Soft Machine - live at DEYA

DEYA x Byrd Out presents: SOFT MACHINE

Soft Machine is one of the greatest avant/jazz-rock bands of all time. Their work, from their earliest performances as a psychedelic band, who were contemporaries of, and shared stages with Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, all the way to being one of Europe’s best known ‘fusion’ bands has influenced several generations of bands, and continues to be name-checked by today’s hip experimentalists. 

And yes, they really are coming to DEYA, for what promises to be a really special night on Thursday 15 February. We clocked Soft Machine playing Leeds Jazz Festival earlier this year and thought, let’s make it happen!

This band is rooted in the celebrated 70’s version of the legendary group which recorded the acclaimed ‘Softs’ album in 1975, led by John Etheridge, and completed by outstanding sax star Theo Travis (Robert Fripp/David Gilmour/Steven Wilson). Since 2021 Roy Babbington retired from public performance and his chosen successor on the bass is Fred Thelonious Baker who has been a musician on the Canterbury scene for over 30 years – being a regular collaborator with the late Elton Dean, with Hugh Hopper and with guitarist Phil Miller (In Cahoots/Hatfield and the North). The band plays material from the era (compositions by Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge, Karl Jenkins) as well as many works by members of the band, as featured on their latest studio album ‘Other Doors’, and their recent acclaimed live album recorded in Los Angeles ‘Live at the Baked Potato’.

Whilst the line-up of Soft Machine may have changed many times since the heady days of the late 1960’s, the band’s spirit of musical adventure, and the ease with which it freely avoids being pigeon holed and can move from powerful progressive jazz fusion to atmospheric psychedelia to free improvised jazz-rock to ambient loop music continues to make it both unique and totally contemporary.

Just as the original Soft Machine was in a state of continual metamorphosis in terms of both personnel and musical approach – shape-shifting over time from a psychedelic pop band, to a proto–prog rock outfit, to pioneers of adventurous jazz-rock fusion, and ranging from trio to septet configurations – Soft Machine and formerly Soft Machine Legacy has been in constant flux as members have come and gone, each new arrival placing his distinctive stamp on this musical work in progress. It is a tribute to the open-ended nature of Soft Machine’s ingenious compositional frameworks that they can accommodate such a wide range of strong musical personalities.

This is Soft Machine – a living, breathing music that is as vital and relevant today as it ever was. Both long-time fans and new converts alike can take heart in the knowledge that the Soft Machine family tree — with its deep roots in the musical revolution of the ‘60s – continues to sprout healthy new limbs well into the new century, showing no signs of slowing. The legacy is in very good hands indeed.

John Etheridge – guitar

Theo Travis - saxophone, flute, keyboards

Fred Thelonious Baker - bass

Asaf Sirkis - drums

‘The band, of course, has a broad palette — from Metheny-like jazz-rock to anything-goes improvisation; from pastoral passages with Etheridge on acoustic to an ambient flutescape from Travis. Compact and to the point, nothing overstays its welcome.’ [The Times]

With support. Doors at 18.30.

Tickets: £18/£20/£25

18+.

As ever, if you need a free carer's ticket, drop Stephen a line at byrdout at gmail dot com.