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ZOO Newz
Something tells me it's all happening at the ZOO...
Find out below, most recent at the top:
1st January 2012Happy Zoo Year from the ZOO Crew!
15th December 2011Buxton Festival 2012
Zoo are delighted to announce that, as part of the Jet Collective, they'll be performing the acclaimed Deryshire Suite at the Buxton Festival in July - details on the Gigs page.
10th & 11th December 2011Derbyshire Suite Recording
The Jet Collective return to the Burton Institute in Winster to record the Derbyshire Suite. Over the two days, all of the backing tracks for a new album were recorded by Reg. There now follow sessions in January at the Greenhouse studio to add extra layers and overdubs, and then eq and master the album, create the artwork, and press the CDs - exciting stuff!
22nd October 2011Submotion Orchestra
ZOO catch the stunning Submotion Orchestra at Nottingham's Stealth Club.
9th October 2011Derbyshire Suite
Another Jet Collective workshop weekend, followed by a sell-out gig at the superb Burton Institute in Winster.

Two reviews:
"Wonderful exciting music, I would not have believed that music so vibrant, and of such quality would be produced by 8 musicians in Winster village hall. Jazz themes but with folk hints lurking in the background. The music caught the mood and experiences of Derbyshire, from the mines to the morris men. Not sure about the bossa nova beat re the Derbyshire hills!
"Having run The Strand, a jazz cafe for 22 years, I have heard a great many musicians, and The Jazz Collective definitely deserves a much bigger stage.
"If only a BBC producer had been present!! Keep up the good work."

"Awesome thank you for letting me see that, I loved it'
Lucas was spellbound last night - and me too!
What a fantastic sound you made and so fun too see all the percussion instruments
I thought the pieces were all so unique it was very interesting so hear the contrasts - Allan and Lucas loved the Morris dance!!"

Thanks again to the Winster Entertainment Group for their generous support of the weekend.
18th September 2011Derbyshire Suite
ZOO are gearing up for the second Jet Collective workshop, this time at Winster, in Derbyshire, on 8th/9th October. The Collective (ZOO, plus Wendy and Pat Sprakes, Sara Littlefield, Steve Salfield and Clive Loveday) will be developing and extending the compositions created at the last workshop in June, culminating in a gig at Winster's Burton Institute on 9th October.
We'd like to thank the Winster Entertainment Group for their generous support of the weekend.
22nd July 2011Derbyshire Suite
Recordings of the Jet Collective's 'Derbyshire Suite' can now be heard on SoundCloud
26th June 2011Jet Collective 'Derbyshire Suite'
ZOO were delighted to be part of the Jet Collective's experimental 'Derbyshire Suite', which culminated in a gig in the packed village hall at Stanton in Peak, near Matlock.
The musicians involved were Steve Salfield, Sara Littlefield, Clive Loveday, Wendy Kirkland, Pat Sprakes, and Reg Clegg, Karen Clegg and Paul Biggins from ZOO.
We each brought some musical ideas to the event, which were refined during Saturday and Sunday, and then performed to an eager and appreciative audience on Sunday evening.
This was so successful (and such great fun!) that we'll definately repeat the format later in the year.
23rd June 2011ZOO News
ZOO's News for June 2011 - including the iminent 'Derbyshire Suite' workshop and gig this coming weekend - can be viewed in the ZOO Newsletter (jpg, 255kb)
1st June 2011Martin on the Radio
Lovely to hear Martin Taylor on the Chris Evans show on Radio 2 today - top bloke!
30th May 2011 Gigs in May
The Stamford Feast on 29th May closed our rather hectic but hugely enjoyable trio of gigs in May - Matt & Phreds in Manchester on 21st was superb, Minus One at Escuchia in Nottingham on 27th was a groovy club to play (pics in the Gallery), and Stamford Feast was a lovely, relaxed end to the month. Next up is our involvement with the JET Collective 'Derbyshire Suite' weekend at Stanton in Peak - flier (jpg, 700kb).
19th May 2011

Video/Media
ZOO's latest video - 'December', from the Psychodrama album - doesn't feature ZOO!

The video is ZOO's second collaboration with students from Leicester's DeMontfort University and the first to not feature an appearance by the band, apart from the soundtrack!. The video was shot and produced by Daniel Wilson, Danny Thwaites,
Michal Zemanek, Julia Hadji-Stylianou from DeMontfort University, Leicester.

