Jazz in the Gardens: Tony Kofi Quartet

Tony Kofi is renowned as one of the UK’s finest alto saxophonists, known for his powerful sound, fearless improvisation, and deep-rooted connection to the jazz tradition. A graduate of the legendary Berklee College of Music, he has built an extensive career performing with the likes of the World Saxophone Quartet, Courtney Pine, Abdullah Ibrahim, Branford Marsalis, and many leading UK ensembles. Kofi has released a string of acclaimed albums, including tributes to Thelonious Monk and Cannonball Adderley, and has been recognised with numerous awards, including Best Instrumentalist at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards and multiple wins at the BBC Jazz Awards for his quartet album The Silent Truth. His dynamic stage presence and commitment to musical storytelling place him firmly within the lineage of great post-bop saxophonists

The Tony Kofi Quartet The Silent Truth “Urgent, accessible, heartfelt contemporary jazz” – The Guardian

“Kofi has a remarkable talent for adopting a familiar jazz idiom and finding new and exciting things to say in it” – The Observer

Any musician will tell you that realising your ambitions can take a huge amount of dedication, drive and pure hard work. No-one knows this better than celebrated saxophonist, composer and bandleader Tony Kofi, who among his other projects has twice performed the entire works of piano genius Thelonious Monk in full at the London Jazz Festival. “Trust me when I say this, nothing can be as difficult and enjoyable as performing 70 Monk compositions in one day!” It is this attitude and devotion to his work that Kofi brings to his new Specific Jazz release, The Silent Truth. The Silent Truth comes two years after Kofi’s previous album of his own work, Future Passed. While that album focused on the trio format, utilising a classic B3 Hammond organ sound and solid, repetitive grooves and hooks, The Silent Truth returns to the four-piece sound that Kofi perfected while playing Monk. “It was only a matter of time before revisiting the magic of the quartet format,” says Kofi. “It’s been four years since recording the music of Thelonious Monk (on the album All Is Know), so I thought 2008 was the right time to bring us all back together, same line-up only this time performing original compositions, having solidified our group sound from the first recording”.

The pieces range in mood from the driving swing of If I Spoke My Mind to the playful and gently reflective Cicada, and demonstrate a continuing maturity in the sound of both the group and the individual players. Kofi’s approach to composing takes on several forms. “I’m not one to try and follow up from where I left off, I like to compose in the moment if I can and allow it to flow how i’m feeling at the time. Only one of my compositions from this album, Bishop’s Move, is an older piece. I wrote it around ten years ago, so it’s had time to mature like a fine vintage wine, but the rest are all new.” Inspired by his previous work with this group, and a desire to further his ability as a musician, the saxophonist wraps his music up in the experiences of life, making his music a very personal, human affair. “A lot of my compositions arise from my own personal experience. I wrote First Breath upon witnessing the birth of my son and seeing him take his first breath. It’s such an amazing thing to see; that’s life, and there’s so much truth and beauty in that.” Expressing this truth in music takes a very special kind of skill and is by no means a universal thing. “There are so many things in life that we all know, do and live by, and only need to acknowledge from within,” says Kofi. “As an artist, I feel these revelations come more into focus when truth comes into play.” On this album, it is loud and clear.

Track Listing

1 – Giants (Kofi). 2 – Dante (Kofi) 3 – Cicada (Gee) 4 – First Breath (Kofi) 5 – If I Spoke My Mind (Kofi) 6 – Oont (Hazleton) 7 – Unremoved (Hazleton) 8 – Inner Truth (Kofi) 9 – Disharmony (Gee) 10 – Bishop’s Move (Kofi)

Artists

Tony Kofi – Alto & Soprano Saxophones

Jonathan Gee – Piano

Ben Hazleton – Double Bass

Rod Youngs – Drums

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

World Heart Beat, Embassy Gardens - Concert Hall, 3 Ponton Road, London, United Kingdom

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