Astral Pleasures

TCM jazz professors and Issie Barratt have made an album, Astral Pleasures, which has had rave reviews over the last 2 months, since the album's official launch on 10th November 2008. 8 of the 22 piece ensemble are TCM jazz professors. Those that are TCM staff comprise: Compositions written and directed by Issie Barratt, Flutes: Rowland Sutherland, Saxes and clarinets: Mark Lockheart, Mick Foster , Trumpets + Flugels: Steve Waterman, French Horn: Jim Rattigan, Trombone: Mark Bassey, Piano: Liam Noble and Guitar: Mike Outram. The album was produced by internationally renowned Mike Gibbs and it also had a guest artist from Sweden who has since won 3 awards and is also a professor at the Malmo Conservatoire.

Another 2 CD’s on the label are being released later in the year. One featuring the music of Mark Lockheart (another TCM professor)  and the other featuring Norma Winstone (one of TCM's masterclass artists for 2009) with arrangements by Mike Gibbs (who's probably coming to work with TCM students in November 2009).

To hear songs from the album see Issie’s My Space page: 

"The record is at once breathtaking." Mo-Jo Magazine.

"Brimming over with arresting music." The List
 
 " ... a plum pudding of an album, packed with riches, as if Barratt were anxious she would never be heard from again. No chance of that!" The Guardian

THE REVIEWS IN FULL:
 
THE LIST: January 2009
http://www.list.co.uk/article/15206-issie-barrett-astral-pleasures/

The Observer 9th November
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/09/issie-barratt-astral-review

The Guardian: 19th December
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/19/jazz-review-barratt-astral-pleas ures

The Independent 30th November
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-issie-ba

Allaboutjazz November 2008
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=31046

Vortex website
http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/cd-reviews/astral-pleasures.html

Voice of the North Jazz Orchestra at Georgian Theatre Stockton 23rd November 2008 
http://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2008/11/voice-of-north-jazz-orchestra-at.html