The Adam Simmons Quartet - Metamorphosis

	Sample coming Adam Simmons - Saxophones/Shakuhachi/Fujara Andrew Ogburn - piano/keyboards Simon Starr - acoustic bass, voice Matt Earl - drums Released 2006, recorded at Newmarket Studios by Ben Hurt Cat. no. - SV0510

"Ten years ago the Adam Simmons Quartet asked the question "Looking for Something A Little Different?". In 2006 the Quartet returns with an album that is simply breathtaking in beauty; seamlessly bringing together the musical voices of some of Australia's most accomplished players."
- Owen McKern, 3RRR fm (Melbourne).

"This recording is certainly well-overdue, but it does feel like the right time to have made it. The ASQ has developed a lot over the last ten years - as an ensemble, but more importantly, with each individual's separate careers. The influences we each bring back to the Quartet are welcomed and absorbed in different ways. We simply enjoy playing music together, whatever genre, and do so with enthusiasm and I think, without pretension.

"The ASQ is my main vehicle for exploring my instrumental expression - the Adam Simmons Toy Band is more about my compositional voice. With this recording it has been important to acknowledge that it is a Quartet where the personnel has remained constant for over ten years. That is a rare thing within the jazz world. This longevity and familiarity helps inform the music in a way that is not possible with an ever-changing line-up. So, with compositional contributions from each member and a shift of focus across the album from one instrument to another, I hope it will be perceived as a very real joint effort and not a soloist with rhythm section. The latter is the traditional structure of jazz which is I believe is less and less relevant or engaging to both us as performers of different musical styles, as well as to the audience - but even when we do work with a traditional form, it is often as a conversation amongst the group, rather than following a pre-determined order.

"The ASQ is a jazz band from it's roots, it maintains a love of and interest in that form, yet 'Metamorphosis' is not wholly a 'Jazz' album. There is a mixture of influences including gospel, Japanese/Eastern, drum'n'bass, free jazz, New Orleans funk, and blues. It's unified by the same voices exploring these different areas."
Adam Simmons, March 2006.

Thanks to Arts Victoria and their Music for the Future program for their support with this CD

Links
For a little more background go to the ASQ page as part of this site.

For further details contact Adam.