Beware of the Bear
The new album from multi-award-winning musician, phil meadows. Dropping July 26th 2021.
'A great stage presence and an unforgettable instrumental style... Meadows has a formidable reputation as an innovative composer' - Jazzwise Magazine.
★★★★ The Guardian ★★★★ Jazzwise ★★★★ All About Jazz
Album Launch Show: Ronnie Scott’s, London. July 26th 2021
Phil's Press Coverage:
'A great stage presence and an unforgettable instrumental style.'
'Meadows has a formidable reputation as an innovative composer'
- JAZZWISE MAGAZINE
'Inventive and expressive' - THE GUARDIAN
‘The versatile and likeable Meadows is one of the most promising emerging jazz talents that we have’
- THE JAZZ MANN
★★★★ The Guardian ★★★★ Jazzwise ★★★★ All About Jazz
Press Release
Times are tough, confusion is high and nobody knows what’s going on right now! But what we are learning, is that you always need to BEWARE OF THE BEAR!
Beware of the Bear combines Meadows’ multi-award winning jazz roots with his passion for ambient-electronica; his love of improvisation with the world of found-sounds and balances his affection for exploring texture with a knack for writing the catchiest of melodies, head nodding, toe tapping grooves and an openness that allows his bands’ creativity to shine.
Bears might look soft and cuddle, but behind their huggable exterior is an unpredictable beast of nature that will do what it takes to survive. Meadows’ third album transports the listener into a state of transit, telling personal tales that twist and turn juxtaposing the most beautiful moments of life with the very confusion that surrounds our planet and puts our happiness, health and well-being on the edge.
For this record Meadows’ has teamed up with three of London’s finest live instrumentalists; guitarist Michael De Souza (Big Bad Wolf), bassist Joe Downard (LonoLono/Waaju) and drummer Jay Davis (Big Bad Wolf/Alex Hitchcock) alongside electronic artist Nick Tyson (Gentleman’s Dub Club/XOA) and producer Mikko Gordon (Thom Yorke/Matthew Herbert) to create a hybrid of electronic and live music that melds into a unique sound, influenced by the beautiful music of GoGo Penguin, Portico Quartet, Mammal Hands, Bonobo and Bill Laurance.
At this critical time, Meadows is releasing an album that reminds people of how magnificent the world can be, providing they stay alert and BEWARE OF THE BEAR.
Your help spreading this music as far and wide as possible is hugely appreciated as musicians try to carve out a career for the ‘new normal.’
Phil's Performance Highlights:
CONDUCTOR: 101Barz x Metropole Orkest
TV Broadcast for NPO 3 ft. Frenna, Winne & Feis, Broedeliefde, Adje, Hef, Crooks, Latifah, Mocro Maniac, Jonna Fraser, Kevin.
SAXOPHONE - Matthew Herbert Brexit Big Band
Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Jazz Middelheim, Brussels Flagey, Barbican, We Out Here.
CONDUCTOR: Dave Maric's Decade Zero - Phronesis + Engines Orchestra.
EFG London Jazz Fesitval, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, BBC Radio 3, Mezzo TV.
ORCHESTRATOR/CONDUCTOR - The Music of Ingrid Jensen w/ Engines Orchestra.
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club.
COMPOSER/SAXOPHONIST: Gateshead International Jazz Festival commission. Royal Northern Sinfonia + Jambone Big Band + Phil Meadows Group.
Sage Gateshead - Hall One.
BANDLEADER: Phil Meadows' Beware of the Bear - UK Tours 2017/18.
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Cambridge Jazz Festival, Pizza Express Jazz Club. Bedford Jazz Festival, OPEK Leuven.
SAXOPHONE/ORCHESTRAL MD: Femi Temowo - The Music is the Feeling - 2016-18.
Love Supreme Jazz Festival, London African Music Festival, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Rich Mix, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, BBC Radio 3.
BANDLEADER: Phil Meadows Group - UK Tours 2015 + 2013.
Gateshead International Jazz Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Scarborough Jazz Festival.
SECTION LEADER: National Youth Jazz Orchestra 2012-2014.
BBC Prom's, Snape Maltings, Sage Gateshead - Hall One.