Welcome to Squidco!
Edit Your Shopping Cart

   Squidco Home
   About Squidco
   My Account
      Log Out
   Checkout

   Artist List
   Label List
   eMail List
   Rewards
   Staff Picks
   Current Email Update
   Used Albums
   Top Sellers
   Gift Certificates
   The Squidco Blog
   Contact Us

Release Formats    ∇
Featured Genres    ∇
Instrumental Forms    ∇
Orchestration    ∇
Miscellaneous    ∇




The Squid's Ear Magazine
Vinyl Cost Sale! June 27-29, 90 Albums @ Squidco's Cost


Bay's Leap
Swans Over Dorking

Bay's Leap: Swans Over Dorking (Citystream)

The debut album by the British Improvised Music trio Bay's Leap of clarinetist Noel Taylor, pianist Clare Simmonds and cellist James Barralet, presenting 11 spontaneously improvised compositions that bridge avant jazz and contemporary classical chamber music.
 

Price: $13.95

Quantity:

In Stock
Quantity in Basket: None

Log In to use our Wish List
Shipping Weight: 3.00 units

Sample The Album:





product information:

Personnel:



Clare Simmonds-piano

James Barralet-cello

Noel Taylor-clarinet, bass clarinet


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.



UPC: 190394439620

Label: Citystream
Catalog ID: CTYCD00108
Squidco Product Code: 22343

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2016
Country: Great Britain
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"This is the debut album by the British Improvised Music trio Bay's Leap comprising of clarinetist Noel Taylor, pianist Clare Simmonds and cellist James Barralet. Together they present eleven pieces, all of which are spontaneous improvised compositions by the trio members. The music, although improvised, sounds mostly like contemporary Classical chamber music, but obviously presents also elements of avant garde on one hand and melodic substance on the other hand.

Listeners familiar with earlier work by Taylor will recognize the ambience of classical sounding Improvised Music, which he presented on his earlier recordings with Splatter. The intimate setting of an acoustic trio suits this music perfectly, with each note and the silence between the notes being equally important. The level of interplay between the musicians is truly amazing and often it is difficult to believe that this music was spontaneously created, as it sounds remarkably well coordinated.

The trio members toss the ideas between themselves with collective improvisations changing into personal solo parts being "accompanied" by the others; all this is a blink of an eye. Improvised music is often harsh and chaotic, making it almost impossible to be listened to by listeners with no experience with the avant garde. The beauty of this music is, among other things, its accessibility to a relatively wide audience, without any compromise as to its aesthetic and artistic valor.

It is good to see that the British tradition of Improvised Music is alive and kicking in spite of the harsh conditions surrounding creativity and individualism. I can only recommend this wonderful album to all true music connoisseurs, regardless of their default musical inclinations. This music is able to penetrate the barriers of unfamiliarity and outlandishness by sheer power of its beauty and unadulterated ingenuity. Well done indeed!"-Adam Baruch


Artist Biographies

"Noel Taylor's main instruments belong to the clarinet family - soprano, alto and bass clarinet. He lives in Lisbon, Portugal, where he moved in 2017. He has performed widely in the UK, Portugal, Germany, Poland and Italy. He is a dedicated improviser, but his work also includes short compositions, conductions with large scale orchestras, and organising musical events. .

Recent projects have involved the trio 'Redstart' , 'Splatter (with Anna Kaluza, Pedro Velasco & Tom Greenhalgh), 'Happenstance' (with Chris Biscoe, Tom Greenhalgh, Guillaume Viltard), Grimwald (with Steve Beresford, Terry Day & Roberto Sassi). 'Plank' (with Pedro Velasco,Rachel Musson, Asuman Biswas) and 'Bay's Leap' (with James Barralet & Clare Simmonds)

Splatter have released three albums to date. Many other ad-hoc partnerships have happened along the way - always with the emphasis on improvisation. Two of these shorter collaborations have resulted in CD releases, one with Niko Meinhold and one with Alberto Popolla.

Noel Taylor is a member of the London Improvisers Orchestra, where he is one of the most frequent conductors. He has also led conductions with the Berlin Improvisers Orchestra and at festivals. He has played with Rome's Iato Orchestra. He has performed in Krakow in Poland, Germany, Italy, Sicily and Portugal, as well as London & other parts of the UK.

Other musicians he has performed with include Theo Jorgensmann, Claudio Puntin, Shabaka Hutchings, Eugenio Colombo, Steve Beresford, Mick Beck, Carlos Zingaro, Harrison Smith, Mark Sanders, Terry Day, Dominic Lash, Rafal Mazur, Cleveland Watkiss, Steve Noble, Liam Noble, Luca Venitucci, Stefano Guist, diatribes, Pat Thomas, Lawrence Casserley, Satoko Fukuda, Henrik Wallsdorf, Tony Marsh & Veryan Weston, Nick Stephens, Fumi Okiji, Marcio Mattos,Ricardo Tejero, Alex Ward, Orphy Robinson & many others.

