'These are tracks that you give yourself over to. Percussion crinkles, piano punctuates, pedal steel swoons, the footsteps of the bass guitar, the infinity of space that the hurdy gurdy and Omnichord provide, and the radio effects and electronics swirl in and around the instruments and non-instruments, like using the typewriter as a percussive instrument on the title track. And throughout is George’s spoken word, his part-surreal, part fantastical, part realist take on the world around him. A narrator from liminal space. There is remarkable cohesion for music that was built on improvisation, but this often happens with people who trust in each other as much as the process.' (from review in Joyzine by Paul Cook 14 02 23 )
'Never give in to the beige, for that way lays stagnation, explore far beyond what you think is the safe haven in the storm, for only when we find the islands, the islets and atolls are we assured of finding the unexplored depths to which we can find a different kind of pleasure that awaits. Such is the gift of Rookery Ensemble’s Islets of Langerhans; a native’s welcome is pledged.'
( by Ian D Hall - Liverpool Sound and Vision 06.02.2023 )
Read the story of how the album Islets of Langerhans came about.
------------------------------------------------------------
'managing to create a good tension between something very intimate and personal grieving and a sci-fi distopian and gritty political scape.' - Francesca Le Nave (Poet and Art Therapist)
These recordings were originally made by Erik Moore on Monday 2 December 2019 at Rookery Towers, High View Road in Crystal Palace with Improvisations by Alison O’Melia - Piano, Harpsichord, Percussion, Voices; George Harris - Electronics, Typewriter, Melodica and Percussion with Voices; Erik Moore - Bass Guitar, Percussion; Mark Hill - Electronics and Radio Effects ... All fuelled by home made curry cooked up by George on his birthday.
Just a week or so after recording session Alison went into hospital for the Christmas / New Year period 2019 - 2020.
Anything creative took the back seat in this time and care was priority. This did include some writing into notepads for George on his travels to and throu work and then to hospital visiting Alison. In this time we started to hear about the beginnings of Covid in far off parts. Alison came out of hospital in late January 2020 with some returning visits in the weeks after when she was given her diagnosis which took some time to take in as it was serious and terminal, but no time frame at that stage. At this moment initial connections were made with St Christopher's and Alison's Palliative care.
This led into the next line in recording narratives after some time beginning with a film soundtrack for the Crystal Palace Festival taking place before initial lockdown. Where Exquisite Placements and In The Tic Toc were both put together with footage made by Erik Moore and George Harris. The sound was added to with some over dubs of Voice, Bowed Dulcimer by George and Omnichord by David Rothon respectively. This was also a time where George added Flugelhorn to some other tracks along with some initial Vocal tracks.
Then and around this time in the initial lockdown of 2020 George and Alison did a few online gigs under the name Rookery from their living room with virtual help from Erik Moore. The same living room the initial recordings of this album took place. With the last performance happening in November. Around this time or before as unsure of time distortion Alison spent a couple of weeks trying out St Christopher's Hospice as a semi inpatient before things really took hold. Throughout, Alison's health was fluctuating after being diagnosed at the beginning of the year with a terminal condition, and so gaps and time to care for Alison were prioritised,; but we did have some moments 'to just be' until her sad passing in December 2020.
As part of the grieving process, writing words was the initial focus of help for George, with some of the resulting work becoming part of the album Islets Of Langerhans. This title was once an alternative name to Rookery that Alison wanted to use.
So in 2021, around February March, George and Erik decided to complete the album and gradually put it together through a process of time.
This was simultaneously initiated by chatting to Demi Sabat Garcia in a super market and the conversation resulted in him putting drums on two tracks.
Jessica Cahill recorded some Hurdy Gurdy drones, giving both artists the choice to do what they felt on the tracks. Keeping the spirit of the initial improvisations in the overdubs, David Rothon also added more to the tracks including some Pedal Steel and Omnichord. We also wanted to keep the spirit of initial ensemble. So we asked Mitzy Valentine to do some Vocal and Flute. Mitzy came down from the Midlands to record on three of the tracks once it was safe to do so in London.
All later recordings took place at Sydenham Opera House and the musicians houses when lockdown was preventing all to meet in 2021.
The cover has artworks that were created by Alison as part of some art therapy sessions with St Christophers Hospice in their care for her in 2020. So some of the profits from sales of this album will be donated to St Christophers Hospice Charity.
The title Islets of Langerhans is a medical term /ˈlaŋəhanz/
groups of pancreatic cells secreting insulin and glucagon
This Album of Sounds, Words, Songs and Improvisation is here as a tribute to Alison O’Melia x
An artist, musician, therapist, lover, partner, daughter, sister, auntie, reader, speaker, teacher, lecturer, campaigner and friend.
As half of the Sales of this album will go to St Christopher's Hospice to help in their work and care with people going through an end of life and the work with those going through bereavement afterwards. We would like you to concider donating aswell via this link
www.stchristophers.org.uk/donate Thanks x
released February 14, 2023
Musicians Involved -
Alison O’Melia - Piano / Harpischord / Percussion / Voices and Whispers
George E Harris - Spoken and Sung Voices / Bowed Dulcimer / Electronics / Flugelhorn / Melodica / Percussion
Mark Hill - Radio Effects / Electronics / Voices / Percussion
Erik Moore - Bass Guitar / Percussion / Voices
Mitzy Valentine - Sung Voices / Flute
David Rothon - Omnichord / Pedal Steel
Jessica Cahill - Hurdy Gurdy Drones
Demi Garcia Sabat - Drums / Percussion
G Reel to Reel Tape Machine Pulse / Glockensparkle
with The Typewriter Orchestra
All Layouts and Design - Skoot 2023
Vinyl Album Insert Printed by John Barrett - Words & Pictures / Crystal Palace
Vinyl Album and Cover Manufactured by
Deepgrooves.eu
Produced at The Sydenham Opera House / Crystal Palace by Erik Moore
All Spoken Words by George E Harris
Sung Words by Mitzy Valentine
Mastered by Pete Maher
www.petemaher.com
All Compositions © Rookery Ensemble 2023
