazz rushes, cocktail hour riffs and psyched synths. It’s not afraid to get its funk on either and if you can imagine Herbie Hancock getting ready for a big night out – browsing through his wardrobe, wanting to look sharp – then this is what he’s playing to put him in the mood.”

The Crack, April 2015 issue: goo.gl/Z5MNbo

Track List:

Digital Release Date: 22/02/2018

А1. Crimson Dreams 5:13
Genre: Prog/Electronic Rock

А2. Jonathan vingston 3:46
Genre: Prog/Reggae Fusion/Experimental

А3. Socket Swing 3:22
Genre: Swing/Funk Jazz/Acid Jazz

А4. The Bartender 5:06
Genre: Cool / Funk-Jazz / Prog

B1. Swagger 6:19
Genre: Funk-Jazz / Prog

B2. Seven Dwarfs Rock 4:25
Genre: Prog / Funk-Jazz

B3. Witchcraft Jazz 6:11
Genre: Prog / Funk-Jazz /Modal Jazz

C1. Limping Mathematician 4:27
Genre: Prog / Funk-Jazz /Acid Jazz

C2. Parallax 9:52
Genre: Prog / Jazz-Fusion / Electronic Rock

D1. Chicken & Egg 3:45
Genre: Prog-Rock / Jazz Fusion

D2. Autumn Groove 4:04
Genre: Prog / Funk-Jazz / Electronic

D3. Goldfinch Charm 3:59
Genre: Prog / Soul-Jazz / Electronic

Album CAT. № MQN013
Album UPC: 5056052738496

Follow MetaQuorum:
http://metaquorum.uk

0 WITCHCRAFT JAZZ Double Vinyl LP on PRE-ORDER NOW

January 8, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

The Big Day has arrived!!

Our second album – Witchcraft Jazz – is now available for pre-order!

We believe good music should be heard at its best, so we are pressing a LIMITED EDITION VINYL, DOUBLE LP, and will be releasing on digital and CD in February.

LISTEN and BUY @

https://goo.gl/KdmgC6

So what is Witchcraft Jazz all about?

12 tracks – that’s one minute short of an hour! – in the ground-breaking style we call Meld – a blend of jazz, fusion, rock, funk, electronica, even baroque, this double LP includes spontaneous improvisations, funk jams, and creative compositions finished off with state-of-the-art production techniques, and mastered at the famous SugarHill Studios, Houston, USA.

Format: 2x LP 12” (140g) 33rpm, full colour outer sleeve, black inner sleeve.

We need your support!

Don’t forget, we need 100 pre-orders to make this happen, so spread the word. But be quick, the campaign ends 22 Feb, and we can’t guarantee the album will be repressed.

No turntable? No worries! We’re giving a FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD with each LP bought, and you get the original artwork by Dmitry Ermakov.

WITCHCRAFT JAZZ – a breath of fresh air for 2018!

Crimson Dreams 5:13
Jonathan vingston 3:46
Socket Swing 3:22
The Bartender 5:06
Swagger 6:19
Seven Dwarfs Rock 4:25
Witchcraft Jazz 6:11
Limping Mathematician 4:27
Parallax 9:52
Chicken & Egg 3:45
Autumn Groove 4:04
Goldfinch Charm 3:59

Tracks 2,3,7,8,9,10,12 – written & arranged by Dmitry Ermakov.

Tracks 1, 4 – written & arranged by Dmitry Ermakov & Koos van der Veld.

Tracks 4,5,6 written & arranged by Dmitry Ermakov & Victor Mikheyev.

Mixed by Dmitry Ermakov & Koos van der Velde in Low Bishopley Studio, Weardale, UK.

Mastered by Christopher Longwood in SugarHill Studios, Houston, TX, USA.

Album CAT. № MQN013

Album UPC: 5056052738496

0 HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!

January 4, 2018
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

Happy New Year, everyone!

2017 has been a full-on, productive year for us all here at MQ, and the New Year is alreay looking good!

Exciting news for 2018: we’re releasing the new album – Witchcraft Jazz – on vinyl! A limited edition, double LP with funky artwork courtesy of Dmitry will soon be available for pre-order. It’s a limited edition, copies are numbered, so watch this page for the pre-order link as the campaign will only run for 49 days. No turntable? No problem – we’re giving a free digital download with each record bought, and we’ll be making a few CDs, too.

Here’s a sneak preview: Dmitry listening to the final DMM master of a track from Side 1: The Bartender.

Have a great New Year!

Dmitry, Carol, Koos and Victor

0 SPRING EQUATIONS

April 17, 2017
by MetaQuorum
· Posts

MetaQuorum’s new album, WITCHCRAFT JAZZ, is filling up! We now have 7 tracks mixed and mastered, with another three or four in the pipeline.

Crimson Dreams

Track 6, Crimson Dreams, came together pretty quickly, despite Koos and Dmitry getting into the nitty gritty of polyrhythmic sequences.
And it’s one of Carol’s personal favourites.

Mathematics and Music

Track 7 is The Limping Mathematician – forget about polyrhythmic sequences: ‘It’s based on the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, by George Russell, but this one’s gone crazy!” as Dmitry puts it. So much so that we even had to call in an Advanced Maths student to whip up an equation for calculating volume distribution through multi-track instrument groups. Here it is!!

Cheers, Suzanne Lees!

And back to the music – Koos recorded what he describes as a ‘monster drum break’ using his new NI Studio Drummer plug-in.

Victor Mikheyev sent us a spacey bass-line recorded in his apartment by the Black Sea in Varna, Bulgaria.

Dmitry used his new Komplete Kontrol S61 keyboard and soft to record a rhythm clavinet for the track.

The new Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 is a truly versatile combination of a top-notch keyboard midi-controller and an amazing collection of software instruments, both synths and sampled. While checking the soundbanks and tweaking the various parameters of the instrument, Dmitry spontaneously played this short piece. Fortunately, Carol was nearby and filmed it or it would have been lost because Cubase wasn’t on 😉

Making Waves in Kathmandu

If you happen to be in Nepal, be sure to drop by the New Orleans Caffe in Thamel. It plays a very cool selection of jazz, blues, funk and prog and its playlist now includes the full MetaQuorum collection.

Carol, vocalist on Migration, enjoying a banana lassi while listening to MetaQuorum’s Cream of the Summer EP in The New Orleans Jazz Caffe, Kathmandu.

Graças

And last but not least, a big THANK YOU to all our fans in Brazil for listening in on SoundCloud! Cheers, guys!!

Wishing you all a fun-filled Spring,
MetaQuorum