Empirical’s pop-up Jazz Lounge declared a “heartening success”.

Sunday, March 06, 2016

Empirical's recent series of pop up jazz events at Old Street Underground Station in London has been declared a "heartening success". Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

PRESS RELEASE

Empirical’s pop-up Jazz Lounge: a heartening success & new album Connection out 18 March

new album CONNECTION
out on Cuneiform Records
& launch at London’s Kings Place

“Tired but happy” is how the members of Empirical look back on a whirlwind week of playing 16 gigs for unsuspecting commuters at Old Street London Underground station.

For six days, the UK jazz super group took over a retail unit in the centre of the station, which had been transformed into a relaxed and inviting pop-up Jazz Lounge.

The musical risk-takers had hoped that this radical approach of taking their music, free of charge, directly to Londoners on their daily commute or lunchtime shop would help them connect with new audiences.

The risk paid off handsomely: over the six days, the band recorded over 2,800 visits to the lounge, the majority by people who hadn’t previously experienced live jazz or heard of the band.

Even an Early Bird gig at 8am on Tuesday was met with as much excitement and joy by hurried morning commuters as the evening and late night sessions. Broad smiles, tweets hashtagged “ubercool” and “best pop-up ever” quickly became the standard reaction from passers-by drawn to the music that could be heard on the escalator ascent to the ticket hall.

“Empirical is a uniquely collaborative band in that each member has equal responsibility for the direction of the music.” says Tom Farmer. “It’s unashamedly challenging music - for both us and our audience - and we really didn’t tone it down at the pop-up, in fact the opposite! So it was great to see so many new people, and young people, coming in an engaging with the music - it shows that there is an audience out there, and we can reach them!”

In between performances, the band hosted an improvisation workshop for a group of music students from Hackney New School and took proceedings to Bridge Academy in Haggerston to give students there a taste of jazz.  A group of 2-5 year olds from a local nursery visited for a special afternoon session that left the toddlers mesmerised by the sounds of the sax and vibes.

The band hopes to take the pop-up Jazz Lounge concept nationwide in 2016/17, setting up temporary lounges in places not normally associated with jazz in major cities across the UK.

The pop-up Jazz Lounge project was made possible by support from Arts Council England, the Worshipful Company of Musicians, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Transport for London and Appearhere.

Hailed as the “coolest of Britain’s young jazz bands” by the Daily Telegraph, Empirical (Tom Farmer – bass, Nathaniel Facey – alto saxophone, Shane Forbes – drums and Lewis Wright – vibraphone) are known for their forward-looking, creative music and live performances.  Formed in 2007, Empirical’s eponymous debut album released in the same year met with universal critical acclaim.  After settling on the current line-up in 2008, their second release Out ‘n’ In, a tribute to Eric Dolphy, let to a MOBO Award in 2010 for Best Jazz Act.  On the strength of their third release Elements of Truth (2011), Empirical won the inaugural Golubovich Jazz Scholars fellowship at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.  The fellowship resulted in their 2013 double album Tabula Rasa, featuring the Benyounes String Quartet.  Their fifth studio album, entitled Connection, is set to be released on the American label Cuneiform Records on 18 March at London’s Kings Place.

‘Driving Force’ from Connection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08n—CcqMcc&feature=youtu.be

Kings Place:
http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/music/empirical-connection-album-launch#.VsH68SjTS_U

Bedford Jazz Festival produced by Conscia Jazz – 19 March at 2.30pm:
http://www.quarrytheatre.org.uk/shows/empirical/

BBC Radio 3 Jazz on 3 broadcast of Jazz in the Round – 28 March at 11pm:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tt0y

Empirical: http://www.empiricalmusic.com/

Cuneiform Records: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/