Noose
The idea of Noose began in late 2009, and after a brief and rushed first few rehearsals, they played their first public performance in January 2010. The band is unconventional in that its lineup omits the use of a bass instrument, and so comprises of Female Voice (Holly Thomas), Tenor Saxophone/Clarinet (Lluis Mather), Acoustic Piano (Dan Nicholls) and Drums (Euan Palmer).
The ensemble plays in a contemporary jazz style, with a particular focus on exploring the boundaries between composition and improvisation, and draws many influences, particularly from 20th century classical music (Debussy, Messiaen, Ligeti, Xenakis).
This is all shown on the ensemble's first album, High Windows, which can be heard on the Media page. All the material is composed by Lluis Mather, with exception of the lyrics used in three tracks, which are poems by Tennyson, Frost and Larkin (another large influence on the music).
New material currently being performed explores various mathematical applications within the creative music setting, including various fractal and geometric shapes amongst other things. This new material will be explored in Noose's forthcoming album, which will be completed late 2011.
Lluis Mather was one of six 2010 Yamaha Jazz Scholars, and therefore the band featured on Yamaha CD (the Yamaha New Jazz Sessions) which was released in December 2010. The material is currently being performed across the country by the band.
Holly Thomas - Vocals
Currently studying on the Jazz course at Birmingham Conservatoire, Holly has also previously studied at Leeds college of Music and notably recorded with Grammy nominated producer/musician John Beck. Previously, as a member of recently signed Leeds based electro-folk group 'Black Diamond Bay', she toured the UK and Europe including performances in Croatia and Lithuania.
Dan Nicholls - Piano
Dan Nicholls is a keyboardist, reeds player and composer who leads several of his own projects
in the UK, Copenhagen and Berlin. His music is impelled by prevalent issues in society; exploring environment, experience
and identity - as well as the use of various forms of media for political and social influence. Dan has studied Indian classical music, worked with dance, and performed and produced projects with film and visual art. He has performed at music festivals in Berlin, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Malmo, London, Birmingham and Cheltenham as well as venues throughout Europe. Dan has also performed at various film and dance festivals including Bath Film Festival, Risk Reclaim in Copenhagen and Edinburgh Mela. In 2011 a performance by his group Mirror was recorded by BBC Radio 3 for a Jazz on 3 feature.
Euan Palmer - Drums
After starting the drums at a young age, Lancashire born Euan first played jazz at Steve Berry’s Burnley Jazz Summer-School, shortly after, Euan joined large Jazz ensemble Jam Factory, directed by Richard Ormerod. Now a graduate of Birmingham Conservatoire, Euan studies with Jeff Williams, Tony Levin and Andrew Bain; and has had the opportunity to sit in with greats like Lee Konitz, Dave Holland and John Taylor.
