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Bird Architects

Wonderfully irreverential, anarchic and wild "Punk Jazz", the Bird Architects fizzed through the Bristol jazz scene in the 80's. Formed in 1984, their's was a brief, yet incendiary life which is fondly recalled and justly restored on their (mainly) live CD, Hotel for the Birds, released in 2004. Original members had a reunion live show in May 2004 at the Totnes Jazz Club and have been reanimated ever since.

For Mick Green's review of that "comeback" show go here

Founder members Aaron Standon (originally saxes and flutes, now also guitar) and classical violinist Peter Evans (see also Wild Strings Quartet) found a ferocious rhythmic powerhaus in Mark "Buffalo" Turner (Bass guitar) and Marco Anderson (Drums and keyboards) to fuel their improvisations with sinuous Ornette Coleman-like themes.

Early shows left the rather staid bristol Jazz fraternity frayed at the edges and one bemused member of the Forest (of Dean) Jazz club likened the Bird's sonic attack to "electric Be-Bop".

Now fully developed into the T.A.M.P. musical concept, the Bird's style of improvised but structured wonderment is available now on their new live CD - Hotel for the Birds.

Personnel:

Aaron Standon: Alto Sax, Flute and Guitar

Peter Evans: Violin

Mark Turner: Bass Guitar

Marco Anderson: Drums and Keyboards, wailing and monologues

For further information and background on the players go here

Also check out our myspace site

For Steve Day's Liner notes for the CD go here

  • "Honorary Degrees - Alive in the Thatcher years" coming 2005/6

Culled from live recordings in the 80's, their only studio session and more recent live work, this CD presents The Bird Architects at their most gloriously ferocious best, themes swooping and diving, machine gun rhythms twitching and bending, soaring up into the blue and coming back to perch tentatively on a musical idea before flying off at another oblique tangent. If you like your jazz pumped up and spiky, this will bill your coo no end.

Thanks to Jo Swan for original B&W photos.

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