Ahead of the launch of our magazine 'Jazz Revelations: Issue 1 - Leeds' on Wednesday 3rd May at Wharf Chambers, we will be sharing snippets from the different articles in the magazine.
Today, we take a peak at what's inside the article Vipertime:
Set to release their second album ‘Arise’ on Hyde Park Book Club Records in May 2023, the heavy jazz-punk group share all on how they started, their new music and their love for the Leeds scene
Playing at their friend’s house party, Vipertime’s first ever gig was only a day after they started the group.
“They asked me to put some music together for a house party,” Ben Powling, their tenor saxophonist, remembers. “I said yes, and then I completely forgot. They gave me a nudge the day before asking “what band is it?” I just was like “I’ll sort it, don’t worry”.”
The impromptu nature of their debut gig meant the only option was an improvised performance. “I was like, “what can we do?” I rang up Matías, Patch Morgan and Charlie Grimwood. It was supposed to be a kind of one off thing. The people in the band were great improvisers, but not necessarily jazz musicians.”
“I thought I was going to be on guitar initially,” bassist Matías Reed reveals. But what went down began the start of a project that had been waiting to be kickstarted between him and Ben.
“We’d been talking about doing our own band for ages. We played together with K.O.G & The Zongo Brigade and in Mansion of Snakes, but did this house party and a couple more then decided we actually wanted to write. So we got in the same room together, and recorded the first album in two days.”
This speedy, house party jam approach to writing captured the spirit of what Vipertime have now harnessed, grown into and breathe effortlessly into their sound as a group. “That first album ‘Shakedown’, we’re just playing live in the studio with almost no overdubs, just jamming,” Ben says.
Read more in the 'Jazz Revelations: Issue 1 - Leeds' magazine
See Vipertime on their ‘Arise’ tour at:
10.05.23 - The Crescent Community Venue, York 12.05.23 - Cobalt Studios CIC, Newcastle (w/ Neue Grafik Ensemble) 13.05.23 - Northern Quarter, Huddersfield 16.05.23 - Frederiks, Liverpool
21.05.23 - Old School Rooms, Clitheroe 29.05.23 - Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds (as part of Leeds Jazz Festival)
The magazine features artists in Leeds producing jazz, R&B, neo-soul, hip hop and electronica music, including:
Phenicia, Vipertime, Yusuf Yellow & August Charles, Jasmine Myra, Sunkissed Child, NikNak, Olivia Cuttill, TC & The Groove Family, Jake Mehew, Plantfood + many more.
We are hosting a launch gig on Wednesday 3rd May at Wharf Chambers to celebrate, with performances from the Olivia Cuttill Quartet, Jake Mehew, and Phenicia headlining.
Proceeds from the launch and magazine sales will go to MAP Charity, a pioneering alternative provider in creative education based in Leeds. They offer music and arts qualifications to young people at risk of exclusion from the mainstream school system. Find more about them here.
Wharf Chambers Co-Operative Club is a members’ club, and you need to be a member, or a guest of a member, in order to attend. To join, please visit wharfchambers.org. Membership costs £2 and requires a minimum of 48 hours to take effect.
In the magazine, you can expect to find in-depth interviews and crate digging with artists, release roundups, an extended feature of our radio piece 'On Rotation', looking ahead to the future talent in the city, a little history on the city's scene, plus a mix to accompany your reading.
The magazine is audio-described as well for those with different accessibility needs.
A big thanks goes to Emma Jones (@emmajonesillustration) for her design work in the magazine, and to Hugh Roberts (@misc.etc_) for the cover design on the magazine and the gig poster.
Thanks to Yasmina Nahas for her contribution to the magazine, and Ally J Steel for his support throughout the project.
And a special thanks to Ben Lee, editor-in-chief of the magazine, for producing the whole project.
We hope to see many of you down at Wharf on 3rd May to support the Leeds scene.
Keep following the Jazz Revelations website, or our Instagram and Facebook pages for sneak previews of the magazine leading up to its release.
Ticket & Bundle Prices:
£5.50 - Magazine only
£7.50 - Launch advance ticket only
£9.50 - Launch OTD ticket only
£12 - Magazine + Launch advance ticket bundle
£14 - Magazine + Launch OTD ticket bundle
Timings:
1930 - Doors open
2015 - Olivia Cuttill Quartet
2115 - Jake Mehew
2215 - Phenicia
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