When Soft Machine makes its Hastings debut this October, HJF audiences will encounter a band nearly sixty years in the making.
Soft Machine emerged from the Canterbury scene of the late ’60s, where pop whimsy and psychedelia became entangled with progressive rock, jazz and free-improvisation. Alongside groups such as Caravan, Gong and Hatfield and the North, the scene has become known for giving birth to its own sound – experimental, eccentric and distinctively English.
“Soft Machine is such a broad church,” says multi-instrumentalist Theo Travis. “Each version of the band has had its own vibe, but within this wide range of sounds, there is a thread.”
The current unit brings Theo, guitarist John Etheridge, bassist Fred Thelonious Baker and drummer Asaf Sirkis.
John joined Soft Machine in 1975, replacing Allan Holdsworth during the Karl Jenkins era. Fifty years later, his enthusiasm for the present line-up is undeniable. “This is the best Soft Machine I’ve ever been in,” he says. “In fact, this is the best band I’ve ever been in, full stop.”
Soft Machine concerts are not an exercise in nostalgia or a band of replacements reproducing a celebrated back catalogue. This new iteration are protective of the Soft Machine legacy while remaining determined to evolve with every performance.
“With this band, there is quite a lot of written and arranged material,” Theo explains, “but on the other hand, there are tracks where it’s nearly completely open.”
Their new album, Thirteen, carries the same spirit, moving smoothly between composition, jazz-rock, electronics and free improvisation.
“We like to mix the new material with the classic repertoire,” says Theo, “bringing it all to the gig.”
The interview offered a revealing glimpse into the band’s creative life. Hearing musicians discuss composition, improvisation and communication with another musician made for a particularly natural and insightful conversation.
This will be Soft Machine’s first appearance in Hastings as a band, although John and Theo have both previously performed locally through Jazz Hastings, during John Donaldson’s time at the helm.
For local audiences, it is a rare opportunity to hear an internationally important band at a particularly strong point in its evolution. Soft Machine may have nearly sixty years behind it, but this performance is about where the music goes next.
This interview was completed by bassist Simon Thorpe. Simon and his new project Fuzz Kitchen have recently completed the first self-titled album inspired by the Canterbury Sound. The album Fuzz Kitchen will be released on September 20th and a special live performance showcasing the new material will take place at 8pm September 24th at The Piper in St. Leonards.
The full interview can be seen here!
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Tickets for Soft Machine at Hastings Jazz Festival