His most regular collaborators have been Guillaume Viltard, Chris Biscoe, Alberto Popolla, Andrea Caputo, Anna Kaluza, Niko Meinhold, Julie Kjaer, Beibei Wang, Tommaso Vespo, Benedict Taylor, Noura Sanatian, Pedro Velasco , Tom Greenhalgh, Clare Simmonds, James Barralet, Tom Wheatley & John Garcia.

From 2009-2013 he curated a series of events called the Luna Fringe, a series of monthly events at Arch1 in West Ham. Bay's Leap toured Portugal in 2018 and a modified version of Spaltter, which included lthe Portuguese drummer Pedro Melo Alves and guitarist Luis Marins, also toured in 2018."

-Noel Taylor Website (https://www.noeltaylor.net/index.htm)
6/25/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. The Fading Light 4:30

2. Worker's Playtime 1:32

3. Chasing Shadows 2:13

4. Bate's Motel 4:58

5. Hanky Panky 2:52

6. Swans Over Dorking 7:39

7. Two Minus One Equals Three 2:51

8. Shepherds' Quadrille 7:19

9. Angula Logic 4:17

10. Sugar Twist 2:40

11. Not Drowning But Waving 2:07

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
Trio Recordings
London & UK Improv & Related Scenes
Jazz & Improvisation Based on Compositions

Search for other titles on the label:
Citystream.

Recommended & Related Releases:
Variable Geometry Orchestra
L'Heure Derniere du Silence
(Creative Sources)
L'Heure Dernière du Silence stands as a testament to VGO's ongoing exploration of the interplay between silence and sound, solidifying their position as a leading force in contemporary improvised music as heard in this live recording captured during the cycle "A Hora Derradeira do Silencio" at St. George's Church, in Lisbon, Portugal in 2024.
Rodrigues / Rodrigues / Madeira / Taylor / Parrinha / Taubenfeld / Carmelo / Trinite
A Tale Unfolds
(Creative Sources)
In four parts this primarily acoustic octet of Lisbon improvisers evolve a deceptive narrative of collective interaction, highly textured through rich combinations that emerge and subside throughout the natural development of their converstations; with Ernesto & Guilherme Rodriguez, João Madeira, Noel Taylor, Bruno Parrinha, Ziv Tuabenfeld, Guilherme Carmelo and Monsieur Trinite.
Isotope Ensemble
Uranium
(Creative Sources)
Continuing their exploration of isotopes, here focusing on the unstable element Uranium, the Portuguese Isotope Ensemble led by violist Ernesto Rodrigues presents two stunningly detailed concert performances from the 2021 CSFest XV at O'Culto da Ajuda in Lisbon, with some of Europe's leading improvisers taking on U92 in both "Electroacoustic" and "Acoustic" properties.
Variable Geometry Orchestra
Mare Tranquillitatis
(Creative Sources)
A dynamic and exciting concert captured during the 2018 CreativeFest XII of a conduction by Ernesto Rodrigues leading an ensemble of 28 free improvisors performing on a mix of traditional acoustic & modern electronic instruments, plus a toy piano, with powerful wind & string sections, as Rodrigues directs the musicians into both passionate and peaceful sections.
Diceros (Rodrigues / Mira / Silva / Curado / Almeida / Chagas /...)
3 Phases (III) Black
(Creative Sources)
"3 Phases", or 3 aspects of the approach that violist Ernesto Rodrigues applies to improvisation, in 3 different groupings over 3 different concerts at O'Culto da Ajuda, in Lisbon, here in an electroacoustic ensemble with Miguel Mira, Guilherme Rodrigues, Joao Silva, Eduardo Chagas, Paulo Curado, Noel Taylor, Miguel Almeida, Andre Holzer, Andre Hencleeday, Carlos Santos, and Joao Valinho.
Ensemble MIA
Live 2016
(Creative Sources)
Stones Of Contention
Stones Of Contention
(Citystream)
Sicilian pianist Tommaso Vespo assembled the multinational sextet of Antonio Aiella (bass), Noel Taylor (clarinet), Antonio Longo (drums), Nicola Hein (guitar), Ricardo Teje (saxophone), and Tommaso Vespo (piano), blending lyrical jazz, chamber, and free improvisation.
Dunmall, Paul / Philip Gibbs / Ashley John Young
Now Has No Dimension
(FMR)
Live recordings from the trio of Paul Dunmall on soprano and tenor sax, Philip Gibbs on guitar, and Ashley John Young on double bass, performing at Cardiff University School of Music Concert Hall in 2016, a great example of concentrative, complex and lively interplay.
Splatter with Rafal Mazur
cloudseed
(Citystream)
Splatter's 3rd CD resulted from a meeting between the London-based quartet Splatter (Noel Taylor-clarinet; Anna Kaluza-sax; Tom Greenhalgh-drums; Pedro Velasco-electric guitar) and Polish bassist Rafal Mazur after their successful collaboration at Cafe Oto in 2010.
Splatter (Velasco / Caratti / Kaluza / Taylor)
Scraffiti
(Citystream)
The British quartet of saxophonist Anna Kaluza, clarinetist Noel Taylor, guitarist Pedro Velasco and drummer Michael Caratti, in a moody and shifting album of improvised and composed music.
Meinhold, Niko / Noel Taylor
Border Patrol
(Citystream)
London clarinetist Noel Taylor in a meeting with pianist Noel Taylor, delicate and beautifully paced duos that borrow from many genres and modern approaches to create informed and stimulating dialog.
Popolla, Alberto / Noel Taylor
All Fall Down
(Citystream)
Freely improvised clarinet duets featuring rapidly shifting patterns of melodic interplay from Italian Alberto Popolla and British Noel Taylor (LIO), with distinct approaches to the instrument resulting in episodic interplay.


