“This is an album that should be heard.”
Lovely surprise earlier this week – our album #witchcraftjazz got a great little review in The Progressive Aspect.
Spot on! Cheers Jez Rowden et al!
Tag: #music news
0 Witchcraft Jazz reviewed in Progressive Aspect
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:
Drop us a line and tell us what you think.
Have a great weekend!
0 MUSIC, ART & PHILOSOPHY
We are delighted to announce the release of our new single – CHICKEN AND EGG. It’s a great collaboration of art, music and philosophy.
Philosophy
This track is the musical expression of an ongoing question we each face every day when we try to understand the causes and effects behind what’s going on in our lives and in the universe as a whole: what comes first and what follows? The universal timeless dilemma of the chicken and egg.
Art
The cover art was drawn by our dear friend Alexander Voitsekhovsky and by happy coincidence, his exhibition in London coincides with our release. Like Dmitry’s music, Alexander’s art is ‘full of humour and mischief; it intrigues the soul.’ Or as one critic put it: “you can’t stop wondering how these small, childly naive pictures can shine with so much artistic and human sincerity and light.”
Here is a link to a review of Alexander’s art @ Randomstein https://goo.gl/teM0ju
If you are in London, you can visit his exhibition @
6 Pall Mall East, SW1Y 5BF (corner of Whitcomb street and Pall Mall East, entrance in Whitcomb street via black double doors) 27 Oct. – 6 Nov. 2016.
Music
The rhythmic track is a meld of various styles: jazz-rock, funk, prog & electronica, great polyrhythmic drum breaks from Koos; and a fusion of mixing techniques. The result? The unmistakable sound of Meld music, pioneered by MetaQuorum.
For the story behind the track and some improvisation on theme, watch the short video below – it was our first attempt at a live Facebook video, so apologies for all the glitches, poor lighting etc.
Listen and Enjoy
You can listen, download, buy the track on Bandcamp or following any of the links in the Liner Notes below:
CHICKEN & EGG
A new single from the forthcoming album Witchcraft Jazz by MetaQuorum
Release Date: 27/10/2016
Dmitry Ermakov scribbled the sketch for this track as fragments of a score many years ago in a very different time and place: St. Petersburg, in a crumbling Soviet Union. The fragments rose from the ashes in 2016 while MetaQuorum were recording their second album, Witchcraft Jazz, in MQ’s recording studio in Weardale, North Pennines.
Genres (iTunes): Main Genre: Rock: Prog-Rock; Alternate Genre: Jazz: Fusion
Genres (MQ definition): Meld: Funk/Prog-Rock/Jazz/Electronica/Hip-Hop – Fusion
Time: 3:45
Written and arranged by Dmitry Ermakov.
Keyboards, synth and key bass – Dmitry Ermakov.
Drums, audio-engineering – Koos van der Velde.
Recorded, produced and mixed by Dmitry Ermakov & Koos van der Velde @ Low Bishopley Studio & Market Place Studio, Weardale, UK.
Mastered by Chris Longwood @ SugarHill Recording Studios, Houston, TX, USA.
Cover art by Alexander Voitsekhovsky.
Cover design by Dmitry Ermakov.
© Dmitry Ermakov, 2016.
℗ Dmitry Ermakov & Koos van der Velde, 2016.
UPC: 5056052738489
ISRC: UK-682-16-24116
CAT N.: MQN011
STREAM:
Spotify: https://goo.gl/pjFvTu
Tidal: https://listen.tidal.com/album/65157460
YouTube: https://goo.gl/jMeVuR
Napster: https://goo.gl/ooKwxn
Deezer: http://www.deezer.com/album/14093368
DOWNLOAD:
iTunes: https://goo.gl/sWw6Vw
GooglePlay: https://goo.gl/z0XQtE
Bandcamp: https://goo.gl/ZrIiBH
Amazon: https://goo.gl/JsWNsI
Digital Tunes: https://goo.gl/Q6eMSM
Juke: https://goo.gl/QwRfIW
Junodownload: https://goo.gl/bhRX4O
Medianet: https://goo.gl/Gpp81K
Qobuz: https://goo.gl/Gpp81K
Till next time 😉
MetaQuorum Team
0 NEWSFLASH: The Piper & The Frog on Radio X – Basel tonight
Just got call from Markus Bluesharp from Switzerland who played a fantastic harp solo on MetaQuorum’s single The Piper & The Frog. Markus reports Radio X Basel @ https://www.radiox.ch/ will have a short presentation of this single around 18:30 Swiss time. So you can tune in following the link below. Press ‘Livestream’ and off you go!
2 Loads of Good News ;)
Hi folks
Lots of good news, where shall we start?
Well, Koos and Dmitry have managed to snatch time in their busy schedules to finish mixing two tracks for the new album: Socket Swing, and Swagger. We’ve just got the masters back from Chris Longwood of SugarHill Recording Studios – he’s worked his magic – great results!
So that means we’re one step nearer to our NEW ALBUM – WITCHCRAFT JAZZ. It’s going to be another great album, and we’re especially pleased that Victor Mikheyev is joining us again on bass, for three tracks.
And last but not least, to give you a taster of the album, new single CHICKEN & EGG will be released on October 27.
This video footage is from the first Low Bishopley Sessions, February 2015, when Dmitry and Koos were selecting tracks for recording and production. Here, Dmitry improvises around the main theme from Chicken & Egg and discusses how it could be developed. Actually, it took quite a different turn in the end…
Above is some early archive VIDEO material for CHICKEN & EGG, new single from MetaQuorum’s forthcoming album WITCHCRAFT JAZZ.
Cover art by Dmitry’s old and dear friend Petrovich, known in the West as Alexander Voitsekhovsky.
You can join us for an on-line event @ https://www.facebook.com/events/336231016728740/
Cheers, folks! Have a great weekend everyone!
MetaQuorum Team
0 NEWS FLASH: MetaQuorum on Canadian Airwaves
Candian ProgCore Live Radio is devoting most of this Friday Show to MetaQuorum – featuring Midnight Sun [Remastered] as well as all five of this Summer singles.
You can tune in @ http://progcoreradio.com/ or via Facebook event @ https://www.facebook.com/events/307094412977804/
The show will be on-air @ 26 August, 7:00 pm EDT. In case that’s too late for you, will post a Mixxloud link the following day.
Here is a jingle collection we recorded for the show:
Cheers!
1 MIDNIGHT SUN (Remastered) is Live
Midnight Sun (Remastered) was released on 18 June through all our usual digital distribution channels. And we are waiting for a bunch of limited edition CDs to arrive later next week. Why the need for Remaster? , you may ask. Well, the original master wasn’t really loud enough and it didn’t have this ‘big sound’ we developed for the 2016 releases. So Dmitry decided to remaster the album so that it comes closer to this new sound. We think it was a success. The tracks sound bigger and more 3D with many nuances coming to the fore. Give it a listen and see for yourself 🙂
http://metaquorum.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-sun-remastered
Cheers,
MQ
MetaQuorum 