John Metcalfe

Live Lounge with Just Jack

2009-04-02T11:31:00.003Z

Played with my quartet on Jo Whiley's 'Live Lounge' yesterday with Just Jack with arrangements by Simon Hale. Jack was one of the nicest pop stars I've met! There is a film of it on iPlayer for the next seven days. www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/livelounge/artist/090401_justjack.shtml

Peter Doherty

2009-03-23T10:55:00.003Z

On the bus this week with Mr. Doherty and Blur guitarist Mr. Coxon for some UK dates. Had some nice mentions in the press for my arrangements on his latest album 'Grace/Wastelands.

Manchester International Festival

2009-03-23T10:50:00.003Z

This summer I will be collaboarating and performing with Durutti Column for a piece called 'Paean to Wilson'. This is a major 70 minute work written in memory of Factory boss Tony Wilson who died in 2007. Performances are the 15th - 17th July inclusive and are part of the biennial Manchester Festival.

Kings Place show 24th March

2009-03-23T10:43:00.001Z

Just a quick reminder that the band are playing at Kings Place on Tuesday 24th March in Hall Two supporting the Bays. There may still be some tickets left......

Update

2009-01-11T17:49:00.004Z

Finally had time to update things. The MBM tour was a runaway success and contained so many memorable moments particularly playing to a packed Festival Hall for the last show. There are loads of YouTube clips posted so do have a look. Everyone was amazing - the Bays, Jules Buckley, the orchestra, Adam and the AV guys and all the crew did such an outstanding job. I have to single out fellow composer Simon Hale who night after night turned out the most incredible music. The man is bionic. We also did some great shows as the support - cds flying out the door and exceptional response which was a very lovely thing. I keep saying it but thank you to everyone who showed up.

So 2009 is looking nice and busy. I am currently working with a legend (can't say who yet) for a possible album release this year - very exciting. Tom Kursten's album which contains some of my work is also set for release on Real World Records and my collaboration with cellist Matthew Barley will be resumed now that his shoulder has recovered. Just at the end of last year I contributed some strings to Babyshambles' new album and I worked with Imagined Village's Simon Emmerson on his new project which was sounding very beautiful though I say it myself!

My involvement with Kings Place in London has picked up pace. Alongside the 2 concerts I have curated for the Spring series I am planning a 4-day festival in Hall One during early October. Early days but some exciting artists are already involved. More as soon as I have it.

The Duke Quartet

2008-11-01T15:39:00.004Z

Still some tickets left for tomorrow night's concert in Hall One at the delicious Kings Place in Kings Cross. We are playing a guitar quintet with Tom Kerstens followed by Schubert's sublime and intense 'Death and the Maiden'.

In Tune

2008-11-01T15:16:00.002Z

Last week 'As She Fell' was heard live on Radio 3's 'In Tune' programme presented by Sean Rafferty. It was played by Tom Kertsens G+ Ensemble and very lovely it was too...I didn't know about it till after the event but you can still hear it on the BBC i player.

Utopia

2008-10-26T10:26:00.002Z

I have several pieces on Tom Kersten's new album 'Utopia'' which is available on the Bowers and Wilkins Music Club website. This club is a partnership between Peter Gabriel's Real World label and speaker-makers B+W. There is also a video interview with me and Tom.
www.bowers-wilkins.com

More Reviews

2008-10-26T10:06:00.003Z

Had some nice reviews for the album....

'This third album from New Zealand-born British composer and former Durutti Column and Duke Quartet member, is a woozy wedding of classical, electronica and ambient. String arranger by rock royalty appointment (Morrissey, The Pretenders, Blur) Metcalfe released his first album in 2004 and the fact this album is released by The Big Chill gives a good indication of where its heart lies. It's a gloriously schizophrenic collection, one minute lazily teasing out notes amid floaty atmospherics (opener Echo Valley), then jack-knifing into a 60's spy thriller set piece, heavy on brass and scratching (A Whole Day Nearer, Undertow). We're seven tracks in, at Nothing More True, before vocals arrive, and even then it's as a looped breathy syllable refracting back on itself. We don't get actual lyrics until an A&R-worrying ten tracks in, on You Call My Name, whose skittering beat mirror downbeat drum'n'bass'n'chillout duo Lamb. A wonderful wrong-footing of a music business built on the selling of vocalists as personalities'.
Eamonn Forde
The Word

