Funk-Rock | MetaQuorum

0 Master in Kathmandu Valley

MetaQuorum is a truly international gig. Take this track, Simple Minds, for example. Lyrics written in Moscow, drums & percussion recorded in Friesland, keys etc. in the North Pennines, and mastering in Houston. And first listening in faraway Kathmandu!

On a sunny August day, our dear friend KC Sherstha kindly drove us through the sweltering monsoon heat to a surprisingly cosmopolitan district of Patan in Lalitpur, nestled in the Himalayan foothills. In an oasis of greenery and hip cafes, we made our way to the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatoire where we were greeted by some of the very efficient and friendly staff there, and ushered into a well-equipped studio. It was great to listen to the first master with a few of the technicians/musicians and get their feedback, too.

Huge thanks to Eric C. Shrestha for arranging with Abhisek Pun for some studio time.

We were impressed with the setup – thanks guys! Look forward to a jam session next time we’re in Nepal 😉

Listening to the first master at the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatoire Recording Studio

0 Simple Minds out on Streaming Worldwide!

MetaQuorum’s new single Simple Minds is out on streaming today all over the world!

Check it out @

https://tidal.com/browse/album/252053657
https://music.apple.com/…/simple-minds-single/1648154128
https://www.deezer.com/en/album/362854367
https://uk.7digital.com/…/release/simple-minds-24339864
https://soundcloud.com/metaquorum/simple-minds
https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BJ16LXCS
https://www.qobuz.com/…/simple-minds…/go5tk5nyx69ub
https://www.emusic.com/…/234250728/MetaQuorum/Simple-Minds
https://music.line.me/webapp/artist/mi000000001ae44dde
https://music.163.com/#/album?id=152646836
https://musik.yousee.dk/album/275207316
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=N4yD38R6Jgg

0 SIMPLE MINDS: History in the making – First drum takes, 2016

We’re getting some thumbs ups for our new track Simple Minds, released 9 October on Bandcamp & YouTube and going global on all major streaming platforms 4 November. Many of you guys are telling us you get the message it’s putting out, so we thought we’d let you into a little secret: it was written back in 2003! In Moscow. But sad to say humanity is still sleepwalking around today, 20 years on.

But back to the music. The first draft was recorded in Bath, UK, in 2005 and then when drummer Koos joined Dmitry in 2016, they discussed the track. Koos even laid down some impromptu drums. But then the song got put on a back burner to make way for the instrumental album Witchcraft Jazz (2018).

So here’s a little video from that early session, 2016. History in the making!

0 MetaQuorum in Friday Night Progressive is now on MixCloud

If you missed the FNP show on 14 October, you can listen to it now on MixCloud. Besides MetaQuorum, there are several very interesting prog bands from all over the World. You may want to skip a rather lengthy introduction, the music starts @ 16:30.

Here it is. Enjoy!

0 NEW SONG SIMPLE MINDS RELEASED TODAY!

It’s been a while, but here it is, a new Single from MetaQuorum!

Bit of a new venture for us as Simple Minds is a song rather than our usual instrumental Meld. The album in the works – Blue Cosmic Pie – is mainly songs, too.

Here’s one early review:

“Love it! I really like the wide panning with the bass and other keys. The jam at the end with the slap bass is super funky. All of these cool musical happenings, while having a much-needed conversation about current events, it’s a really great thing you’ve done.” Chris Longwood, SugarHill Recording Studios, TX, USA.

LISTEN/DOWNLOAD:

Bandcamp @ https://metaquorum.bandcamp.com/album/simple-minds

VIEW/STREAM:

YouTube lyrics video @ https://youtu.be/fkuMtq5aKp0

Simple Minds is a hard-hitting alt-rock protest song calling out complacent apathy in a society flooded with fake news, as the planet slips into chaos.

Genres (iTunes): Main Genre: Rock: Alternative Rock/Post-rock; Alternate Genre: Rock: Funk Rock

Additional genres: Protest rock/Protest song; Jam band; Prog; Heavy Rock

Time: 8:26

Dmitry Ermakov: composition, lyrics, recording, keyboards, vocals, synth bass & synth guitars, drum programming, anthropophony, producing, mixing, cover art.

Koos van der Velde: recording, drums, percussion.

Recorded in North Pennines, UK & Friesland, Netherlands.

Mixed in UK.

Mastered by Chris Longwood @ SugarHill Recording Studios, Houston, TX, USA.

℗ Dmitry Ermakov, 2022.

UPC: 5057998095391

ISRC: UK-682-22-13254

CAT N.: MQN014

0 OUT OF THE SILENCE

Yes, I know, we’ve been quiet for a while… but… nothing can stop the music! Between the pandemic and earning a living, we’ve been beavering away at a new album: Blue Cosmic Pie.

It’s a bit of a new venture for us because this third album – unlike our other two mainly instrumental Meld – features mostly songs. Still with our unmistakable MetaQuorum top-notch flair, of course.

The first ‘slice of The Pie’ – a single called Simple Minds – is coming out on Bandcamp on Sunday, 9^th October.

With lyrics by our very own Dmitry Ermakov, Simple Minds is a protest song calling out current social apathy. Keys (Dmitry) recorded in North Pennines, UK and drums and percussion (Koos) in Friesland. Mixed in the UK and mastered in Texas.

Available to listen and buy on Bandcamp and lyrics video on YouTube and Instagram on Sunday 9^th October, and on all other streaming platforms by 4^th November (except Spotify. We’re boycotting them ‘cos the CEO creams money he’s off all us musicians to invest in artificial intelligence defence technology). Watch this space for links.

More to follow soon on the story behind the track, plus what else to expect out of the Blue Cosmic Pie album.

0 LIMPING MATHEMATICIAN – March track of the Month

http://metaquorum.bandcamp.com/track/limping-mathematician

Our next #trackofthemonth is Limping Mathematician. Dmitry Ermakov wrote this tune in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, in 1988 for “Pereplanirovka”, first album of the band ПАNIKA where he played together with Victor Mikheyev and R.I.P. Alexei Dovshan. That version was recorded in Victor flats on reel-to-reel double deca constructed by Victor from two Soviet recorders. We had no drums so used actual tape loops. Instruments we had in our disposal were also… hm… Soviet or home-made so the sound was quite heavy, the steel saxophone I played on the recording was certainly meant for #heavymetal ))) Anyhow, we did what we did our best according to the circumstances. Victor even played #sitar in the middle section of that version of the track. Then many years later I dug up the original score (well… it isn’t a score as you can see on the pic below – just a line with harmonies) and thought we can rearrange and rerecord this tune for our second album, Witchcraft Jazz, cos Carol liked it a lot! So we did. I’ve just finished the track’s cover today. So here it is – #checkitout

0 Good review scores for Witchcraft Jazz

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 HERE IT IS AT LAST!

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!