Wednesday 20 April 2022

 


Sunday 11 October 2020

CLASSICAL HISTORY OF GUITAR

Thursday 5 April 2018






























ONE DAY SESSION CURATED BY LAND OBSERVATIONS

The One Day Band sessions are an ongoing series of improvisations hosted by Trestle Records. Musicians, sometimes meeting for the first time, are invited to collaborate on a record made in a single day at a fully equipped and engineered studio in East London. The day’s recordings are then mixed and mastered before being uploaded into the archive.

http://www.trestlerec.com/onedaybands.html

ODB 14 was curated by James Scott Brooks who records under the monicker Land Observations, a London based artist known for minimalist, looped guitar compositions that progressively layer into propulsive rhythmical instrumentals. He has released two albums to date on Mute Records and is currently completing the third.

The session features Land Observations leading the way with repetitive finger picking bringing to mind the guitar style of 60,70's American primitivists such as Fahey and Basho and more recently Six Organs Of Admitance. The 12 string guitar flows ever forward setting the mood and rhythm. Gregson’s cello complements with a range of duties from melodic leads to textured dragging, drones and stacatto. The trumpet is also often played in long droning notes, mourneful and with additional effects creating delays and reverb resulting in an atmospheric quality that is beautifully symbiotic with Simon Fisher Turner’s electronic contributions.

"Having received the invitation to curate and record a one day session for the endlessly interesting Trestle Records, I realised it was an opportunity for me to finally improvise with the musicians, Simon Fisher-Turner, Peter Gregson, & Andrew Blick, who I had initially come into contact with during the recording and performing of SFT's Ivor Novello award winning film soundtrack The Epic of Everest. Gathering together at Holy Mountain studios, our intention for the improvised one day session was to explore the various timbres of a cello, trumpet, guitar, and drone ensemble', through a series of cyclical drum-less patterns of varying rhythmic and atmospheric densities.” James Scott Brooks/ Land Observations

Andrew Blick, Trumpet, Recorder, Sound Treatments
Peter Gregson, Cello
Land Observations, Acoustic 12 String, Electric 6 String Guitar
Simon Fisher Turner, Electronics

Sunday 15 October 2017

VERY PLEASED TO HAVE MUSIC INCLUDED IN THE BBC 4 DOCUMENTARY 'FLIGHTS OF FANCY' NARRATED BY MILES JUPP

Wednesday 27 September 2017





























PLEASED TO HAVE PROVIDED SOME UNRELEASED MUSIC TO THE PROJECT:
THE DARK OUTSIDE
TALNOTRY, SCOTLAND 
23-24 SEPTEMBER 2017

Wednesday 20 May 2015

I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE LAND OBSERVATIONS MUSIC WILL BE INCLUDED ON -
BBC RADIO 4's - BOOK OF THE WEEK - 'CHANNEL SHORE'

















TOM FORT TRAVELS FROM THE WHITE CLIFFS TO LAND'S END IN SEARCH OF MARITME TALES.


READ BY JONATHAN COY

ABRIDGED BY KATRIN WILLIAMS

The English Channel is the busiest waterway in the world. Ferries steam back and forth, trains thunder through the tunnel. The narrow sea has been crucial to our development and prosperity. It helps define our notion of Englishness, as an island people, a nation of seafarers. It is also our nearest, dearest playground where people have sought sun, sin and bracing breezes. 

Tom Fort takes us on a fascinating, discursive journey from east to west, to find out what this stretch of water means to us and what is so special about the English seaside, that edge between land and seawater. He dips his toe into Sandgate's waters, takes the air in Hastings and Bexhill, chews whelks in Brighton, builds a sandcastle in Sandbanks, sunbathes in sunny Sidmouth, catches prawns off the slipway at Salcombe and hunts a shark off Looe. Stories of smugglers and shipwreck robbers, of beachcombers and samphire gatherers, gold diggers and fossil hunters abound.


25th - 30th MAY AT 0945 GMT DAILY

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05wkg03

Friday 24 April 2015






























EXTRAORDINARY EXPEDITION

SAT 25 April 2015

THE BALLROOM
ORANGE STREET
CANTERBURY
CT1 2JA

http://soundpilgrims.blogspot.co.uk


Saturday 7 March 2015




















GUADALAJARA, MEXICO





























LOOKING FORWARD TO PERFORMING LIVE IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO - 21.03.2015
http://mute.com/mute/punto-de-encuentro-2015-presents-festival-mute-mexico-on-saturday-21-march-2015

Wednesday 21 January 2015
























1841 MAP OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING ANTIGEL FESTIVAL IN GENEVA ON 27.01.2015 

http://www.antigel.ch/en/#.day-20150127

http://www.antigel.ch/assets/uploads/AG_GRID_WEBSITE.pdf
VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THE TRACK - 'FLATLANDS & THE FLEMISH ROADS' ON BBC6 MUSIC.

