News

Press Club (April 2007)

We have been quite busy recently with an appearance at the Valley Jazz Festival at the Press Club.

Thanks to everyone that came to the Press Club on Tuesday night. It was a very big crowd, and a lot of fun to play our strange music in the Valley once again. That was pretty much how this band started years ago, playing at venues like Ric's Cafe, the Zoo, the Trout (which is now called Bar Zuka)......so, was nice to do a gig like this again!!

Thanks also to James V (aka. Moist) who came and rapped on "Office Works" - a really great tune that is growing on us more and more!!!

Finally, here is a local artist's (Ben Drake) illustration of the night......we think its really VERY cool!! Thanks a lot, Ben!!!

CD Review (ITG, October 2006)

International Trumpet Guild
ITG Journal (Volume 31, No. 1 – October 2006)

CD Review: Seventh Chapter – With Bricks Thrown At Ya

Reviewer: Paul Bhasin, assistant professor of trumpet, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA)

Australia’s Seventh Chapter Ensemble uses the familiar brass quintet instrumentation to perform in a variety of contemporary styles including modern rock, funk and hip hop on this 2005 release. In the vein of the Meridian Arts Ensemble and Extension Ensemble, Seventh Chapter adds drum kit to the brass quintet, along with vocals, piano, vibraphone and even rap at times, to present an eclectic blend of the brass quintet sounds with modern rock sounds reminiscent of Frank Zappa’s music.

The chamber musicianship and brass playing of the ensemble is first-rate; the athletic tuba playing (offering complicated, acrobatic bass lines with ease) is particularly enjoyable. Along with solid trumpet teamwork and excellent intonation, each track is exciting and polished. Most works feature some sort of repeated hook in one of the brass parts, with layers of decorative, intense horn grooves added as the players improvise and interact with the drumkit.

The group’s strength is its rhythmic expressiveness; the urgent, forward quality to each track is contrasted by the relaxed tone production of each member. Becker’s Droned is a particularly well-executed number, with each instrument’s sonic possibilities mined fully and with low brass bass-style octaves reminding the listener that this is a brass quintet after all. Horn player/composer Thomas Green adds extended vocals and rapping to the title track, which is one of the highlights of the album with its complex instrumental accompaniments and tight rhythm playing from drummer Dave Kemp.

The high level of brass playing on this CD reminds the listener that this is no ordinary rock group, but, bridging styles and musical vocabulary to appeal to a wide audience. That said, the CD makes more of a studio rock/funk, rather than a classical chamber music impression. This is due to the liberal application of the drums, the effects processing of instruments, a limited use of dynamics, and somewhat icy, distant studio recording effects.

Guess who?!

It's amazing what you find scattered around the place!!!

Here is an old picture of one of Seventh Chapter's members - can you guess who??

CD online internationally!

Our cd is now available online via cdbaby here.

It's also available via the bandvillage site here.

Winter Concert @ Montville

We recently performed a concert at Montville - here are a few photos!

Music From Other Minds

Richard Friedman recently featured two tracks from our CD, "With Bricks Thrown At Ya" on his local (San Francisco) radio program, MUSIC FROM OTHER MINDS on Friday night (Pacific Time) February 24th. For a limited time, you can listen to the entire radio program via the website.

For more information, see the 'Music From Other Minds' website here.

With Bricks Thrown At Ya

We have finished our first CD, 'With Bricks Thrown At Ya'. You can order it by PAYPAL or look out for it in local stores!!

Check out the audio and video samples on the CD page here.

The CD is $25 (Australian) which includes postage to anywhere in the world!!

Judith Wright Centre Concert Review

Review by Patrick Watson (Courier Mail, 28 Sep 2005)

Near the end of the Seventh Chapter’s Saturday performance, trumpeter Clint Allen thanked the crowd for coming and remarked it can be difficult to get an audience to see a contemporary chamber orchestra, especially in Brisbane.   He’s not wrong.

There are few new-music fans about and even fewer new-music fans wowed by the melodic prospects of a classically-trained six-piece brass/percussion ensemble.     But perhaps it was his other comment that revealed more.

When introducing their rendition of Jacob Ter Veldhuis’s Pitch Black, Allen said the crowd might not like it and could find it a little uncomfortable.   Again, he was right.

Sometimes harmonic, sometimes cacophonous, often beautiful, and always challenging, the Seventh Chapter’s repertoire choice was expansive.     There were the wailing rhythm’s of Frank Zappa’s Echidna’s Arf and the film-scoreish arrangement Quintet by Michael Kamen. Throw in pop-princess Bjork’s Yoga, the 20-something minute long piece Semhane, composed by Stephen Barber and inspired by the whirling Sufi Dervishes, as well as a few more, and you’ve a fair bit to swallow.

You mightn’t necessarily be tapping your toes and you’re definitely not guaranteed a catchy chorus, but you must admire their impeccable musicianship. Core members include trumpeters Clint Allen and Phil Ryan, French hornist Thomas Green, Trombonist Adrian Head, Tubist Eleana Gillespie and percussive guru DaveKemp.    Friend and concert pianist Michael O’Brien was recruited to bring many elements of this concert to life.

Like new music itself, I’m not sure what that is.    But I do like it.