When Michael Leonhart and I declared our desire to create a production label that would embrace the worlds of music, stage and screen, little did we know that The Forgotten Fairground were poised to help realise that heady ambition in one fell swoop.
This hugely talented band of brothers and sisters are simply a delight, and their eponymous debut album and short film an uncommonly lovely weave of music, dance and cinema. At once declamatory, reflective, ecstatic, lachrymose, muscular and fragile, itʼs a beguiling combination of the elements, shot through with a disarming honesty, seemingly effortless stylistic flair, plus an energy and groove that just wonʼt quit. Matt Goughʻs selfless compositions are impeccably orchestrated and meticulously directed, yet succeed in creating a context and all necessary space for improvisers to stretch out and do what they do best. Itʼs a true alloy of jazz and chamber music sensibilities - an artistic creed further distilled and so keenly expressed by the elegant, incisive dance of Georgia Bradwell, Nicola License and Lisa Evans-Hughes. For lest we forget, The Forgotten Fairground are not merely an outstanding modern music ensemble, but at their core an interactive jazz ballet and contemporary dance company. Boundless interplay, rules and parameters ever-changing; the collaborative spirit at its finest.
Itʼs been my pleasure and fascination to help shape and frame this beautiful, democratic piece and do justice to its uplifting narrative. A paean to all our fondest childhood memories - that faraway realm of limitless, immersive make-believe - itʼs a heartfelt call to remain faithful and true to our youthful, freethinking selves. Honouring this emotional warmth and intimacy by recording ʼliveʼ and in the ʻanalogʼ domain was key, as was seeking out those best qualified to assist in shepherding that bespoke process. How privileged weʼve been to experience the joys of Terry Brittenʼs fabulous, one-of-a-kind recording studio, State of the Ark, and the peerless engineering of Jonathan Allen. Heartfelt thanks, also, to Sean Magee at Abbey Road and to Ton Vermeulen at Record Industry for their unrivalled excellence.
The Forgotten Fairground are a rare and precious thing, their gorgeous aesthetic and inspirational creative arc certain to capture the imagination of all who open their ears, eyes and hearts. To my mind, a special alchemy is afoot and the stage set for something uniquely expressive and, yes...magical!
Andy Bush
credits
released January 18, 2019
Created and directed by Matt Gough
Produced by Andy Bush
Voice - Georgina Stalbow
Flute - Hayley Gough
Alto Flute - Jennifer Hogan-Emery
Trumpet/Flugelhorn - Matt Gough
Violin - Kimberley Wong
Violin - Rebekah Reid
Viola - Victoria Strudwick
Cello - Mark Walkem
Produced by Andy Bush for B&L
Recorded at State of the Ark Studios
Recorded and mixed by Jonathan Allen
Mastered for vinyl by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios
Vinyl Manufactured at Record Industry, Haarlem
Artwork - James Crosland-Mills
Design - Jonathan Crosland-Mills
B&L logo - Patryk Larney
Free-wheeling adventures across the idiomatic ‘divide’- combining music, dance, cinema and the spoken word - married to a
celebration of the human condition. Our spiritual home? The studio. A sonic realm that can invoke an aesthetic to transcend music alone, conjuring the expressive magic of all Art - manifest in the imagination of the mind’s eye....more
Trumpeter Harry Spencer’s orchestral modern jazz has cinematic scope, inspired here by dissidents throughout history. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 3, 2023
Written after a house flood and on the brink of the pandemic, “Worry Not” is a jazz record focused on finding calm in a storm. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 7, 2021
Trio helmed by director, author, and actor Jean-Paul Delore translates various texts by French and African writers into vibrant jazz fusion. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 7, 2024