Exploring the Small World with Ensemble C
I’ve written a few articles now about how artists have recorded a piece of work pre-pandemic, but then released it, you know, during the apocalypse. It’s significant because the inability to go out and perform or promote these works massively affects their overall consumption. Consequently, I didn’t come across the debut album by Ensemble C, released in July 2020, until just some weeks ago. The thing about great music though is that people will always find it. This is about an album called ‘Small World’.
Ensemble C. From left to right - Brigitte Beraha, Jack Davies, Rob Cope, Claire Cope, Jon Ormston, Ed Babar and Tom Varrall.
Ensemble C are a jazz band formed by band leader, pianist and composer Claire Cope. Claire studied at The Royal Northern College Of Music and later recorded and performed as part of The Claire James Trio. This ensemble would grace the stages at the Manchester and London Jazz Festivals and as part of the BBC Proms Plus Series as broadcast on BBC Radio 3. Since then, Cope has composed the original score for Rob Cope’s 2019 film about jazz trumpeter Richard Turner and much more. Outside of writing and performing, Claire is also a dedicated piano teacher and grade examiner, herself having achieved grade 8 in piano at 13 and grade 8 in flute at 14.
Joining Claire in Ensemble C are Brigitte Beraha on vocals, Rob Cope on tenor saxophone, Jack Davies on trumpet, Jon Ormston on drums, Ed Babar on electric and double bass, and Tom Varrall on guitar. Ensemble C went into the studio to record their debut album ‘Small World’ in September 2019, which was released on digital download at the end of July 2020.
Small World begins with a short introduction of fading in synth textures played by Claire. It’s almost as if what we’re hearing isn’t the full sound, like some frequencies have been reduced down to give the air that the listener is submerged in a large body of water, that is until the rest of Ensemble C make themselves known. Brigitte Beraha’s clear voice cuts through with her notes mimicked by Rob Cope on tenor saxophone. Further back is Jack Davies on trumpet, while Jon Ormston maintains a light touch at the drums. Tom Varrall and Ed Babar support the piece on guitar and bass, and before you know it, the band rest in silence.
‘A Day In A Life’ puts more of a spotlight on Tom Varrall’s guitar playing, who opens the proceedings in clean runs up the fretboard before the rhythm section joins. For a moment it’s the three of them, along with Claire, who are then joined by brass, woodwind and Beraha’s musical tones. The lead instruments drop in and out with such precision, but work together well. Rob Cope takes a solo while Davies and Beraha rest. The recording quality and mix gives such a depth to this piece, you can make out the air travelling through the reed as Cope breathes into his saxophone. A Day In A Life really comes into it’s own during Cope’s solo as the band picks up his spirit and runs with it, with the conclusion returning to Varrall’s guitar introduction. To finish, the entire band including Brigitte Beraha and Jack Davies drive for one more round, bringing the piece back close to where it started.
On Ensemble C’s Bandcamp page, Claire explains the origins of each of the tracks. For ‘Spirited’, the inspiration is derived from ‘very special trips to Kenya and, in particular, the slums of Kibera in Nairobi.’ Spirited begins with Ed Babar’s upright bass playing and brush work from Jon Ormston. For a few moments Claire’s piano playing peeks around the curtain before hiding again. Far from being a lead player in this work overall, Claire Cope composes in favour of her band, shining a light on her ensemble around her. Rob Cope also takes a brief solo, in general the feel of Spirited is more laid back than A Day In A Life. Once again the beautiful recording quality puts you in the room as you hear every slide and slap of the strings on Babar’s upright bass. Brigitte Beraha’s voice is such a comfort here that drifts away towards the end of the piece, taking the rest of the band with it and leaving just bass and drums.
I love this introduction to the album’s title track, Claire Cope’s piano playing bouncing around with Jon Ormston’s rolls on the snare. Beraha joins in with Jack Davies, almost as if they are of one mind. The band drops out and we hear a solo from Davies for the first time – if you close your eyes and think not very hard at all, you’re almost in the room with Ensemble C here. The thought-process behind Small World is that it ‘celebrates all that is the same and yet necessarily different within our many cultures’.
After Davies’ solo, Claire takes the spotlight, moving over the keys with complete ease and fluidity like loose change rolling across a hardwood floor. When Brigitte Beraha returns, she brings the whole band back with her, those accented parts are needle sharp! To the left is Rob Cope playing more sustained notes which hold the piece together as Beraha solos over the top of it. The sax, trumpet and vocal cuts out and we’re left with the same accented parts, but just performed by Claire and the rhythm section. Ormston’s playing here is superb, and finally the band are back for a repeat of Small World’s melodic signature before the end.
