Portico Quartet

Portico Quartet are a 4-piece modern jazz group from London. Their sound is made distinctive by the use of the hang, a 21st Century percussion instrument used on all their tracks. The group is comprised of Jack Wyllie (soprano and alto saxophone), Duncan Bellamy (hang and percussion), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass), and Nick Mulvey (hang and percussion).

After nearly two years of playing mainly small gigs and busking regularly outside the National Theatre in London, they signed to Babel Label in 2007. Their first album, "Knee-deep in the North Sea" was released on 5th November 2007, [cite web| title= Portico Quartet @ Babel Label | publisher= Babel Label | url= http://www.babellabel.co.uk/Vortex%20artists%20-%20Portico%20Quartet.htm | accessdate =2007-10-14 ] coupled with performances at the London Jazz Festival at Purcell Room together with pianist Michiel Borstlap and drummer Bill Bruford.

"Knee-deep In The North Sea"

The band's debut album 'Knee-deep in the North Sea' was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize [ [http://beardedmagazine.co.uk/wp/?p=281 | Bearded magazine] ] . The week after the awards show it debuted on the UK Top 200 Albums Chart at #186.cite journal
title = Official Album Chart for the week ending 20 September 2008
journal = ChartsPlus
issue = 369
pages= 5-8
accessdate = 2008-09-17
publisher = IQ Ware Ltd
location = Milton Keynes] It was Time Out's best jazz album of 2007.

Credits

Recorded and Mixed at Livngston Studios, London on 7th, 8th, 9th February and 6th, 7th, 8th August 2007
Produced by Portico Quartet
Co-Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Sonny.
Assisted by Kevin James Feazey and Simone Filiali Mastered by Andrew Tulloch at The Blue Studio, London
Executve Producers Oliver Weindling and Will Gresford
Design, Artwork and collages by Duncan Bellamy
Photograph by Matt Crossick

Track listing

All tracks composed, arranged and performed by Portico Quartet.

# "News From Verona" – 4:24
# "(Something's Going Down on) Zavodovski Island" – 4:22
# "Knee-Deep In The North Sea" – 4:52
# "Too Many Cooks" – 5:32
# "Steps In The Wrong Direction" – 6:09
# "Monsoon: Top To Bottom" – 4:14
# "The Kon Tiki Expedition" – 4:29
# "Cittàgazze" – 4:47
# "Pompidou" – 3:08(Hidden Track: "Prickly Pear" - 5:47)

References

External links

* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=54222150 Myspace page.]
* [http://www.timeout.com/london/music/events/546365/portico_quartet.html Review by Time Out.]
* [http://www.musicomh.com/music/gigs/portico-quartet_0208.htm Portico Quartet live review (musicOMH.com)]
* [http://www.babellabel.co.uk/Vortex%20artists%20-%20Portico%20Quartet.htm Artist page from Babel Vortex label]