Cubest023

My usual approach with potential Cubest tracks is to snip away wherever I can and produce a more compact result. This has not been my approach with Cubest 023, for there are occasions when the music takes on a life of its own and I find the audible process of its development fascinating

Sometimes an instrument becomes leader and conductor, providing the basis around which the rest of the musicians play and respond. Drums are a fantastic way to control the flow and intensity without appearing to dominate the sound, but it could just as easily be a steady bass line grinding away, a guitar riff, or a refrain on keyboard or sax. Similarly, a repeated vocal part can easily imbue a theme and affect the music

Digesting long tracks is an old art at odds nowadays, with so much pressure on our time, but these recordings are presented unedited intentionally, capturing our creative spontaneity in the raw and that's what I want the listener to experience

Cubest 023 is one for the headphones. Sit back and let the Cube Orchestra take you with us ...

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Bedlam B&B

2015 11 11 - Gerry Barnett: Cello; Tom Bonson: Guitar; David Walsh: Guitar; Steve Radford: Alto Sax, Vocals; Alexandra Corral: Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Vocals; Casey Hale: Acoustic Guitar, Darbuka, Drum App; Rob Hague: Bass, Trumpet, Vocals; Sammy Weaver: Flute, Vocals; Ghoufran Warlow: Piano, Percussion; Chema Gala: Sax, Vocals; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Ollie Owen: Guitar; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Percussion; Ramon Sanchez: Sax, Percussion; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Vocals; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Effects; Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;

There were so many musicians present it's not surprising it was bedlam. There's a craziness to the start, like creeping around a mad house. It's very atmospheric and I thought it would be a good way to kick things off. Two and a half minutes in David rustles up a pacey beat, luring the guitars and keyboard in while the rest of us whoop and shriek like nutters. He provides a fabulous base for the rest of us to create over. I'm firing off spaceship samples, while the bass rumbles up and down the scale. I can hear Jean-Michel grooving away and voices speak and echo. It's busy and frenetic. It's nice to hear a guitar in each ear. Much as there's a lot of music going on, it's David who's shaping everything on drums. There's some nice interplay between Chema and Jean-Michel. Just when you think you've got a handle on what's going on it settles into a groove and we coalesce, picking it up. Sammy gives a few nice vocal lines, but then the beat takes hold and we all drive it along. By 11 minutes in it's crazy and brilliant, finally crashing into beautiful mayhem. And the tour is over. We hope you enjoyed your stay ...

Your Sensual Face

2016 06 01 - Marcus Valentine: Keyboards; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Bass, Effects; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Bass, Vocals; Ramon Sanchez: Trumpet, Percussion, Vocals; Rhodri Karim: Bass, Synth, Percussion, Vocals; Alexandra Corral: Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Castanets; Martin Parkinson: Sax, Duck Call, Percussion; Natasha Rosling: Flute, Vocals;

Natasha sets the scene immediately and Rhodri picks up on it quickly and thus the wordplay between them begins. I can't express enough my admiration for their inspired lyrics. Two minutes in the tune takes shape with a groovy wah-wah lick from Jean-Michel, the bass grinds away, the drums find their feet and a reggae lilt forms and breaks forth. All the time these wonderful, funny lyrics! Alexandra gives us a very rare appearance on vocals too, adding some lovely lines to the mix. Rhodri is so on form, Natasha adds her artistic touch and the conversation develops. Halfway through the rhythm changes. I'm listening to those lyrics, worthy of a well-scripted play. Nine minutes in it bursts out into a proper groove and the conversation turns decidedly dirty. It was only a matter of time. It's very funny. I add surges of echo on Jon, who's playing that guitar riff. The track lurches from drop out to full-on. The end game is rather lovely, lots of echo amid the silence, with a sax parping oddly ...

Feat Of Recall

2017 02 01 - Marcus Valentine: Keyboards; Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Effects; Jon Shepherd: Bass, Guitar; Jean-Michel Maheu: Guitar, Bass; Alexandra Corral: Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Vocals; Alberto Sciusco: Acoustic Guitar, Percussion; Steve Radford: Alto Sax, Vocals; David Insua-Cao: Percussion; Sammy Weaver: Vocals, Percussion; Jorge Gomez: Guitar; Amy Martin: Vocals, Percussion;

This was the catalyst for Cubest 023, a chance listening of an old session and this track stood out as a complete entity. Waves wash upon the shore and guitars play a meditative tune, while Sammy and Amy appear to be playing a game of recall. It’s all very calm as the women joke about as they play. Three minutes in there’s a change of pace, which David picks up on quickly, followed by everyone else. Again, it’s David controlling the flow. It explodes at 4:40. Marcus has found a good sound on his synth, gliding around the scale. The game continues. This is an unusual beat for us. Most of the time we can’t maintain anything too complex, but this seems to be working. Jon’s bass lines are always lovely and grungy and the guitars perfectly compliment the riff. I suspect David is having the best time and his skills shine here with fluid and inventive drumming. After about ten minutes we appear to be heading towards an end point. The game is still going on. I whack a little echo onto the vocals, the instruments drop out and the waves break onto the shoreline. Someone whoops. We do that sometimes ...

Marvel as the Cube Orchestra wend their way through their musical minds in real time ...
- keef chemistry