The Sea of Tranquility is the location on the Moon on which the Apollo 11 astronauts touched down in their lunar module, as depicted in the Damien Chazelle directed ‘First Man’, released in 2018. It was this and the accompanying soundtrack by Justin Hurwitz (who also composed the soundtrack to La La Land) that inspired this particular composition.
The opening synth part is not dissimilar to Small World’s album introduction, the bare accompaniment from Brigitte Beraha is a change in style from the rest of the album so far, blending well with the soft synthesizer tone. Ed Babar’s accompanying notes are gentle and sparse, as is Jon Ormston’s playing. Tom Varrall’s guitar performance is supportive of Claire’s synth part, on which she remains for the rest of the track. In a twist of mixing, Beraha’s voice splits into two, panned left and right in different vocal parts, a trick not yet seen on Small World. In the aftermath sizzling of cymbals, Claire and Brigitte wander the Sea of Tranquility alone, slowly fading out as they get further away.
‘“Eyes Open” is essentially a lullaby, inspired primarily by the birth of my beautiful niece Emma, that celebrates the feelings of peace and hope that come with all new life.’
‘Eyes Open’ begins with Claire playing piano solo. You can hear the gentle lifting of the sustain pedal, all the little clunks and pressing of the keys that comes with playing the real thing. This solo spot from Claire is enchanting, you can almost feel the hushed quiet from the rest of the band or the team in the control room.
As Claire settles into the rhythm of padding chords, Tom Varrall accompanies on guitar before being joined by Jon Ormston on brushes. Brigitte Beraha enhances the feel of the lullaby with her wordless vocal improvisation. A spoonful of reverb opens Beraha’s voice out as it overlaps upon itself. Ed Babar beefs up the low end prior to Varrall taking a solo with that full-bodied mid-range sound from a bridge pick-up. Beraha rejoins the ensemble after the guitar solo, with Rob Cope and Jack Davies audible for the first time on Eyes Open. For a moment I thought this composition would finish with the whole band, but it’s stripped back to piano and guitar in its last seconds to remind you of its lullaby roots.
‘The Time Is Now’ is not a cover of Moloko’s track of the same name, though that would be impressive in a special Ensemble C arrangement. No, this is an original by Claire Cope about living in the moment. Unlike Eyes Open, this one comes straight in with the band - piano, drums and bass, full of rhythm, Claire’s hands skate over the keys and Jon’s beat is largely a hi-hat led affair. Brigitte Beraha leads the band, following the rhythm and the melody with her vocal before Claire takes a piano solo. Here, Ormston becomes more assertive at the drums, switching to ride cymbal and a more emotive snare drum. Claire’s solo here is one of my favourite moments from Small World, showing freedom and abandon in her playing without compromising her position. Jack Davies sounds great in this track, at times competing with Beraha for sonic space. Eventually we do hear Rob Cope too in the left channel (with Jack in the right). The dynamic of this track and the combination of the interesting parts make The Time Is Now my favourite piece on Small World overall.
‘“Travelling Again” is a song that sets the words of the great Chinese poet Du Fu, taken from his poem dated 761 of the same title. Apparently written following a second visit to the Temple for Cultivating Enlightenment in Chengdu, the words conjure the image of a weary traveller finding joy in the beauty of his surroundings. However, the words may also be indicative not only of a resting place for the present, but also for the future and at the end of life.’
‘Travelling Again’ begins with lively piano playing from Claire Cope, full of hope and spring in its step. A flick of the strings from Tom Varrall, a drum fill from Jon Ormston and we’re away. It’s refreshing to hear Brigitte Beraha’s pure voice singing lyrics this time, set to Claire’s music; ‘I remember the temple, this route I’ve travelled before. I recall the bridge, as I cross it again…’
You can’t help but focus on the lyric, but the music is supportive of the words as the band stride forwards. It’s interesting to see Ensemble C arrange themselves around a song rather than a wider jazz composition - I think they do a tremendous job. There’s still a healthy helping of Beraha’s vocal improvisations, and as Claire breaks out of the forward stride, she comes out for a piano solo with Ed Babar continuing her part on bass. Following this is a solo from Varrall, which reminds me more of the rock and roll guitar solos from the 1950’s, no doubt also influenced by jazz music.