'It seems that every man and his dog wants to be a film composer nowadays. Very few actually know what it takes, let alone have the understanding, poise and ability to create that kind of emotive resonant sound. String specialist and ex-Durutti Cloumn member John Metcalfe however is one such musician'.
DJ Magazine

'John Metcalfe made his name helping Vini Reilly to construct mesmerisingly ghostly guitar sculptures in the Durutti Column years ago, and has since established himself as one of the top string arrangers in Britain. His third album, though, owes at least as much to electronica as to classical.
One or two tracks engage in sub-Michael Nymanisms, but most of A Darker Sunset is that rare thing: ambient with an edge. Felt, Unseen deploys the repetition techniques of Steve Reich to create an awesomely lovely effect of twilight-after-rain, Parkstone is a dizzying trill of kaleidoscopic piano playing, and the stately beauty of The Shock of Recognition is only marred by an ill-advised synth line that wobbles along the track like a gaudy squiggle across a painting.
It would'e been easy for a man of Metcalfe's gifts to go down the more lucrative road of soporific chillout. Instead, this is imaginative and impressive'.

Jonathan O'Brien
Sunday Business Post

Kings Place review

2008-10-26T09:56:00.003Z

The Duke Quartet got this nice review from Tim Ashley in the Guardian for our performance of Steve Reich's 'Different Trains' at Kings Place.
'Hall Two is very different - a potentially more versatile and, it would seem, more popular - space, packed by a trendy crowd for a concert given by the Duke Quartet. Arvo Pärt's Summa, deftly and gracefully done, was followed by Steve Reich's Different Trains, a work for quartet and tape, in which the melodic contours of recorded speech form the basis of an exhilarating yet vaguely sinister portrait of travel and speed. Every lurch in tempo and volume registered thrillingly, and the response was enthusiastic'.

I didn't fully describe what an amazing day we had at Kings Place. Performing three different shows with only 30 minutes interval between each one to set up was intense to say the least but it was unbelievably exhilarating. Everyone played beautifully, the Duke Quartet, Max Richter and ensemble and all the musicians in my band. Full houses for all three shows made for a truly great afternoon.

Launches

2008-10-09T15:40:00.002Z

Both the launch show at the 100 club and the 3 events of 'Beyond the Loop' at the opening day of Kings Place were fantastic. The venerable 100 club turned out to be the perfect choice. The band felt we gave one of our performances of the year and the crowd were brilliant. Thank you to all who made the effort to come and particularly to Dr. Alick Sethi and Steve Carnello for giving us the ideal atmosphere before and after the show with tailor-made tunes.
If you didn't make it to Kings Place then you must go! The venue has two stunning halls to play/listen in and the atmosphere is focused but very welcoming. There are some great concerts coming up with something for those who like classical/jazz/world or electronic music. The band is back in March supporting the Bays. Looking forward already.....

CD Launch 24th September

2008-09-01T22:06:00.001Z

I am launching the new CD 'A Darker Sunset' at the 100 Club on Wednesday 24th September. DJ extraordinaire Dr. Alick Sethi of Electric Cafe and Retox Clinic fame will also be playing a set to intrigue your ears and warm your soul. The venue is London's famous 100 Club at 100 Oxford St.

We are on at 9pm with the full complement of Gangadeen, Friend, Richmond and Fuller plus a couple of guests. Tickets are only 8 quid.

Beyond The Loop

2008-09-01T18:45:00.004Z

The 3 events I have curated for the opening of King's Place have now sold out. Apologies to those of you who didn't manage to get tickets. There are still tickets available for the CD launch at the 100 club on the 24th September.

Tour

2008-06-27T17:19:00.004Z

Just had confirmation that a tour of the live composing project featuring The Bays, The Heritage Orchestra, Simon Hale and me will take place this Autumn. The tour will be promoted by Music Beyond the Mainstream.

