Efpi Records is delighted to bring you this four track EP from Anglo-Finnish-Swiss saxophone-bass-drums trio, Aaargh! This exciting release is the work of three brothers from different mothers whose shared love of improvised music (and Monty Python) drew them together from across the globe. The music, described as leading the new and exciting European-wonky-melodic-folk-punk-jazz movement, [...]

Efpi Records is proud to present as its debut release the first EP from the Hunter/Andreae Quartet. Led by the duo of Anton Hunter on guitar and Sam Andreae on tenor saxophone, the quartet also features the considerable talents of Gavin Barras on double bass and Fin Panter on drums
1. Tune One (Andreae/Hunter)
2. Tune Two [...]

Efpi Records is proud to present the eagerly anticipated debut EP from the Beats & Pieces Big Band. The EP’s 5 tracks feature many of Manchester’s finest young improvising talents performing original compositions for jazz ensemble influenced not only by jazz, but by rock, electronica and contemporary classical music amongst others.
1. bake
2. yafw (part iii)
3. [...]

It gives me enormous pleasure to present to you the third (and final… for now!) in the series of Beats & Pieces remixes, and its one I’ve been looking forward to sharing since it arrived in my inbox a few weeks ago. Rodrigo Constanzo has completely reworked ‘broken’ and it sounds awesome, a fitting end [...]

The second in the grand series of Beats & Pieces remixes is by Dileu (aka Owain Roberts, aka Messner), who has reworked ‘bake’ – the first track from the EP. The eagle eyed amongst you will notice that Owain also plays trombone on the EP, so its a great pleasure to have the music remixed [...]

It is our privilege to introduce you to….
The 265 Quartet

Anton Hunter – guitar/fx
Ben Cottrell – clarinet
Graham South – flugelhorn
Rod Skip – cello
Brought together initially by Anton to explore a quieter alternative to HAQ, the group has developed to feature original music by all the members, all from different viewpoints but with improvisation at it’s core. [...]

First up on the grand Beats & Pieces remix project is Tullis Rennie, trombonist and laptop musician extraordinaire now resident in sunny Barcelona, who has taken on the final track of the EP, ‘broken’. You may be familiar with his BCN_ep which is available on the Concrete Moniker label, and he is also responsible for [...]

In the run up to the Beats & Pieces Big Band playing at the Manchester Jazz Festival on Saturday July 31st, and to celebrate both the end of their UK tour and the 2nd anniversary of their first ever gig at the 2008 festival, we’ve invited some close friends of Efpi to have a go [...]

…is a word I’m not sure I’m comfortable using, but we are part of it now, so I’d better get used to it.
Keep up to date with Efpi Records news along with breathtaking insights in to my day-to-day existence over at twitter.com/efpirecords
And, for similarly exciting updates from the mind of Ben Cottrell, including (but not [...]

So we’ve been and done our first UK tour, we finished it a couple of weeks ago actually, but it’s taken me till now to get the emotional space I need to write about it.
I for one was pretty nervous about the volcanic ash but fortunately Sam, Fin and Eero were all there by Sunday [...]

The Noise Upstairs have finalised details for the next in our series of free workshops.
This one’s going to be brilliant, Rodrigo Constanzo will be taking us through building a couple of home-made instruments, on the first session (Sun 9 May 7pm – THIS WEEKEND) we’ll be experimenting with a contact mic-based instrument, and for the [...]

Efpi Records is excited to be sending both of its flagship bands out across the UK (except Scotland – any promoters out there want to make a last minute booking??) from the end of May right through until the middle of July. Dates for HAQ and the Beats & Pieces Big Band are as follows:
HAQ
Tuesday [...]

Aaargh! (formerly ATM) are the newest band to join the Efpi family. As there are some new faces in the group and with their first release with Efpi on it’s way we thought it would be nice if you could get to know the chaps a little. So here’s a friendly interview for your enjoyment. [...]

Ian Mann (aka the Jazz Mann) has taken a listen to both the HAQ and Beats & Pieces EPs for his excellent blog, also entitled The Jazz Mann. The site is a great resource for reviews of CDs and gigs, as well as a comprehensive news and listings section – check it out!
Of HAQ’s EP. [...]

Both the HAQ and Beats & Pieces EPs have been reviewed by Sean Gregson in the Tasty Fanzine (www.tastyfanzine.org.uk) – cheers Sean! You can read both by clicking here (HAQ immediately follows Beats & Pieces) but selected highlights for both follow, HAQ first…
Guitarist, Anton Hunter, and sax player, Sam Andreae, weave beautiful melodies that create [...]

We realised recently, to our great amazement, that Efpi Records was coming up for it’s first birthday. Well, the big day is now here, so……HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
This seems like an appropriate time to reflect on the last year I suppose. Well, Beats & Pieces was still in its infancy this time last year and I think [...]

Just realised what a weird word snow is. Look at it – snow, snow, snow, snow, snow, snow, snow….. weird.
Anyway, this is my first post on the Efpi website for a while and I appologise for that, but Anton and Ben have been keeping us all well informed so big thanks to them. My only [...]

JOHN ZORN!! JOHN ZORN!! JOHN ZORN!!!!
Ok, we’ve not got him, but The Noise Upstairs is presenting a free workshop on Cobra, his most famous piece. The blurb follows…
The Noise Upstairs Workshops
John Zorn’s Cobra is either an often performed contemporary music composition, an improvisational game, a short attention span barrage of noise, a social experiment, [...]

So over the weekend, I got a chance to play with Skamel again. For those of you that don’t know (which is probably most of you), Skamel is a six piece that me and my brother set up a few years ago to play his arrangements of Raspigaous tunes (they’re a French ska band [...]

Just thought I’d list a few of the gigs that I’m really looking forward to checking out this month, in Manchester and beyond…
Tues 2nd, 13.00 – Tom Arthurs/Jasper Hoiby/Stu Ritchie with Elysian String Quartet Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Thurs 4th, 20.00 – Beats & Pieces Big Band The Spin Off, Bar Santiago, Leeds
Thurs 11th, 20.00 – Kit [...]