Please see the Video page to view.

13th May 2011ZOO Spring Newsletter (pdf, 456kb)
4th May 2011Gigs in May
After hibernating for the winter, ZOO are shaking off the winter slumbers with three gigs in May, including a headline slot at the Stamford Feast on 29th May, and 3 sets at Matt & Phred's Jazz Club in Manchester on 21st May - details on the Gigs page.
22nd January 2011FATEA Showcase Sessions
ZOO are delighted to be one of the artists featured on the latest FATEA Showcase Session (Spring 2011), where our song "Dimanche" from the album Psychodrama will feature at http://www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk/ from 1st February.

1st January 2011

Click for the Jet Collective website

Happy New Year / Performing / General News
Once again, it's a Happy ZOO Year from everyone in the ZOO Crew - we hope 2011 brings you everything you wish for.
This post serves as a bit of a year-end round-up:
On 15th December ZOO played the CafeBarContemporary in Nottingham with the fantastic Stuart McCallum. Another good gig at this venue, with an appreciative audience.

Paul attended a meeting to discuss the Stamford Riverside Festival, and is sad to report that the event won't be happening in 2011.

Also in Stamford, the free jazz sessions at Voodoo Lounge have come to an end due to falling audience numbers - times are tough out there!

But the Jet Collective in Nottingham is hard at work finding bands and venues to present exciting jazz to wider audiences.

Our great friend Chris Ashman at Red Admiral has put together a great ZOO sampler: http://www.myspace.com/kentgigs/music/songs/zoo-sampler-71027048?ap=1

So far ZOO have gigs booked for 2011 on 19th March, 21st May, 18th June, 20th August and 13th November, with more in the pipeline. Hope to see you there - your support is always greatly appreciated.

6th December 2010
Reviews
A frank and detailed review of Psychodrama by JazzMann -
"An adventurous offering with much worthy of praise, not least the contribution of guest trumpeter Guy Barker."
Read more on the Psychodrama website.
17th November 2010Recording / Reviews
A nice review of "Psychodrama" at FATEA Magazine - read it on the Psychodrama website.

7th November 2010

Click for the Jet Collective website

Gigs / Reviews
ZOO, Stuart McCallum and the Beats and Pieces Big Band joined forces with promoters the Jet Collective and Leicester's Y Theatre to present "Jazz x 3".
Comments about the event, and the performers, included:

"Thought Zoo were excellent, detected some Allan Holdsworth influences in the playing of one R.Clegg, with a bit of Mahavisnu thrown in!" Y Theatre

"The Y Theatre hosted one of the most imaginative and innovative jazz performances I've heard for a long time."

"First up was Stuart McCallum playing ambient style solo guitar, sometimes enhanced with electronic loops. Amazing Grace showed his musicality as he did something new with a hymn, while original Vital Space added electronic reminiscent of John Martyn. John Coltrane's Blue Train was the highlight."

"Next up were Zoo. I could have listened to more of John Sanderson's reeds, and there was a moment of genius in the introduction to original Walking Not Running with Middle Eastern sounding bass clarinet and wordless vocals..."

"Then with a fanfare of blazing horns, the Beats & Pieces Big Band announced their arrival in style, playing witty, innovate arrangements."
Leicester Mercury

28th October 2010David Ives
We're sorry to report the passing away of our great friend, performer and educator, David Ives. David played and toured with us a few years ago, and he and Vera were always great supporters of our musical activities.
24th July 2010Gigs
ZOO play two sets at the delightful CafeBar Contemporary in Nottingham. A superb venue, with a great sound team, lovely staff, good food...what more could we want?!
12th July 2010
Recording
ZOO are delighted to announce that the latest CD "Psychodrama" was today launched on iTunes. Listen to the tracks on iTunes. Listen to longer tracks on MySpace. Visit the Psychodrama website.

