This Sunday (June 16). The Toby Boalch Sextet.

This Sunday's Splinter gig at the Bridge, Newcastle features the exciting Birmingham based Toby Boalch Sextet. To give you an idea where they are at Zoe Gilby asked them a few questions to give the regulars (and hopefully others too) of what to expect. It looks good to me.

The Interview.:.

Toby, tell us a bit about your band. How it formed? band line up and their influences?

In my final year at college I was leading a trio that I was comfortable writing for and performing with, but when I graduated I wanted to compose for a greater variety of timbres and textures, which was primarily inspired by the composers Bob Brookmeyer and Booker Little. A dominant motivation for me to start writing music for this particular sextet lineup was that I knew the players who I wanted to combine, their individual sounds and musical strengths; this inspired the initial ideas that I had for the music. I had met all the band members while we were studying at Birmingham so we have actually known each other and been playing together in various formats during this formative period in our musical lives which I think gives us quite a special bond. I thought I knew how they would play and interpret this music that I wrote, but I was wrong! They have taken my compositions and transformed them beyond my expectations; although there is a great atmosphere in rehearsals, the time I smile the most is when they are bickering among themselves about how they feel the music should be! These guys care about the music and I think this comes across when we play.

(Chris Maddock, John Flemming (sax); Richard Foote (trombone); Toby Boalch (keys); Nick Jurd (bass); Jonathan Silk (dms).)

What has been the highlight of your bands musical career so far?

We have been lucky enough to receive both funding and performance opportunities from Jazzlines, the key jazz promoters in Birmingham led by Tony Dudley-Evans and Mary Wakelam Sloan, so we played some high-profile gigs early on in the bands career which was obviously great for exposure. However I would say that the music has developed since then and we played our best gig yet at “The Cross” in Moseley this March; thankfully Nick recorded the whole gig which is now on my Soundcloud page if anyone fancies listening!

Best gig you've seen?

Toby - Possibly Dave Douglas Quintet at CBSO Centre, the synergy and empathy between all the players was astounding and the compositions were beautiful.

Jonathan – Wayne Shorter Quartet at Symphony Hall Birmingham

Nick - A Cuong Vu workshop at Birmingham Conservatoire!

John – John Scofield Quartet at North Sea Jazz Fest

Chris -  Probably a double-bill concert at barbican I went to years ago: Michael Brecker Quindectet and Joe Lovano/Hank Jones quartet.

Richard - Probably Cuong Vu at the Yardbird

Favourite album?

Toby - Gnu High, Kenny Wheeler.

Jonathan – Chris Lightcap's Big Mouth

Nick - Photo finish between AKA J Yancey by Jay Dee and Mingus Ah Um

John - Miles Okazaki Mirrors

Chris - John Taylor Trio: Whirlpool

Richard - James Blake

If you could meet, talk with and jam with any musician (alive or deceased) who would it be?

Toby – Sonny Rollins

Jonathan – Bill McHenry

Nick - Photo I’d hang out with Lee Konitz

John – John Coltrane, to get roasted!

Chris – I would jam with Thelonious Monk

Richard – I’d spend a week shedding with John Coltrane.

Thank you guys,

Zoe.