Delay 45 - Flux (2022)

"a bold new chapter in Australian jazz" (Sydney Morning Herald)

“(Delay 45) ...have developed an approach to performing that is creative and individual…” (Loud Mouth)

Flux is the second release from Sydney quartet Delay 45, Flux. Flux expands yet refines their innovative and individual approach to performance with remarkable agility, musicality and finesse, demonstrating how they are one of the most exciting ensembles to emerge in recent years from Australia’s jazz and improvised music scene.

Led by award-winning trumpeter Tom Avgenicos, Delay 45 is a Sydney-based modern jazz group featuring close collaborators Roshan Kumarage (piano), Dave Quinn (bass) and Ashley Stoneham (drums). The group have gained recognition among peers, critics and audiences for their debut release Big Ears, with critics claiming "a bold new chapter in Australian jazz" (Sydney Morning Herald), and that they “have developed an approach to performing that is creative and individual…” (Loud Mouth).

Their latest work Flux explores notions of flow, movement and shape, ideas that have been developed over a number of years. Bandleader, composer and trumpeter Tom Avgenicos reflects, “an important part of the creative process was to consciously eschew the head-solo-head format commonly found in jazz, instead favouring a more fluid compositional approach that affords an interchangeable relationship between composition and improvisation.”

Moody compositions and open improvised solo sections form the foundation for evocative spaces where musical conversations occur. “It is this space where the ensemble comes into its own,” explains Avgenicos, “flowing seamlessly between structure and spontaneity, underpinned by our shared improvisational language and a deep musical relationship that stretches back as far as high school.”

Highlights include the spontaneous duets between Avgenicos and Kumarage where rich tonal playing from Avgenicos acts as a perfect fold for Kumarage’s minimalistic approach. Having undertaken intense study under Scott Tinkler since their first release, Avgenicos utilises an expanded improvisatory vocabulary of angular melodic lines and extended trumpet techniques. With mentors such as Matt McMahon and Carl Dewhurst, Kumarage displays an effortless sense of patience and ability to toy with musical ideas. Often the quiet achiever in Sydney’s jazz scene, bassist Dave Quinn emerges as an outstanding soloist performing a number of captivating solos. Drummer Ashley Stoneham performs with an exceptional dynamic spectrum, from subtle sonic textures to surges of intense energy. The album captures a sense of joy in music making of these kindred spirits.

Delay 45 is a Sydney-based modern jazz group led by award-winning trumpeter Tom Avgenicos, alongside close collaborators Roshan Kumarage (piano), Dave Quinn (bass) and Ashley Stoneham (drums). The group have gained recognition among peers, critics and audiences for their debut release Big Ears, with critics claiming "a bold new chapter in Australian jazz" (Sydney Morning Herald), and that they “have developed an approach to performing that is creative and individual…” (Loud Mouth).

Released alongside the album is the ‘Flux’ short film: an interdisciplinary collaboration between Delay 45, contemporary dancer Reina Takeuchi, film director Monisha Chippada and videographer Jack Single. Whilst the artists individually operate under contrasting disciplines, an important part of the creative process was for the artists to work and engage with each other’s creative practice, both actively and passively. The result is a deeper understanding of flow, movement and shape, and their function in the artists’ creative practices. Flux demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to a more nuanced understanding on a conceptual level which in turn can enhance the creative practice of the artist.

Tracklist:
1 01. Delay 45 - Hubris (04:35)
1 02. Delay 45 - Interlude 1 (01:20)
1 03. Delay 45 - I'll Come To The Next One (08:55)
1 04. Delay 45 - She (06:40)
1 05. Delay 45 - Foolish (07:58)
1 06. Delay 45 - Impermanence (05:24)
1 07. Delay 45 - Interlude 2 (03:06)
1 08. Delay 45 - Hindsight (04:56)
1 09. Delay 45 - Keep Away (01:51)