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Friday, the 23 rd of January 2026  #ZoeMartlew #DebutAlbum #inspiration #ContemporaryMusic #classical #classicalcontemporary    The wonderful, exciting Zoë Martlew has released her debut album Z. I’m listening right now, enjoying the thrilling sounds from all the performers in King’s Place. From apocalyptic soundscapes to riotous cabaret, it’s a feast for the ears. Zoë has had a stellar career as a cellist, so it’s wonderful to hear her emerging as a composer now, allowing a

Today, I have the job of tidying up the 4 th movement, Tide. All fifteen minutes are written. Most of it is orchestrated as the sounds in my head were mostly specific combinations of instrument. I still have to orchestrate the opening section as I didn’t have time in the moment of composition to do the full scoring.  I’ve been reflecting on the shape and scale of this last movement. It's in three section, following the architecture of the tide, starting with the calm stillne

I’ve just listened to the playback of the whole of the 4 th movement for the first time. Yesterday morning, only the middle section was complete. The rest was in fragments like a broken pot on the floor. There was some nice material and I had the structure mapped out in my notebook. The middle section rises through the modes. The final section settles back down returning to a triumphant D mixolydian. It’s an epic ending, founded on the big tune slowed down in the bass, with

This is supposed to be Jazz After Shopping.  L'Archiduc | Iconic Brussels Art Deco Bar | Cocktails & Live Music   For me, it’s jazz after composing.  Jazz at L'Archiduc 27 December 2025 Jazz After Shopping.MOV   It’s like a sorbet, cleansing the palette after a day immersed in the final section of the 4 th movement. This finale is based on an augmentation (slowing down) of the big tune in the bass – trombones, tuba, double bass. I’ve had the harmonic structure noted down in