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought:
Wilmington Sound Orchestra
Play Russolo
(Bad At Raving Foundation)
Two interpretations of Luigi Russolo's 1914 Futurist noise composition "Risveglio Di Uns Citta" ("The Awakening Of A City"), performed forwards and backwards, from a live performance at Squidco headquarters in Wilmington, NC.
XT (Seymour Wright / Paul Abbot)
Pah'
(Pleasure of the Text Records)
The duo of Paul Abbot on drum kits, percussion & computer, and Seymour Wright on alto saxophone and feedback, in a massive edge-of-your seat live recording from London's Cafe Oto in 2015, a mix of brutal and beautiful playing with unexpected and surprising twists.
Leandre, Joelle 10
Can You Hear Me?
(Ayler Records)
Known mostly as a masterful improviser, this 2015 live performance of her 2009 work for a tenet crosses compositional and improvisation boundaries, reflecting on her 40 year career while bringing out new subtleties from its original release, here with a superb set of performers.
Huy (Junji / Kazuhisa / Yoshida)
Huy
(Magaibutsu Limited)
The Japanese trio of Hirose Junji on tenor saxophone, Innocence label founder Uchihashi Kazuhisa on guitar, and Yoshida Tatsuya on drums, initiating Magaibutsu's "Improv Session Series" with this on-fire album of controlled chaos, recorded live at Foxhole in Kichijoji.
Shimizu, Kazuto / Yoshida Tatsuya / Nasyuno Mitsuru
SYN LIVE
(Magaibutsu Limited)
The Japanese improvising rock trio of Kazuto Shimizu on keyboards, Nasyuno Mitsuru on bass, and Yoshida Tatsuya on drums performing live at Club Goodman in Akihabara, Japan, 2016 for technically superb, fast paced, turn-on-a-dime, joyful prog-oriented playing.
Zimmerlin, Alfred
Dunki . Frey . Aeschbacher . Capt . Hefti . Moster
(Edition Wandelweiser Records)
German composer Alfred Zimmerlin presents 3 pieces that balance compositional and improvisational approaches, with a 7-part work for strings, a large Klavierstruck work for microtonal piano, and an improvised chamber work, "Klarinettenquintett," with Jurg Frey on clarinet.
Baars, Ab / Ig Henneman / Ingrid Laubrock / Tom Rainey
Perch Hen Brock & Rainy | Live @ The Jazz Happening Tampere
(Relative Pitch)
Crossing Netherland and New York players, Ab Baars on reeds, Ig Henneman on viola, Ingrid Laubrcok on sax and Tom Rainey on drums present an album of insightful improv that borrows approaches to sound from natural world, performed live at Tampere Jazz Happening, Finland in 2014.
Hocevar, Dre Trio (De Looze / St.Louis / Hocevar / Pluta)
Coding of Evidentially
(Clean Feed)
A multinational jazz trio using compositional and improvisational approaches, led by drummer Dre Hocevar, with Bram De Looze on piano, and Lester St. Louis on cello, plus NY electronics artist Sam Pluta providing signal processing on the title track.




The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

© 2002-, Squidco LLC

New In:
Recent Releases
Improvisation
Electro/Experimental
Compositional
Rock & Related