Following the solos is a reprise of Du Fu’s words, with Ensemble C slipping back into the pacey backing. I love the sound of this band when everyone plays together. The trumpet and saxophone really raise the intensity of the piece, certainly as Travelling Again heads for its finale. You couldn’t add anything more to it, and you wouldn’t dare take anything away.
The simply titled ‘Outro’ is similar to Small World’s introduction with Claire Cope on synthesizer, though the drum fill from Jon Ormston feels like a gunshot to the chest as he brings in the rest of the band. Brigitte Beraha holds sustained notes with Rob Cope and Jack Davies as Claire switches to piano. Ormston’s touch is hard on the cymbals. If there is such a term as ‘heavy jazz’, then this is surely it. But more certain than that is that this is the end of Small World, and what a way to go out.
Read on for our interview with Ensemble C’s composer and band-leader Claire Cope. She tells us about the writing and recording of Small World and how the band were brought together. Claire tells us more about the meaning behind ‘Spirited’ and her trips to Kenya, as well as the origins of the album’s ‘Intro’ and ‘Outro’ pieces. Finally, we talk about some of Claire’s other work and her future endeavours!
Ensemble C. From left to right - Brigitte Beraha, Jack Davies, Ed Babar, Rob Cope, Claire Cope, Tom Varrall and Jon Ormston.
1. You released your debut record 'Small World' with your band Ensemble C in the summer of 2020, what was the timeframe for writing all this great material?
Some of the tunes are quite old, and some very new! There were a few years in which I was trying to compose music, but didn’t yet have an aim for it (i.e no band or specific album idea yet). I had the sound in my head, though, so I was exploring ideas for a septet long before I asked anyone if they would be able to join the ensemble. Once we had rehearsed, though, that gave me the impetus for writing some new material. The tune ‘Travelling Again’ came together really quickly after that, for instance.
2. The album was recorded at Temple Studio in London, what was the experience of working with Justin Hill and Tim Redpath like?
It was a great experience! It is a great studio – big space, well set up and with a beautiful Yamaha grand piano. Justin and Tim worked really well together – Tim is a musician who we know, so he was able to read the charts and get a feel of the structure and dynamic of each piece quite quickly. That was really helpful as we only had one day to record everything.
3. You've said that 'Spirited' is inspired by trips to Kenya, would you tell us more about those trips?
In 2015 and 2016, my husband and I travelled to Kenya with the Volunteers Foundation. This is a very small, but incredible charity run by a wonderful lady called Monica Dan. The main focus of the charity is to provide high quality education for children living in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, one of the biggest slums in Kenya. The charity supports a number of children, at first by providing their school fees and ensuring they were provided with a hot meal each day, but now, amazingly, through the establishment of their own nursery and primary school. Monica, with the help of the exceptional educators in Kenya who are involved with the project, is completely committed to providing a high quality education to these children, including school trips, extra-curricular activities and, since 2015, music! During our first trip, we set up a choir with the children and worked towards giving a concert after one week of rehearsals. We also set up individual and group recorder, piano and theory lessons. In the second year we went back to work with the choir again, and to give individual piano and recorder lessons. It was amazing to see the progress and how much the children had been enjoying their music lessons with their Kenyan teacher, who Monica employed in 2015.
4. You've previously explained the inspiration behind each of the tracks except for the Intro and Outro - what are the origins behind those?
They came more from an exploration of a certain sound world I wanted to create. I really liked the ambient/ethereal quality of the synth sound I found, and I had also been listening a lot to Azimuth, an amazing record created by John Taylor, Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler which uses a lot of hypnotic synth loops. I also wanted to explore the idea of the voice acting like an instrument on top of the trumpet and saxophone, like a three part chorale.
5. I love the piano sound in 'Eyes Open', what piano did you use to record your parts at Temple Studio?
It was a Yamaha baby grand – I don’t know exactly the model – but it is a really beautiful instrument! It has a very clear and bright sound, which I love, and great depth in the lower register.
6. The cover-art by Lydia Orange really suits this material, did you give her much direction of what you wanted?
She is an incredible artist! I told her the concept of the album and gave her some direction with regards the sketchy/illustrative design (I really like, for instance, the way the game ‘Journey’ is designed and the look of the characters in that). But Lydia came up with the rest and the beautiful colour combinations.