16th May 2010
Click for the Jet Collective website

Gigs
ZOO, idst and Martin Taylor play to a capacity audience as part of the Jet Collective's "Jazz x 3" event at Leicester's Y Theatre. Pictures in the Gallery
21st March 2010Gigs
ZOO kicked off the 2010 gigging season with an invitation-only event at Norman Cross Gallery, near Peterborough, to showcase their latest material. Big "thank-yous" to everyone who came to the Gallery and made it such a great event. Pictures in the Gallery.
19th March 2010

Video / Media
Shooting videos of "Could've" and "Breathing In" at the G2 Studios in Sheffield, with Dan from Light Engine Films. Pictures | Video
(thanks to GO Outdoors for use of their parking)

18th March 2010
Click for the Jet Collective website
Gigs
ZOO are delighted to be part of Jazz Times Three, featuring Martin Taylor, If Destroyed Still True, and ZOO, at the Y Theatre in Leicester on 16th May 2010. Details on the Gigs page.
A JET collective / Y Theatre collaboration
13th March 2010Recording
Project #7 has a name: "PSYCHODRAMA". More stuff in the CDs Section.
January & February 2010Recording
Busily over-dubbing and mixing the new album...
1st January 2010Happy ZOO Year from the ZOO Crew
21st December 2009 Recording
Top UK trumpeter Guy Barker came to the Greenhouse studio in Derbyshire to record material for the new ZOO album. Photos
1st December 2009 Recording
ZOO relocated to Ian's spacious house to spend two intensive days recording the fifteen (yes, fifteen!) core tracks for the new album. And we're delighted with the results! Thank you to Ian, Jennifer and Madeleine for allowing us to take over your ground floor! Photos
18th November 2009Website
We've migrated the ZOO website to a new server at Easily. We now have 10x more webspace, allowing us to bring all our photography back on-site, and also to have enough space for the mp3s of the tracks on the new album.
12th November 2009Gigs
ZOO played Spice Jazz at Cambridge Circus, central London. Thanks (not really!) to Ken and Boris for the Congestion Charge (which clearly doesn't work!), and TFL for over-zealous traffic wardens - hardly conducive to bands trying to deliver live jazz to the city. Genuine thanks to all at The Spice of Life.
1st November 2009Gigs
Viva Viva in Hornsey tonight unavoidably cancelled - sorry.
25th October 2009Gigs
ZOO played the Hockley Hustle at Escucha with Pete Johnson, The Hot Club, Jazz Junction, Squib, Mandy Tatton, Matt Chandler and Me & Mrs Jones. The whole Hustle (200 artists at 20 venues) raised over £20,000 for charity.
2nd October 2009Video / Media
The video for "Big Red Bus" is in Audiotube's top 5 playlist this week - view via the ZOO Video Page.
10th September 2009Gigs
We now have the timings for ZOO's appearance at the Hockley Hustle event on 25th October: we'll be playing from 9:45 to 10:15 pm. More details on the Gigs page.
9th September 2009Video / Media
The video for "Big Red Bus" is topping the Audiotube playlist - view via the ZOO Video Page.
6th September 2009Gigs
ZOO play a stonking gig at the Yardbird jazz club in Birmingham. Thanks to everyone there for making it such a great evening. Plus we got a brief mention on Janice Long's show on Radio 2!
13th August 2009
Picture of Zoo with Guy Barker, during the sound check, by Simon Mackney
Collaboration and Gig
We've had a great week, rehearsing with Guy Barker (who's not only an amazing trumpter, but a smashing bloke as well), (pics) and then performing at the Bonington Theatre with Guy, to a large and enthusiastic crowd (pics). Huge thanks to Tim on sound, Bob on lights, Simon and Faye for taking photos (Photos by Simon Mackney).
7th August 2009
Picture of Guy Barker by David Redfern/Redferns

Review
Ahead of the collaboration and Bonington Theatre gig with Guy Barker, ZOO are reviewed by Alan Joyce in the Nottingham Evening Post - read the review on the Review Page.

Picture: David Redfern/Redferns

28th July 2009
Video / Media
The video for "Big Red Bus" can now be viewed on Audiotube via the ZOO Video Page.
The video was shot on the 7th March by students from De Montford University, Leicester, UK
15th July 2009 Gigs
ZOO will be playing at this year's Hockley Hustle in Nottingham on 25th October. Details on the gigs page.
12th July 2009

*

Festival Weather
The weather was kind - but only just!
All three of our festival appearances were blessed with fine weather - but it was a near thing.
It had rained overnight before the Lichfield Jazz Festival (pics) on 27th June, but the huge marquee was pretty immune to the elements anyway. But fine afternoon weather meant the audience could spread onto the rugby pitch for 'al fresco jazz'.
The MetOffice had warned of a 'light shower' affecting the private party in the walled garden at Norman Cross Gallery (pics), but instead we had a torrential downpour just before starting the first set. We were ok under our (well, Stamford RiverCare's!) marquee, and the audience sheltered in the Gallery. When the sun came out, everyone returned for a perfect summer's afternoon of music.
Prolonged rain was forecast before the Stamford RiverCare gig on 12th July (pics), but our concerns that the riverside site might be too boggy, or flooded, were unfounded, and it was a perfect afternoon, albeit rather windy, and with just a light shower at one point.
Such are the trials and tribulations of playing music in tents! The weather can do what it wants now - the rest of our gigs are indoors!

