Empirical feat. Ivo Neame and David Preston

A radical reworking of drummer Shaney Forbes’ unconventional long-form suite, first issued as a selfreleased EP, the album unfolds as an uninterrupted 51-minute musical story. Originally conceived during the pandemic, Like Lambs: To The Slaughter explores ever-more relevant questions around the human capacity for independent thought versus herd-like behaviour, and the line between innocence and ignorance. Traversing the musical terrain between contemporary classical music, soundscape, post-bop and free jazz, the music often reflects our frantic, split-attention world where individualism reigns supreme, but also represents a refusal to relinquish faith in the possibility of spiritual and intellectual enlightenment.

With this album Empirical have created an astounding and formally cohesive new articulation of their unique sonic world, made possible by the exceptional virtuosity, musical empathy and daring emotional expressiveness that make Empirical stand out consistently on the musical landscape.

This event will last for approximately 90 minutes without an interval.

Reviews

‘Empirical’s music is complex, and sometimes knotty, but they consistently engage their listeners’ emotions in a straightforward way which demands a response. That in itself is quite unusual in this kind of jazz.’ The Blue Moment

‘Empirical is still a reliable touchstone of contemporary British jazz at its most sophisticated.’ Jazzwise

‘Empirical, around for an astonishing 15 years already, are one of the great British contributions to European jazz.’ Downbeat