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Delta Saxophone Quartet to showcase modern British jazz

The boys from Delta. PHOTO: BRITISH COUNCIL

Formed in 1984, Delta Saxophone Quartet has made a name for itself in some unlikely places during its 19-year history. With the support of the British Council, which has funded and overseen many of the combo's tours, Delta has built up a sizable following amongst jazz buffs in places as far removed as Uzbekistan, Austria and Russia as well as the much maligned and ridiculed English seaside resort of Southend.

Dubbed "one of Britain's most enterprising and adventurous contemporary music ensembles" by the UK's popular music press, the combined talents of Christian Forshaw (soprano/alto), Pete Whyman (alto/baritone), Gareth Brady (tenor/soprano) and Chris Caldwell (baritone) have seen the combo become leading players in the UK's non-conventional jazz scene.

Performing in some rather out of the way places, such as the ancient city of Samarkand -- where Iranian, Indian, Mongolian, Western and Eastern cultures have clashed since the times of Alexander the Great -- has enabled the combo to create a repertoire almost as diverse as the history of Tamerlane's capital itself.

Along with its own compositions, the combo has sampled a world of avant-garde music including re-workings of sonatas by Romanian/Greek composer, Iannis Xenakis, Russian avant-garde works by composer Elena Firsova as well as modern jazz/piano pieces by Jamaica born composer, Eleanor Alberga.

Signed to the UK's leading free improvisation and avant-garde jazz label, Future Music Records, the combo released its second album, Facing Death, in September last year.

Based on several Charlie Parker tunes and drawing inspiration from the minimalist techniques employed by the avant-garde Dutch composer, Louis Andriessen, the album sees the Brit-jazz combo blowing up a storm.

Delta Saxophone Quartet will be making an appearance in Taipei this weekend before taking its show on a nationwide tour. The combo can be caught in the act at Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村) at 8:30pm tomorrow. All of the ensemble's shows on its Taiwan tour are free. For further information and full tour schedule check www.britishcouncil.org.tw/english/whatson/arts.htm.
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