7. Ensemble C is a band of superb players! How did you meet everyone and how did you put the band together?
Yes, they are all incredible players and composers themselves! I am so lucky to have been able to make this record with them. My husband plays saxophone, and I love to play with him. He has so much energy and spontaneity when he plays. I have known Jack Davies, who plays trumpet, for many years as we studied at the Royal Northern College of Music together. I have always loved his playing, his musicianship and his approach to improvisation. That is the same for Jon Ormston, who plays drums, who I have also known since my time at music college. He is a really fantastic musician, so versatile and so fun to play with. Ed, who plays bass, I met quite a few years back after moving to London, probably through my husband Rob, as they have played together lots. He is a brilliant and very versatile musician. Tom and Brigitte I did not know at all, really, before getting the ensemble together but I desperately wanted them both to be involved! Tom is an amazing guitarist and very busy with lots of different projects, but he brought so much colour and imagination to the album. With regards to Brigitte, I have long admired her abilities as an improviser and composer through her work with various bands such as Babelfish. I was so happy she could be involved as the beautiful quality of her voice and the way she approaches improvisation was exactly what I had imagined when I was putting the band together in my head.
8. Going further back, what inspired your love of jazz originally?
I grew up listening to such a wide variety of music, but I always loved improvising on the piano as I was learning, and trying to play songs by ear. When I was in my teens, I remember studying Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis in music lessons, so I started exploring music like that on my own. I also listened to jazz shows on the radio a lot and started buying more and more albums until I had a better understanding of some of the history of the genre. I was also lucky that my local arts centre, in Lincoln, had a great jazz night every month so I started hearing more and more contemporary jazz as I grew up. I didn’t really understand how to progress as a jazz musician, or really learn properly the necessary harmony and theory, until I was at music college, though.
9. You composed the piano score for 'Richard Turner: A Life In Music', what was that experience like?
This was a really special experience, and I am so glad to have been involved in this amazing project. I was closely involved with the journey of making the film anyway, helping my husband with some of the interviews and editing, so I already felt very connected with the story when he asked me to write some music to accompany it. I knew it needed to be intimate, sometimes intense, but at the same time delicate, so I listened to a lot of solo piano music and miniature pieces. I have always loved Chris Hyson’s two Eps for solo piano, performed by Kit Downes, ‘Alive With Closed Eyes’ and ‘Little Moon Man’, which have very clear and concise ideas, but are so beautifully expressed.
10. Outside of music, as if the past year wasn't crazy enough, you hope to cycle from Land’s End to John O' Groats in 2021 - how does anyone prepare for something like that?
I had hoped to – but now I think this will not happen due to obvious circumstances!!! It is something I have wanted to do for years. Being outdoors is really important to me. I love hiking, cycling and running and am lucky enough to live in the Surrey Hills where you can do all three in abundance and still not come across too many people. I am also really into adventure travel/challenges and I love listening to a podcast called ‘Tough Girl Challenges’ which is all about amazing women who have done amazing things in sport, travel or in the world in general. I have done a few longer cycles and long distance walks, but cycling the length of our amazing country has always had a certain magic to it, in my opinion. I just love a journey where you know you have an aim to arrive somewhere, but don’t know exactly what you will see along the way! I try and exercise as much as possible, and have an indoor bike I can also train on, but when the time comes, it will be getting out and doing longer rides at the weekend, and hill training, that will be the most important preparation.
11. I've reviewed material by artists who are currently attending the Royal Northern College Of Music, what advice would you give them about post-graduate life?
I struggled quite a lot with my musical identity after leaving college and being in such an intense environment. So, I would say, make sure you have a really good balance in your life. As important as music is, it is important to find the other things in life that make you happy. I would also say, it is OK to leave college and want to do something else, even for a short while, or find other passions. Leaving college and not being a full time musician does not mean that you have failed! On top of that, be patient with yourself. There is so much life left after College when you are in your early twenties – you don’t have to try and achieve everything you want to immediately. In many ways, I am only just starting to figure that out now, a decade later!
12. Since artists have for the most part been unable to work, have you had more time to write new material?
I have been extremely busy teaching online during both lockdowns, but I did start to get really motivated to write new music before Christmas and now have a project in mind that I am really excited about. I also have some other compositional work and goals set for this year which I am looking forward to exploring. I am just so excited to learn more and more about composing, and the past year has really taught me that that is the direction I want my life to go in now, alongside my educational commitments.
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Download a copy of Ensemble C’s ‘Small World’ album directly from their Bandcamp page here.
For more information about Claire Cope and the extent of her musical output, visit her official website.
Keep up to date with Claire Cope on Twitter @ClaireECope.
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