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Empirical

Founded in 2007, ‘Empirical is still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated’ today (Jazzwise 2022).

Featuring Nathaniel Facey (alto sax), Tom Farmer (double bass), Lewis Wright (vibraphone) and Shaney Forbes (drums), the band settled on its line-up in 2008 following the departure of three of the original college-friends quintet.

The quartet bonded through a sense of common purpose: “I’d never met guys who took it so seriously. The process of studying together is really what brought us together, and we just carried on doing it” recalls Tom Farmer.

Collective study and exploration has remained the bedrock of Empirical’s creative process and has seen the band assimilate influences from right across the rich history of jazz. While oblique harmonies, translucent textures and jagged, quick shifting rhythms are the signposts of Empirical’s musical territory, the band has not been afraid to explore other musical realms: a collaboration with the string ensemble Benyounes Quartet, and the attendant challenge of making strings an integral part of the Empirical sound, brought out some of the band’s most complex and lyrical writing.

With their most recent recordings, ‘they have continued to refresh their progressive brand of jazz that weaves together intricate contemporary grooves, unfamiliar compositional forms and open-minded post-bop improvisations’ that tend to feel more part of the compositional development than solos (Jazzwise).  

Alongside their ceaselessly fearless creative fervour, Empirical have succeeded in establishing an instantly recognisable group sound that is rife with raw energy and roiling emotion.

‘Empirical are among the most admired and individual-sounding bands in contemporary jazz. […] As anyone who has heard the band live will know, their approach is so fresh and their sound so appealing that there’s never a dull moment. Much of this is down to the instrumentation of alto saxophone, vibraphone, bass and drums, which has the lightness and clarity to convey quite adventurous ideas without losing the listener along the way.’ (The Observer)

Empirical’s knack for pushing boundaries is not limited to their music: in an effort to win new audiences for jazz, in February 2016, the band took their music directly into people’s daily lives by setting up a ‘now legendary Pop-up Jazz Lounge’ (Time Out London) at Old Street Underground station in central London. Performing more than twenty live sets over the course of six days, including an 8am gig for surprised morning commuters, their risk-taking approach paid off amply by attracting close to 3,000 listeners, many of them new to jazz.

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3
Album Review

Empirical: Out 'N' In

Read "Out 'N' In" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


One of the great things about tributes is that they allow one to revisit and appreciate the influence of artists that deserve more exposure. This is definitely the case with the British group Empirical's tribute to reed player and composer, Eric Dolphy. Out 'n' In was released in 2009 and is still a text book example of how tributes should be done. Instead of playing an album of cover tunes, the group has internalized the influence of Dolphy and created ...

17
Album Review

Empirical: Connection

Read "Connection" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


This is a young and intensely hip quartet who received a MOBO (Music of Black Origin) award in 2010 for Best Jazz Act in the UK, yet Connection is the musicians inaugural effort for USA-based Cuneiform Records. Similarities to the output of fellow countrymen, saxophonist Django Bates and Led Bib may be in order, primarily due to Empirical's creative and energized aspects, along with others who seem to be trumpeting the new era of jazz by generating high-impact, and cleverly ...

218
Extended Analysis

Empirical: Elements Of Truth

Read "Empirical: Elements Of Truth" reviewed by Chris May


EmpiricalElements Of TruthNaim Jazz2011 Empirical's second album, Out 'n' In (Naim, 2009), is a hard act to follow. The salute to reed player Eric Dolphy deservedly won the band Best Jazz Act in the 2010 MOBO Awards. Elements Of Truth rises confidently, if not wholly successfully, to the challenge set by its predecessor, and more about that in a moment. But first, the back story. The MOBO award ...

208
Album Review

Empirical: Empirical

Read "Empirical" reviewed by Frederick Bernas


Empirical burst onto the international music scene at the 2007 North Sea Jazz Festival, beating four other bands to win the inaugural European Jazz Competition. Two days later, with perfect timing, its self-titled debut album hit the shops. British saxophonist Courtney Pine had been keeping a keen eye on the quintet's progress and produced the CD, which is released on his own Destin-E records.

It's a startlingly mature set for such a young group, undoubtedly as a result of time ...

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Recording

Allen Lowe's Three-CD Gigantisaurus "Blues and the Empirical Truth"

Allen Lowe's Three-CD Gigantisaurus "Blues and the Empirical Truth"

Source: Gapplegate Music Review by Grego Edwards

Allen Lowe is a provocative, original cat. He has strong ideas about the music, its history and his place in it. Now up in Portland, Maine, spending time working on some comprehensive musical anthologies and no doubt occupying more than one brown study thinking about it all, he re-emerges with a heady three-full-CD set devoted to the Blues and the Empirical Truth (Music & Arts 1251). First off, there is a great deal of music to digest. It doesn't hand ...

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Performance / Tour

Dennis Rollins & Empirical Live July Dates

Source: Laura Hamlet

Dennis Rollins performs with The Maceo Parker Band, as they tour the following UK dates: 8 July: BRASS--Durham International Festival Gala Theatre, 1 Millennium Place, Town Centre, Durham DH1 1WAl galadurham.co.uk/theatrel BOX OFFICE: 0191 332 4041 9 July: Exeter Phoenixl Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter EX4 3LSl exeterphoenix.org.ukl BOX OFFICE: 01392 667 080 10 July: Stockwood Discovery Centre, Lutonl London Road, Luton LU1 4LXl stockwooddiscoverycentre.co.ukl BOX OFFICE: 01582 878100 / 01582 ...

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Recording

Empirical Set to Unveil New Release out 'N' in February 2, 2010

Empirical Set to Unveil New Release out 'N' in February 2, 2010

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

New York, NY -- Empirical is a London based jazz quartet that offers a combination of post bop and a spacey vibe for a cool groove that transcends time.

Out 'n' In is a tribute to legendary jazz alto saxophonist, flautist, and bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy (1928-1964). Dolphy was one of the cornerstones of the avant-garde movement in jazz and a hero of the Empirical band members.

“Graceful, dynamic and subtle...a daring maturity" --Jazzwise

Every member ...

‘Empirical is still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated’ (Jazzwise)

‘London’s quartet Empirical delivered it all… This was the height of contemporary jazz from risk-taking players with real commitment.’ (Calgary Herald)

‘Empirical are exactly what top-class modern jazz should be – trailblazing yet wholly respectful of tradition.’ (Time Out London)

‘Empirical are among the most admired and individual-sounding bands in contemporary jazz. […] As anyone who has heard the band live will know, their approach is so fresh and their sound so appealing that there’s never a dull moment.’ (The Observer)

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Like Lambs

Empirical Music
2022

buy

Indifference Culture

Empirical Music
2019

buy

Distraction Tactics

Empirical Music
2018

buy

Connection

Cuneiform Records
2016

buy

Empirical: Elements...

Unknown label
2011

buy

Out 'N' In

Naim Label
2008

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