27th June 2009Gig Review
Read a review of ZOO's performance at the Lichfield Real Ale, Jazz & Blues Festival by The JazzMann.com on the Reviews Page
25th June 2009Gigs
We are delighted to announce a gig at "the hottest jazz venue in London" - SpiceJazz - on November 12th. Details on the gigs page.
20th May 2009Gigs / Festivals
Festival reminder: ZOO will be the opening act on Saturday 27th June at the 20th Lichfield Real Ale, Jazz and Blues Festival. And then we'll be on again at 4pm. More info on the Lichfield website, or ring 01534 262223
14th May 2009Video / Media
The video for "Big Red Bus" can be viewed on Youtube via the ZOO Video Page.
The video was shot on the 7th March by students from De Montford University, Leicester, UK
29th April 2009

Media
ZOO's new album 'END OF THE TELEGRAPH WIRES' is now available for download through i-Tunes and others.
i-tunes
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=306839599&s=143441

emusic
http://www.emusic.com/album/Zoo-End-Of-The-Telegraph-Wires-MP3-Download/11400253.html

You can also hear samples of every track on the album website at www.endofthetelegraphwires.co.uk, and buy the CD from i-tunes, our record company (Red Admiral), the JazzCDs website, and from the Sales page on this site.

28th April 2009Gigs
More gig dates: Yardbird (Birmingham), 6th September; Stamford RiverCare, 12th July. Details on the Gigs page.
27th April 2009
Picture of Guy Barker by David Redfern/Redferns

Collaboration
ZOO are delighted to confirm the performance details of our collaboration with Guy Barker: after a week of rehearsing at the Greenhouse studio, we'll be performing with Guy at The Bonington Theatre in Nottingham on 13th August. Tickets are £10 from the Box Office on 0115 956 0733. Details on the Gigs page. (Presented in association with JAZZ STEPS)

Picture: David Redfern/Redferns

26th April 2009
Nick Smart
Collaboration
ZOO continue working with ace trumpter Nick Smart at our second collaboration workshop, as part of the EMJazz "Rhythm-a-ning" project.
We now have details of the two gigs which will feature Nick: 4th May at Sleaford Live Festival (The Hub), and 17th May at the Yardbird Jazz Club in Birmingham. Details on the Gigs Page.
Click to visit ZOO's video area on AudiotubeApril 2009
Video / Media
ZOO's videos of 'Dirty' and 'Leave it all behind' are topping the Audiotube charts! Thanks to everyone for watching and listening.
Click to visit ZOO's video area on Audiotube24th March 2009
Video / Media
ZOO are now part of the Audiotube video portal. Find us on the Red Admiral Channel in the audioblog, and the videos for 'Dirty' and 'Leave it all behind' can also be found on the main Red Admiral Channel.
23rd March 2009Gigs
ZOO are delighted to announce some new gig dates on 2nd May (Cheltenham Jazz Fringe), 6th June (Bournemouth) and 4th July (Rutland private party) - details on the Gigs page.
7th March 2009Video
ZOO cruise around Leicester on a double-decker bus, shooting a video of "Big Red Bus" with staff and students from DeMontfort University. Pics Video
1st March 2009
Nick Smart
Collaboration
ZOO work with ace trumpter Nick Smart at our first collaboration workshop, as part of the EMJazz "Rhythm-a-ning" project.
24th February 2009Video
ZOO travel to Camden Lock in London to shoot a video of "Energy" with Layla and Greg from BalconyTv. Big thanks to old friend Paul from Oz, and Lynne and her assistants, for roady-ing the gear up onto the balcony. Pics | Video
9th January 2009Video and Photo Shoot
ZOO renew their working relationship with LightEngineFilms, shooting a video for "Leave It All Behind", off the new album "End of the Telegraph Wires", at the Escucha Club in Nottingham. Pics. Video.
At the same time we had some new individual and group pictures taken for the portfolio by Simon Mackney.
1st January 2009Happy ZOO Year from the ZOO Crew