Featuring a selection of Manchester’s top improvisers, Revival Room is comprised of three musicians closely associated with the Efpi family, and with the city’s burgeoning creative improvised music scene – Adam Fairhall (organ), Mark Hanslip (tenor saxophone), and Johnny Hunter (drums). The band is the culmination of a series of long-held friendships: often playing together in various combinations in other projects, the trio were drawn together by shared principles of collaboration. “It's a genuinely cooperative band, where we all have an equal say”, Mark explains. This deeply creative debut album is the sound of a group at once bedding in and breaking out.
  
The organ trio format has a rich and varied history. The iconic sound of the Hammond organ has historically graced an array of genres, inspiring performers from Larry Young to Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Yet the format has often been overlooked as a medium for exploration, particularly as a vehicle for improvisation and free playing. Revival Room are on a mission to change that, following such contemporary organists as Alexander Hawkins, John Medeski and Daniel Formo. As Adam notes; “I'd been exploring other keyboard instruments for a few years, and the Hammond organ was one that I was trying to get into. I needed to play with people, and Johnny and Mark are both great at jazz, but also have a very inclusive perspective on improv too. The idea was that we tried to explore the possibilities of an organ trio in improvisation, bringing in non-jazz vocabularies as well as referencing parts of the tradition.”
 
That combination of tradition and exploration becomes an important guiding principle for the group. Thoroughly acquainted with the musical languages of not just organ trios, but the entire post-bop vernacular, Revival Room spin vibrant new tunes with a distinct sound in this exciting study of the format.

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Adam Fairhall (organ) released his solo piano album 'Friendly Ghosts' and his multiple-instrument solo EP 'Little Instruments' on the Efpi label in recent years. He can also be heard as a sideman on Manchester tenor player Nat Birchall's albums and in groups such as The Spirit Farm. 

Mark Hanslip (tenor saxophone) worked with bands including Outhouse, Nostalgia 77, Twelves and Alcyona Mick whilst living in London, before relocating to Manchester. He is currently developing a saxophone-plus-electronics practice and pursuing a PhD in improvised music and AI. 

Johnny Hunter (drums) leads a number of his own projects from quartet to large ensemble, all of which showcase his fast-developing compositional practice. He is also an in-demand sideman, working with groups including Graham South Quartet, Anton Hunter’s Article XI, and Cath Roberts’ Sloth Racket.

01 - You Funnin' Me, Son?

Claire James Trio present their version of Nick Drake's 'Three Hours'

Claire James : piano
Stewart Wilson : bass
Jim Molyneux : drums

The trio's debut EP 'Lines' is released on Efpi Records on 25th July 2011 - available from shop.efpirecords.com

For more info contact info@efpirecords.com or visit the websites below

www.efpirecords.com/clairejamestrio
www.efpirecords.com

Claire James Trio - Three Hours

Claire James Trio perform 'Lines' at a Proms Plus event at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 22nd July 2011

Recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Wednesday 27th July 2011

Debut EP 'Lines' available now via http://shop.efpirecords.com

For more information please visit www.efpirecords.com/clairejamestrio or www.efpirecords.com

Claire James Trio - Lines (live at Proms Plus 22nd July 2011)

Trio Riot met on the coldest day of the winter of 2009 on the streets of Helsinki, shortly after the riots began… They were driven below ground, and their practice basement became their playground. They worked hard with the tools they had to hand; saxophones and drum were the weapons of choice. And now, after many months of toil and strife, the trio emerge - strong and ready for action, fighting from the underground!

Mette Rasmussen : alto saxophone
Sam Andreae : tenor saxophone
David Meier : drums

More information from www.efpirecords.com/trioriot

Trio Riot - Guru

Trio Riot - 3

Trio Riot - Rondeua

Trio Riot - Ballad

Here is the first in our brand new podcast series, this month curated by Ben Cottrell. Here he chats with fellow Efpi co-founder Sam Andreae about Silence Blossoms, a great band that Sam formed in Sweden two years ago and who are preparing to play their first ever UK gigs next month to mark the release of a collection of live recordings from around Sweden (released November 5th on Efpi Records, in collaboration with the Ljup label in Sweden).

In the podcast you’ll hear music that you won’t be able to hear online anywhere else, as the tracks played will only be available on old-school audio cassette… Sam also talks about the formation of the band and the compositional process, previews Silence Blossoms’ upcoming UK gigs (details below) as well as giving an idea of what to expect from future podcast editions – this whole thing was his idea!

If you like what you hear, you can catch Silence Blossoms and purchase the live collection in concert (alongside the awesome Alice Zawadzki for both dates) in the UK in November:

18th November – The Forge, Camden (London Jazz Festival)

20th November – Sandbar, Manchester (Freedom Principle)

Efpi Records

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