¨Vibrant but thoughtful, diverse but distinctive, URBAN GROOVE is the distillation of the very best new compositions and arrangements from the five members of Saxtet over the last couple of years.

Eleven tracks draw on influences as wide-ranging as Ellington and Piazolla, with nods to the World Saxophone Quartet and the Tower of Power. Tango, township, New York street funk and contemporary classical all fuel an eclectic, sophisticated style that reflects both the interests of the individual musicians and their high-energy co-operative composing methods.

The sax sound is suave but gutsy, accordion and clarinets adding their own very special perspective. These forces provide a highly adaptable resource for numbers that range form the mellow-with-attitude (Powerful Tower) to the sweetly melancholy (Broken Promises), from blisteringly tight ensemble work to flying improvisation (Stevie Wonder’s I Wish), and from beautiful arrangements of standards à la Gil Evans to sheer high energy fun (Back to Bat).

To purchase your copy follow this link to the recordings page of www.saxtetpublications.com our sister site. Promoters and reviewers please email your interest.

Sample the tracks below. All are mp3 encoded and last approximately 30sec.

1 POWERFUL TOWER - Andrew Tweed
Alto solo - Exall, Alto - Annesley, Tenor - Street, Tenor - Anderson, Baritone - Tweed

2 BROKEN PROMISES - Karen Street
Accordion solo - Street, Clarinet - Exall, Alto - Annesley, Tenor - Anderson, Baritone - Tweed

3 WALK TO LIGHTHOUSE LANDING - Richard Exall
Clarinet - Exall, Alto solo - Annesley, Tenor - Street, Tenor - Anderson, Baritone - Tweed

4 I WISH - Stevie Wonder arr. Anderson
Alto - Annesley, Alto - Exall, Tenor solo - Anderson, Tenor - Street, Baritone - Tweed
© 1976 Black Bull Music Inc and Jobete Music Co Inc, USA Black Bull Music/Jobete Music (UK) Ltd, London WC2H 0QY. Reproduced by permission of International Music Publishers Ltd All Rights Reserved

5 MY SHIP - Kurt Weill arr. Karen Street
Soprano - Annesley, Alto - Exall, Tenor - Street, Tenor - Anderson, Baritone - Tweed
© 1940 Chappell & Co Inc and Kurt Weill Foundation For Music Inc, USA Warner/Chappell Music Ltd London W6 8BS. Reproduced by Permission of International Music Publications Ltd All Rights Reserved.

6 THE CITY SLEEPS - Luke Annesley
Alto solo - Annesley, Alto - Exall, Tenor solo - Anderson, Tenor - Street, Baritone - Tweed

7 BACK TO BAT - Richard Exall
Clarinet solo - Exall, Alto - Annesley, Tenor solo - Anderson, Tenor - Street, Baritone - Tweed

8 SONG FOR GEMMA DOG - Jamie Anderson
Soprano solo - Anderson, Accordion - Street, Clarinet - Exall, Alto - Annesley, Bass Clarinet/Baritone - Tweed

9 URBAN GROOVE - Andrew Tweed
Soprano - Annesley, Alto - Exall, Tenor - Street, Tenor - Anderson, Baritone - Tweed

10 EGG RADIO - Bill Frisell arr. Luke Annesley
Accordion solo - Street, Soprano - Annesley, Clarinet - Exall, Tenor - Anderson, Bass Clarinet - Tweed
Words & Music by William Frisell, Published by Friztone Music/AMRA/International Music Network

11 CAPTAIN ELATION - Jamie Anderson
Alto - Exall, Alto - Annesley, Tenor solo - Anderson, Tenor - Street, Baritone - Tweed

Released on Jazzprint JPVP127CD, recorded by Chris Thorpe