Full Circle Quartet return to St Mary's, Burpham for an evening of live music playing tunes from their latest album, 'Same Sky'.

Returning to their favourite venue, the beautiful St. Mary’s Church, Burpham, southern music scene favourites, The Full Circle Quartet, perform music from their latest album, ‘Same Sky’, and from their previous two critically acclaimed albums, ’Open Water (2024)’ and ‘South Downs Suite (2023)’.

The Full Circle Quartet is based in Sussex and take their influence from the worlds of jazz, soundtrack and classical music and features features Parliamentary Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year 2019 Josephine Davies on Soprano and Tenor Saxophones; BAFTA Award winning composer Joss Peach on Piano; Double Bass player, Terry Pack and Drummer, Angus Bishop.

CDs and Download Cards for all three albums will be for sale at the concert.

Doors open at 7pm. There will be a 30 minute interval where The George opposite the church will be available to purchase drinks, with the 2nd set finishing at around 10pm.

The George, Burpham will be open for early dining from from 6pm if you fancy making an evening of it. Booking in advance is essential.

Further details: www.fullcirclequartet.com

Listen to some excerpts from the previous St. Marys concert (2023) here: https://fullcirclequartet.com/burpham/

and for meal booking: https://www.georgeatburpham.co.uk

Jazzwise Album Review/Top 100 Jazz Albums of 2023

The Full Circle Quartet: The South Downs Suite (2023) ★★★★

Author: Andy Robson

There is a happy tradition of pastoral celebration not just in British classical music, but in jazz as well. The Full Circle Quartet takes the concept several steps beyond, however.

Poetry and books of paintings are hard behind this release plus a follow up of ensemble pieces. And all based on a vivid vision of the sights, sounds and nature of the South Downs. There are generic songs, such as the subtle awakening of ‘Oasis’ or the fittingly flighty ‘Dance of the Dragonfly’ by Davies. But there’s site specific songs too, like the moodily beautiful ‘Seven Sisters’ inspired by the chalk cliffs of the East Sussex coast.

However, the suite’s not all bucolic romanticism. Indeed, much of the music was born from the band’s experiences of lockdown, a mix of isolation, awe and awareness of nature’s indifference to humanity. All the members compose, and the band plays with great service to the music. But it’s hard not to single out Davies, nightingale blithe on soprano and variously dark toned, even vicious on tenor. We’re lucky to be witnessing a generation of saxophonists like Davies, Trish Clowes, Tori Freestone and newer stars like Emma Rawicz and Asha Parkinson bringing a fresher sensibility to Adolphe’s invention."

Jazz Journal review (2023): ★★★★ — 'The South Downs Suite' is an intelligent, creative and moving “suite of music” which highlights Josephine Davies’s outstanding sax work. The album is cinematic, gentle, moody, brooding/romantic, and ethereal (not simplistic/idealistic).

Description supplied by the event organiser.