19th September 2019: Partisans – ‘Never Say Never’ Tour + Latest International Acclaim for ‘Nit de Nit’
Partisans are about to embark on their 7 date ‘Never Say Never’ tour across England.
Forward by Phil Robson.
“In the mid 1990’s I formed a quartet along with co-leader Julian Siegel. The aim was to write and play original music which reflected our diverse influences. At the time we slotted in between the cracks of a then quite factionalised UK scene. The original Vortex was our prime home. By 1996 we had found the permanent line up of myself Phil Robson on guitar, Julian on sax, Thaddeus Kelly on bass and, having recently arrived from NYC, Gene Calderazzo on drums. The band was originally more acoustic and reflected the sound of contemporary bands of the era, but as we played gigs together and the band became a four way collective, it became more electric, eclectic and gained a certain kind of energy and telepathy that was very special. The band became known as ‘Partisans’ which was originally the name of a tune and the title of the first album. 23 years, 6 albums later, with appearances all around the world, we have all agreed that is very unlikely that we’ll tour again in the way that we are doing this month in England. We’ll all be moving on to other projects etc. Never say never of course, but it is safe to say that Partisans will certainly become a much rarer, exotic beastie on the scene! Because of this, we would love the Sept tour to be one heck of a party, so we really hope you’ll join us!
This run is the second part celebration of our highly acclaimed album Nit De Nit released on Whirlwind Recordings in May 2019.”
With years of touring around the globe and a cult following in their native UK, Partisans have released six albums to date: Partisans (1997 EFZ), Sourpuss (2000 Babel), Max (2005 Babel),
By Proxy (2009 Babel), Swamp (Whirlwind Recordings 2014) and finally Nit De Nit.
Since their formation in 1996 Partisans have been thrilling audiences the world over with their ferociously energetic performances of tightly knit themes and with great freedom coming from their years of playing together. Hailed as breaking the ground for the new wave of British jazz in the late 1990s and described by BBC Radio Jazz on 3 as “One of the most exciting all star experimental groups in jazz today” Partisans is co-led by two of the preeminent musicians of their generation, Phil Robson (guitars) and Julian Siegel (tenor sax & bass clarinet), the quartet’s line-up is completed by Thaddeus Kelly (bass) and Gene Calderazzo (drums). Partisans are real band – known for bridging the gap between New York Swing, European Improv and UK Rock, the band has developed a distinctive sound of its own where the combination of each member’s influences feeds a genuine creative spark generating huge excitement and energy.
The richly lyrical and strongly melodic compositions written by Robson and Siegel provide the framework and starting point, underpinned by the rock solid, freewheeling and supercharged rhythm section of Kelly and Calderazzo.
Partisans’ latest Whirlwind release Nit De Nit is currently available for preorder on 180 gram limited edition vinyl, in association with Diggers Factory, you can preorder your copy here.
Latest Reviews
“Turbo-charged, feral yet playful post-bop… Nit de Nit documents Partisans’ strong signature and versatile palette of undiluted jazz and rock sub-genre fascinations at its peak.”
★★★★ Jazzwise Magazine (website)
“The playing is on point throughout and the whole is shot through with an irrepressible sense of fun; this release should re-state Partisans’ claim to be one of the most creative groups in UK jazz and act as a reminder of their endlessly forward-thinking vision. “
Jazz Views (full review)
“This is compelling music, and some of the very best to be heard anywhere on the planet.”
All About Jazz (full review)
“A very engaging, stimulating a
Bebop Spoken Here (full review)
“They can fill any venue with a wall of sound while their playing remains crystal clear and approachable… Turn it up Loud!”
★★★★ UK Vibe (full review)
“Nit De Nit reveals Partisans to still be one of the UK’s most exciting live bands, their music a fascinating and immensely enjoyable amalgam of power and intelligence.”
★★★★ The Jazz Mann (full review)
“With this sparkling performance, PARTISANS offer a mix of electric and acoustic fusion jazz… Compelling.”
Musikreviews (full review)
“Partisans has a definite voice and style. Unique colors in the palette. A mix of styles, trends.”
Jazzma (full review)
“An exciting hour full of new compositions and reinterpreted treats from the back catalog.”
Medien-Info (full review)