This was another excellent concert in The Edge’s “Jazz Notes” series and one that saw them exploring new territory. Young flautist and alto saxophonist Finn Peters is a member of the acclaimed London based F-ire Collective and freely incorporates electronics into his music.

His group performed the most “experimental” music presented at The Edge thus far but the more challenging improvisational aspects of the music were offset by strongly melodic written passages and the warmth of Peters’ personality. After an uncompromising opening a pleasingly large crowd soon got into the music and all seemed to go home happy.

Devon born Peters is a versatile musician who has dipped his toes into many streams of contemporary music from modern classical to dance via latin, world, rock and jazz. His grasp of DJ culture has perhaps encouraged his use of electronics and his group boasts the presence of Matthew Yee- King on computers alongside the more conventional instrumentalists. Having said that the surprisingly full sound generated by Yee-King was sometimes reminiscent of more orthodox keyboard fills. 

Peters has released two albums under his own name, the award winning Su Ling (Babel, 2006) and the more recent “Butterflies” (Accidental, 2008). Advance publicity had suggested that Peters would be bringing the “Butterflies” album line up with him but a series of late line up changes saw to it that only Peters, Yee-King and drummer Tom Skinner remained from the record. Replacing Nick Ramm (piano), David Okumu (guitar) and Tom Herbert (bass) were, respectively, Zoe Rahman, Rob Updegraff and Neil Charles, a pretty impressive set of “deps” by anyone’s reckoning.

Peters still decided to concentrate on the “Butterflies” material but the evening started with the duo of Peters and Yee-King in improvisational mode, the saxophonist’s alto blowing above the whistling, crackling rhythmic patterns generated by Yee-King’s assorted electronic devices. Bearded and bespectacled and looking like Steve Hackett circa 1972 the computer man had a definite air of the boffin about him. One or two audience members exchanged nervous glances but most were fascinated by what was going on. A remarkable display of circular breathing from Peters’ towards the conclusion of the piece was enough to win over any doubters.

Skinner was next to come to the stage and for a while it looked as if Peters was going to introduce the members of the sextet in “Stop Making Sense” style. Another atmospheric improvisation saw the drummer roam around his kit using soft head sticks as Peters continued to push his alto to the limits, emitting high register bat like squeaks and using the keys and pads of the instrument to generate percussive effects. Skinners’ muffled thunder and Yee-King’s computer generated soundwash combined to give the piece a decidedly spacey atmosphere.

Presently Rahman, Updegraff and Charles took to the stage (collectively, thereby rather spoiling the Talking Heads allegory) and without a pause the sextet dived into a more obviously written passage. This proved to be “Atlas” from the “Butterflies” album, a strong theme that provided the basis for more conventional jazz improvising. Skinner had by now switched to sticks and there was an excellent bass solo from Charles, his lines later interlocking with Updegraff’s guitar. The bassist, who was outstanding throughout also deployed the bow in the tune’s more atmospheric segments. The only complaint at this stage was that Rahman’s piano was rather too low in the mix and she was pretty much inaudible on this first group number. 

I had heard that Peters likes to encourage audience participation in his shows, something that is in keeping with F-ire’s educational ethos. I remember trying (and failing miserably) to clap in time to the almost impossible rhythms generated by Barak Schmool’s Timeline group at Cheltenham Jazz Festival a few years ago. It was a salutary reminder as to why I write about this stuff instead of trying to play it.

Fortunately Peters gave us a much easier time in Much Wenlock. The audience’s whispered “secrets” were sampled by Yee-King to provide a running commentary throughout the lovely ballad “Mayfly”, also from the “Butterflies” album. Here Rahman came into her own with a brilliant opening passage of solo piano full of dazzling percussive clusters and classical flourishes, qualities she brings to her own groups. She later duetted with Peters’ flute, the latter enhanced with a dash of echo. From quiet beginnings the piece built in layers, through balladry to something more full on.

Peters is something of an ornithologist and this provided the inspiration behind the next tune, “The Nightingale”. Like Messiaen ( who is something of a F-ire collective favourite), Peters has transcribed bird song and used it as a basis for composition. The bird theme was emphasised further by the issue to every audience member of a plastic, water filled bird warbler. We collectively warbled on cue and were collectively looped and sampled by Yee-King, the results being woven in and out throughout the piece. More conventional instrumentation and soloing came from Peters on flute, Rahman and Updegraff, with Peters later switching to alto. The audience involvement and the attractiveness of Peters’ tune made this a great way to conclude the first half and kept the conversation (and warblers) humming throughout the interval. 

The sextet returned for the second set and opened proceedings with “Fax”, the first track on the “Butterflies” album. Peters’ attractive tune was apparently inspired by the noises and rhythms of a fax machine. The composer’s airy flute dominated initially with Yee-King’s electronics also prominent. Updegraff then stepped up to the plate to deliver an engrossing guitar solo that made subtle use of pedal generated effects.

Also from “Butterflies” “Moyse” was a tribute to the eighteenth century French flautist and borrowed from his “long tone” style. This was something of a musical journey that opened in free improvisational style before the group took up the written theme. Peters soloed on flute, his later switch to alto punctuated by Updegraff’s guitar. In the more esoteric moments Charles switched to bowed bass and the ominous watery sounds generated by Yee-King bubbled subversively throughout the piece.

The title track of “Butterflies” was based on Balinese gamelan music and featured the interlocking lines of Peters’ flute and Updegraff’s guitar. The more up-tempo passages were driven by the drum tattoos of the impressive Skinner who maintained a blend of skill, strength, subtlety and flexibility throughout the evening. Given the line up changes considerable responsibility rested on Skinner who very much functioned as Peters’ right hand man. The drummer acquitted himself admirably. 

Finally came “Ottanta”, a joyous celebration dedicated, as I recall, to Peters’ grandmother. Peters sampled and looped his own flute playing before taking up the alto. Saxophone and guitar coalesced as Updegraff delivered another absorbing solo and there was also an extended feature for Rahman as he group stretched out. The virtuosity of the playing from the group as a whole and the strength of Peters’ theme ensured an ecstatic reaction and the sextet were called back for an encore.

The group’s choice of encore was “School Days” which does not appear on either of Peters’ albums and I suspect was the only non original of the evening (but not the Stanley Clarke tune of the same name). In any event it was a playful interpretation which began in blues/gospel style before veering off into something more abstract. There was a lengthy piano excursion in which Rahman playfully demonstrated her virtuosity as Skinner dropped bombs around her. Wonderful stuff.

Peters’ eclectic mix of improvisation, electronica and pure melody had won the day and his hastily assembled sextet rose magnificently to the challenge. The charm of the leader’s introductions and the audience participation slots helped to win over any waverers and the gig as a whole was a triumph.

Both Peters’ albums are strongly recommended and he is also due to release a five track EP on the Accidental Records label featuring remixes of some of the “Butterflies” material. This includes remixes by the likes of Matthew Herbert and Two Banks OF Four and takes the music more firmly into electronic/soundscape territory. 

For more information visit http://www.myspace.com/finnpeters

and http://www.accidentalrecords.com

Having hosted members of the F-ire Collective The Edge will now turn it’s attention to the the similarly minded Loop Collective when the Ivo Neame Quartet featuring Jim Hart visit on Thursday March 19th 2009. For full details visit http://www.edgeartscentre.co.uk

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