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A-E Shapera
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A-E Shapera In the before-times, when I got sad, I'd flee into music. But it's 2023 now, and the kind of depression that accompanies end-stage capitalism, societal collapse, a eugenically-promoted pandemic or three, and burgeoning fascism is a thick, pervasive depression that makes you forget your survival tactics. I went completely off of listening to new music for the entire month of February 2023. Shouldn't have. This release restored me to life. Favorite track: Cut Loose - A Lesson in Jazz featuring Matt Berry.
Dr Rubberfunk
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Dr Rubberfunk Came for the Jazz, stayed for the Cutting Loose. And I don't even have a beard. Favorite track: Cut Loose - A Lesson in Jazz featuring Matt Berry.
tuneful_cb
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tuneful_cb infectiously uplifting. & do I hear twiki at 2:22?
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1.
Oh yes! That is jazz and I like it. We are going to explore what jazz is, where it comes from and what makes it jazz. We are going to get inside jazz and find out once and for all, why it’s better than anything else. Why is it jazz? Because it’s made up of jazz notes, played by jazz people on jazz instruments. Jazz is beginning to reach a new audience. Gone the days that only old men with beards would attend performances. There are now much younger bearded men in attendance too, and some have even spotted women. The future of jazz, I’m happy to say, is safe. Some people seem to dislike jazz. They say, “why can’t they stick to the melody?” and “Why do they need to play so many notes?” Well, those people are wrong and obviously not clever enough to understand jazz itself. The jazz musician likes to improvise. They play a bit of a song and then they make stuff up as they go along, or “cut loose” if you will. The word improvise comes from the English word ‘improve’. Jazz musicians take existing songs and improve them by adding many, many, many more notes. Jazz bop, Boogie Woogie. I like that! Blues, Fusion, Dixieland, Swing. It’s all jazz and it’s all good. Jazz musicians are very conscientious. They play for hours on end without growing weary. They don’t waste valuable time worrying about what they’re going to wear, they just turn up and play. One word that sums up all jazz musicians is the word ‘cool’ No-one knows how the jazz musician’s mind works. How do they know when to come in? How do they know when to stop? Do they know when to stop? The music comes out of nowhere and just ends when it’s over.
2.
3.
Take Five 04:59
4.
There may be trouble ahead But while there's moonlight And music and love and romance Let's face the music and dance Before the fiddlers have fled Before they ask us to pay the bill And while we still have the chance Let's face the music and dance Soon, we'll be without the moon Humming a different tune and then There may be tear drops to shed So while there's moonlight And music and love and romance Let's face the music and dance Let's face the music and dance
5.
6.
In the wee small hours of the morning While the whole wide world is fast asleep You lie awake and think about the girl And never, ever think of counting sheep When your lonely heart has learned its lesson You'd be hers if only she would call In the wee small hours of the morning That's the time you miss her most of all
7.
Mmmm. That is jazz and I like it. We are going to explore what jazz is, where it comes from and what makes it jazz. We are going to get inside jazz and find out once and for all, why it’s better than anything else. Why is it jazz? Because it’s made up of jazz notes, played by jazz people on jazz instruments. Jazz is beginning to reach a new audience. Gone the days that only old men with beards would attend performances. There are now some much younger bearded men in attendance too, and some have even spotted women. The future of jazz, I’m happy to say, is safe. Some people seem to dislike jazz. They say, “why can’t they just stick to the melody?” and “Why do they need to play so many notes?” Well, those people are wrong and obviously not clever enough to understand jazz itself. The jazz musician likes to improvise. They play a bit of a song and then they make stuff up as they go along, or “cut loose” if you will. The word improvise comes from the English word ‘improve’. Jazz musicians take existing songs and improve them by adding many, many, many more notes. Jazz bop, Boogie Woogie, Blues, Fusion, Dixieland, Swing. I like that. It’s all jazz and it’s all good. Jazz musicians are very conscientious. They play for hours on end without growing weary. They don’t waste valuable time worrying about what they’re going to wear, they just turn up and play. One word that sums up all jazz musicians is the word ‘cool’ No-one knows how the jazz musician’s mind works. How do they know when to come in? How do they know when to stop? Do they know when to stop? The music comes out of nowhere and just ends when it’s over.
8.

about

‘An EP’ by Ben Castle and the Blah Street Band features preposterous versions of well-known jazz standards.
The word ‘jazz’ has caused a lot of confusion and upset over the years, as everyone has a different idea of what it means. On ‘Cut Loose – A Lesson in Jazz’, Matt Berry, definitively explains what jazz is, and it will thankfully end all discussion on the matter.

The EP also includes an electronic adventure through The Entertainer, featuring the tap-dancing and trumpet of Ben’s dad, the UK entertainer Roy Castle, who would have celebrated his 90th birthday last August. There is a skewed rock take on Take Five and a Quentin Tarantino inspired rendition of Let’s Face the Music and Dance, featuring acclaimed singer and Brit Award nominee, Beth Rowley.

credits

released April 7, 2023

Performed and produced by:
Ben Castle, Mark Edwards & Tim Harries
with
Troy Miller: drums (1, 2, 4, 5)
Bryan Spring: drums (5)
Richie Stephens: drums (3, 6)
Kevin Jamieson: guitar (2, 3, 4, 5) and backing vocals (5)
Chris Hepworth: additional guitar (3)
ORM Choir conducted by Lesley Parker (3, 4, 6)
John Yeo: vocal solo (3)
Matt Berry: narration (1)
Roy Castle: tapdancing and trumpet (2)
Beth Rowley: vocals (4)

Recorded at Orange Room Music by Colin Walker and Andy Searle Barnes
Mixed at Echo Zoo by Dave Lynch
Mastered by Ed Woods
Artwork by Richie Martin
Photos by Ruth Medjber

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Ben Castle UK

Ben has worked with Gregory Porter, Radiohead, Blur, Amy Winehouse, Quincy Jones, Villagers, Matthew Herbert, Little Simz, Stan Tracey, George Michael, Matthew E White, Lianne La Havas, Sting, and features on many soundtracks, including Sex Education, Staged, Motherland & Toast of London.

He recently scored the Grammy Nominated film Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story with Paul Pilot.
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