Tabula Rasa Empirical feat. Benyounes String Quartet

• 1The Simple Light Shines Brightest09:43
• 2Bellsonian Scales03:50
• 3The Prophet07:35
• 4Ascent04:46
• 5Descent02:17
• 6Empiricism07:07
• 7Studies In Time (The Healer)07:21
• 8Where Wisdom is Found08:05
• 9One For ‘Bones’ Jones05:12
• 10The World In His Mind11:27
• 11Scoffie (The Moody One)04:09
• 12Repentance08:54
• 13Studies In Time (Relative)06:58
• 14Conflict In Our Time09:50
• Total Runtime01:37:14

Info for Tabula Rasa

The Guardian once commented that 'Empirical have become fascinating and fearless' and their fourth album Tabula Rasa is evidence that this is still very much the case. Never a band to shy away from taking risks, Tabula Rasa is a double album and marks yet another new direction from the band once dubbed by the Daily Telegraph as 'the coolest of Britain's young jazz bands'. Now come of age, they are considered one of the UK's most highly acclaimed jazz outfits and Tabula Rasa is the next chapter in their developing story, consolidating ideas first explored on their previous Naim Jazz albums ‘Out'n'In' (2009) and ‘Elements of Truth' (2011).

The line-up remains the same as the previous two albums: Nathaniel Facey alto saxophone, Shaney Forbes drums, Tom Farmer bass and Lewis Wright vibraphone, but is here augmented by strings from the Benyounes Quartet whom the band met during a tenure as Golubovich Jazz Scholars at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. The use of strings had been in the band's mind for a number of years, but keen to avoid just ‘adding' strings to their sound they instead treated them as a compositional tool with each piece exploring a different concept of the string quartet tradition. Able to explore more classical influences as a result, the band have also been able to take their improvising into hitherto unexplored directions.

Those familiar with Empirical's music will know that experimentation and observation have always been key - forming the basis of 2011's ‘Elements of Truth' - and on Tabula Rasa they are as vital as ever. Not only have they taken the bold step of working with strings, they have also embraced the theme of storytelling, something they began to explore during their research into Eric Dolphy for ‘Out'n'In'. Tabula Rasa is therefore an anthology of sorts, with each track being a story or character in its own right. Bellsonian Scales depicts an alter ego, outgoing and slightly mad whereas Scoffie is an aspect of a character, cheeky, fun and humorous. Real life characters the band members have encountered also feature; One For ‘Bones' Jones' was inspired by a martial artist from the UFC. A biblical story forms the basis for A Simple Light and is about finding beauty in simplicity, whilst Ascent and Descent describe the spiritual journey either up to a better place, or down to a worse place. Although there is no voice to guide the listener, there is a cinematic quality to the tracks, which though complex and rich, leads us effortlessly through an entire double album of original music.

Ask who their influences are and the band are reluctant to be drawn on the subject - and rightly so. With their ethos of 'Gathering Knowledge through experiment and observation' their work is a reflection of the times, where music of almost any genre is readily available to anyone, so the crucial idea is to keep looking forward. Throughout their career they have inevitably been labelled in many ways but Tabula Rasa, Latin for ‘blank slate', invites the listener to approach the music with an open mind, free of preconception to draw from it what they will.

'there's freshness to Empirical's distinctive sound that's edifying' (MOJO)

'an urgent rhythmic punch with an otherworldly sonic... gripping throughout' (Jazzwise)

“Empirical are aiming high here and largely they succeed on what is unquestionably their most ambitious recording to date.” (The Jazz Mann)

Tom Farmer, double bass
Nathaniel Facey, alto saxophone
Shaney Forbes, drums
Lewis Wright, vibraphone

Benyounes String Quartet:
Zara Benyounes, violin
Emily Holland, violin
Sara Roberts, viola
Kim Vaughan, cello

Recorded by Dave Moore at Assault and Battery 2, London, UK
Mixed by Dave Moore and Empirical
Mastered by Ray Staff at Air Studios, London, UK
Produced by Empirical

Empirical is a band involving 4 young, British Jazz musicians, that aims to expand on the traditions of Jazz. They perform new compositions and improvisations that express ideas beyond music in an uniquely equally approach. Each member is given equal responsibility for the direction of the music in composition and in the moment of improvisation.

The aim is to present a path for the audience into music by commenting on well known ideas in the world today, taking influence from Film and TV, proverbs and sayings even footballers! We express what we think and feel on these ideas through the collaborative trial and error process of Jazz improvisation.

Empirical has been presenting projects, performances and recordings since 2007. The eponymous debut 'Empirical' and the 2009 release 'Out 'n' In' have been extensively toured throughout the jazz circuit in the UK and abroad.

The band has received many awards and accolades from winning the 2008 EBU jazz Competition, Jazzwise album of the year 2008, to winning the 2010 MOBO award for Best Jazz Act.

We have run a project entitled 'Walk Tall:A Tribute to Cannonball Adderley' alongside our current endeavour 'Empirical:Ethos'. The tribute includes many special guests and some advanced mixed media presentations. More info on the projects page of www.empiricalmusic.com

Empirical has toured previous projects extensively throughout the UK appearing at the London Jazz Festival, Bath International Festival, Glasgow International Jazz Festival and Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

We have performed in Europe at Jazz Sous les Pommiers, Molde Jazz Festival and Jazz a Liege. The band has presented projects in venues in Scandanvia such as Fasching Stockholm and Nefertiti Oslo.

In 2008 Empirical toured in North America, playing New York JVC Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, the IAJC in Toronto and a rare British performance at Newport Jazz Festival Rhode Island.

This album contains no booklet.