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Bird Architects

Information about the 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: www.foxyproductions.co.uk/music/birdarchitects/Totnes-review.html Founder members Aaron Standon (originally saxes and flutes, now also guitar) and classical violinist Peter Evans (see also "Wild Strings Quartet":foxy_new/music/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 was first aired on the live CD - Hotel for the Birds in 2006.

On March 1st 2009 the Birds release their first studio recording for over 20 years entitled "GONE" on George Haslam's SLAM record label. The original 'live-in-the-studio" sessions were done under the trusty all hearing ears of Jonathan Scott at the University of Bristol Music Studio. Then the digital files were transferred back to the Foxy Production studios, 'Andersonshelta' where it was PRO-T.A.M.P.ED ©Foxy2006, the NPS quotiant tweeked and was sonically transmogrfied through metaphysical and bio-chemical processes to distill the musical essence of The Fabulous Bird Architects. Personnel: **Aaron Standon**: Alto Sax, Flute and Guitar **Peter Evans**: Violin **Mark Turner**: Bass Guitar **Marco Anderson**: Drums, Keyboards, soundscapes, wailing and monologues

For further information and background on the players go here: www.foxyproductions.co.uk/music/birdarchitects/The-bird-architects-cv.html

Also check out our "**myspace site**":profile.myspace.com/index.cfm

* "Hotel for the Birds (Live)":music/birdarchitects/bird-archs-nezting-live/

For Steve Day's Liner notes for the CD go here:www.foxyproductions.co.uk/music/birdarchitects/bird-archs-nezting-live/steve-day-cd-notes/

"Honorary Degrees - Alive in the Thatcher years" (coming soon). Culled from live recordings in the 80's, their only previous studio sessions at Alien Studios, Bristol 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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