Words and images from Alan Dearling who recently caught up with them in live action, having only seen them previously on video from Leeds in 2023.
Nova.sol created a sonic jazz storm at Hebden’s Trades Club yesterday for the Sunday Easy afternoon session. Exuberant, energetic and even at times, frenetic. Exciting, modern jazz created by a lively, young six-piece from Leeds. Well worth experiencing live, especially as theirs is still very much a ‘work-in-progress’. New projects, new sounds…wonderful stuff! Here are a few images from the gig… Do share the vibes!!! They look pretty cool too…
And here too is a little rough and ready video clip of Nova.sol in the jazz-raw, ‘storming’ from the Trades Club:
Fronted by the trumpet playing bundle of effervescent, bouncing energy that is Ernie Moore, Nova.sol is a six-headed hydra – a loosely experimental, alternative jazz outfit from Leeds. They describe their music as, “…blending jazz fusion with high-energy improvisation. Inspired by artists like Alfa Mist and corto.alto”. Their latest mini tour in support of the release of the ‘Cornerstone’ EP has confirmed the hard-hitting big, bold grooves and triumphant solos that feature throughout their show. They sold out at their debut headline show at Hyde Park Book Club whilst playing alongside Steam Down, Ife Ogunjobi, and TC and The Groove Family. And recently, they also headlined at the famed, Brudenell Social Club, at the Leeds Jazz Festival.
As evinced in their live show, the individual players show considerable skills on sax, trumpet, flute, bass, percussion, keys and guitar. An impressive and sassy array of sounds and bountiful, powerful kinetic waves of energy. Lots of the material is ‘no name’, works that are continuously developing each time they gain a play-through to live audiences. The Trades Club Sunday Easy crowd loved them! Many in the Hebden Bridge auditorium also laughed out loud, when Ernie quipped that the whole band are lesbians, so it was great to be in the UK Capital!
Their debut singles, ‘Sanguine’, ‘Haven’ and ‘In Between’ have earned them plenty of airplay on BBC Radio 3, Jazz FM, and Soho Radio. And they are set to become festival faves with slots at We Out Here and Leeds Jazz Festival. “Their reputation for killer live shows is growing. The Leeds jazz scene is always buzzing with great new artists. Nova.sol are leading the next generation. Definitely ones to watch for in 2025.” Lubi Jovanovic, One Jazz Radio.
It will be absolutely fascinating to watch them develop and hone their individual and collective skills. They could even develop in a dance direction, with deep grooves and blending jazz into funk and club grooves like some kind of Massive Attack for 2025 and beyond, and perhaps bringing in guest vocalists and other experimental sound creators. Just a thought!
Bandcamp: https://nova-sol.bandcamp.com/
Nova.sol @ Put Yourself Out There, 19th September 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVNW3RBCFuM
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