The dates are;

Nov 11 2008 Royal Northern College of Music
Nov 12 2008 Gateshead Sage
Nov 14 2008 Basingstoke Anvil
Nov 15 2008 Warwick Arts Centre
Nov 17 2008 Liverpool Venue TBC
Nov 18 2008 Northampton Royal Derngate
Nov 19 2008 Leicester De Montfort Hall
Nov 20 2008 Bristol Colston Hall
Nov 21 2008 Brighton Dome
Nov 22 2008 London Royal Festival Hall

The John Metcalfe Band will also be in attendance as support.

More details as soon as I have them.

Beyond The Loop

2008-06-27T17:05:00.002Z

I have curated a 3 part event at the opening of King's Place, an outstanding brand new building in King's Cross featuring a state of the art concert hall combined with gallery, 2nd recital hall, restaurants and new home to the Guardian, London Sinfonietta,The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and many other arts organisations. The acoustics in the main hall are absolutely stunning and rival (possibly better in my humble opinion) other famous halls such as the Wigmore.

The event is part of 5 days of concerts from a wide range of musicians and features a rare chance to hear the Max Richter ensemble, the Duke Quartet performing Steve Reich's seminal 'Different Trains' and the John Metcalfe band all in one place and time. This all happens on 1st October. Tickets are next to nothing so move fast! http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/music/opening-festival/beyond-the-loop

Album London Launch

2008-06-27T17:00:00.003Z

We will be launching the album at a show at London's 100 club on Wednesday 24th September. Support to be announced but we are hoping for something rather special. More on that TBA. http://www.the100club.co.uk/

New Piece

2008-05-28T17:16:00.001Z

I am composing a new piece for guitarist Tom Kurstens and his G+ ensemble for performance at the South Bank Centre this July. The piece will be 10 minutes long.

Larmer Tree

2008-05-28T16:14:00.001Z

Our appearance at this year's Larmer Tree has had to be cancelled unfortunately but we will definitely be back there next year. Roll on 2009.....

Integra

2008-05-28T16:09:00.002Z

On the 6th June I will be composing live with Simon Hale, The Bays and members or Norway's Bit20 ensemble in Birmingham's Custard Factory as part of the Integra festival, a 3-year project led by the Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK and part financed by Culture 2000. Show starts at 7.30 www.integralive.org

Matthew Barley Tour Cancelled

2008-04-21T14:56:00.002Z

Very disappointing news that Matthew has had to cancel his tour due to injury. Hopefully once he has fully recovered the tour will be re-scheduled. Please contact venues directly for a refund.

Big Chill House

2008-04-07T09:28:00.001Z

Just a quick reminder of our appearance at the Big Chill House this Thursday. We will be on around 9pm. Also on is comedian John Shuttleworth and Big Chill founder Pete Lawrence.

Nitin Sawhney Remix

2008-04-07T09:23:00.002Z

Nitin Sawhney has just completed a brilliant remix of 'Waiting For Clarence' and this will be included on the album. I was hugely honoured the great man took the project on. More news of other remixes to follow.

Real World

2008-03-24T14:02:00.004Z

I am at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios this week recording two pieces from 'A Darker Sunset' arranged for guitarist Tom Kerstens and his G+ ensemble. These tracks will be released along with other works I have composed for Tom on the Real World label. Release date TBA.

www.realworld.co.uk/

Big Chill Festival

2008-03-24T13:07:00.004Z

We will be playing at this year's Big Chill Festival on the Castle stage on Friday 1st August. Will confirm the time asap. We are also playing at the Big Chill House on Thursday 10th April as part of a festival warm-up.

Big Chill Signing

2008-03-24T12:58:00.003Z

I am very, very happy to announce that I have signed a deal to release 'A Darker Sunset' on Big Chill's excellent record label. With artists such as Mr. Scruff and Tom Middleton on the roster I am in mighty company. Thank you to all of you who have waited so patiently! Release is set for June and as soon as I have an exact date I will post it here.