John Metcalfe

Loads been happening. The Big Chill and Loop festival were fantastic with great crowds at each with lots of people emailing to say our set was their festival highlight. Outstanding! The addition of Simon Richmond from the Bays has created a musically intense new dimension to the set which has supercharged the development of the overall sound.

I am now beginning to compose a cd's worth of music for cutting edge cellist Matthew Barley who will record and tour the pieces next year. I've also been asked to write a piece for guitarist Tom Kerstens' ensemble G+. Our next show isn't until January 5th but it's a blinder. We will be playing in the Philharmonic Hall as part of the Fresh festival to help launch Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture. We will be on at about 10.30 immediately after Wayne Shorter's concert. On the 4th January I will be performing with the Bays alongside Chris Bowden and the Heritage orchestra. As the blurb says "The Bays will lay down an improvised Drum and Bass line inspiring the composers Bowden and Metcalfe to write parts, live, for The Heritage Orchestra. Using a network of laptops and touch screens conductor Jules Buckley will then direct the Orchestra to play this improvised new work. You can keep track of it all as it is broadcast live on a big screen". It should be amazing.

Labels: Big_Chill, gigs