After a momentary glimpse in a misfiring big band rehearsal, Tom Ward has been bugged by an overheard snippet of a weird quartet comprising bass clarinet, flute, trumpet and trombone. Transmogrifying some of his compositions for sax quartet, hybridising this with his free improv duo Ti/om and finally balancing woodwind, brass and strings with the addition of a cello, Tom is proud to present Madwort’s Menagerie. Featuring some incredible improvising musicians with a full spectrum of credits ranging from the London Improvisers Orchestra through Brass Mask, the Overground Collective, Quadraceratops and The Imaginary Delta to Sinfonia Cymru and the London Tango Orchestra.
Tom Ward – bass clarinet, flute, composition
Julie Kjaer – flute, alto flute
Alex Bonney – trumpet
Cath Roberts – alto/baritone saxophone
Adam Spiers – cello
Tim Fairhall – double bass
“…a curious beauty, where melodies have the ephemeral quality of dreams and harmonies like their lingering aftereffect upon waking, slowly and greeted by soft daylight, and the motion of the music is fitful and anxious, as if children unable to sit still in church pews during a morning service.” – Bird is the Worm
“The music is rich in terms of colour and texture and the imaginative use of counterpoint also helps to keep both musicians and listeners on their toes. With its mix of jazz and contemporary classical elements this is highly distinctive music that avoids the clichés and pitfalls of both and makes for fascinating listening. It won’t appeal to everyone but open minded listeners should find much to enjoy here.” – The Jazz Mann