Hayward/Challenger/Doyne-Ditmas and Leverton Fox at Cafe Oto 23rd Jan 2010

We had a blast playing with Leverton Fox (with new member Sam Britton on laptop) on Saturday night at Oto, thanks for those who came down and thanks to promoters and label Gravid Hands for putting it on.

After accidentally missing Glockenspiel's set (sorry guys-we were in the wonderful Shanghai Chinese restaurant near Kingsland Station) it was great to hear the Charles Hayward group. It is refreshing to hear improvised music that is not afraid move into in time grooves, the great no-no of much of the improv scence. I've heard Tom refer to this open mindedness as a 'South London' improvisers mentality!
Tom certainly knows how to not get boxed in playing on grooves as he demonstrated with tireless energy and creativity. A particular favorite moment of mine was when Hayward played bowls (see one of the photos) creating a very intimate soundscape with the the other two members.

The rise and rise of Cafe Oto has been amazing to watch, in many ways summing up my favorite aspects of London (which seem harder and harder to find but that's another story): diverse, open minded people going to see refreshingly uncompromising music in a forward thinking independently run venue. Unfortunately in the weekends the ambient talking level is too high for my taste as a listener and performer (a problem always scrupulously avoided at The Vortex). It means that it feels very lonely when the band's volume drops below a certain threshold. I suppose this is the price you pay for an audience comprising as much of curious post pub Dalstonites as die hard improv fans. However if the audience for this music is going to expand as a result I'll live with it!  Nevertheless a great night was had by all.

----Alex