LISTEN TO THE RADIO SHOW - 


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ynw8r


























Jacob Isaacksz van Ruisdael

Monday 27 October 2014

Land Observations - Walking The Warm Colonnades (Official Video)

NEW LAND OBSERVATIONS VIDEO - WALKING THE WARM COLONNADES 
http://castthedice.org/?p=8208

The Lexington 3





















LAND OBSERVATIONS LIVE AT - THE LEXINGTON, LONDON ON TUESDAY 28.10.2014 - 
SUPPORTING MARTIN CARR

Sunday 14 September 2014


BAVARIAN ALPS


Saturday 19 July 2014

ANOTHER TRACK FROM THE NEW ALBUM IS NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM - 

'RETURN TO RAVENNA'

HAVE A LISTEN

m.tinymixtapes.com/chocolate-grinder/premiere-land-observations-return-to-ravenna

















POSTCARDS*6 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'

















POSTCARDS*5 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'

















POSTCARDS*4 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'

















POSTCARDS*3 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'

















POSTCARDS*2 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'
















POSTCARDS*1 TAKEN FROM THE VIDEO - 
'ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT'

Wednesday 2 July 2014

A TRACK FROM THE NEW ALBUM IS NOW AVAILABLE ON SOUNDCLOUD -

ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT

https://soundcloud.com/muterecords/land-observations-on-leaving-the-kingdom-for-the-well-tempered-continent

Tuesday 24 June 2014

















NEW TRACK AND VIDEO OUT TODAY -

ON LEAVING THE KINGDOM FOR THE WELL-TEMPERED CONTINENT
TAKEN FROM THE NEW ALBUM - THE GRAND TOUR

HAVE LOOK AND LISTEN ON - 

http://www.wonderingsound.com/news/video-premiere-land-observations/

http://www.factmag.com/2014/06/24/mutes-land-observation-announces-new-album-of-motorik-psychogeography-the-grand-tour/


NEW TRACK AND NEW VIDEO RELEASED TODAY

Sunday 22 June 2014

























SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
JUNE 2014
















LIVE PERFORMANCE & SCREENING OF - THE EPIC OF EVEREST
SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, CHINA
JUNE 2014

Friday 20 June 2014



ARTWORK PROOF FOR THE NEW RECORD

Wednesday 14 May 2014






















THIS DRAWING WAS GOING TO BE THE ALBUM COVER TO - THE GRAND TOUR, BUT I DECIDED AGAINST IT HALF WAY THROUGH. BUT IT'S STILL AROUND IN THE STUDIO.






















I'M VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE NEW LAND OBSERVATIONS ALBUM - THE GRAND TOUR, WILL BE RELEASED ON THE 28.07.2014. HERE'S A DRAWING I MADE AT THE START OF WRITING THE ALBUM WHEN I WAS FORMING WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.

Sunday 4 May 2014



SIMON FISHER TURNER ENSEMBLE -
ENJOYED PLAYING THE LIVE SCORE TO THE EPIC OF EVEREST SOUNDTRACK AT THE TRENTO FILM FESTIVAL, ITALY. 
http://trentofestival.it/en/















NEW ALBUM IS NOW FINISHED.. MAKING A VIDEO AT THE MOMENT.
HERE'S A STILL IMAGE FROM THE FOOTAGE.

THERE WILL BE A VIDEO PREVIEW SOON..

Monday 14 April 2014






























PLEASED TO BE PLAYING LONDON ON THE 24TH MAY 2014

Friday 21 February 2014









LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PERFORM LIVE AT - 

MONOMANIA FESTIVAL, CAMBRIDGE

8TH MARCH 2014

http://www.monomaniafestival.co.uk/#/main


Saturday 19 October 2013

























LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PERFORM LIVE AT - 

SWN FESTIVAL - CARDIFF

20TH OCTOBER - 2013

http://swnfest.com/

Saturday 12 October 2013


















18 OCTOBER - 2013 - ODEON WEST END CINEMA, LEICESTER SQUARE

LAND OBSERVATIONS/ JAMES BROOKS PERFORMING AS PART OF SIMON FISHER TURNER'S LIVE ENSEMBLE FOR THE BFI PREMIER OF THE RESTORED 1924 FILM - EPIC OF EVEREST.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/announcements/epic-everest-announced-lff-archive-gala

Thursday 29 August 2013



LAND OBSERVATIONS HAS DONATED A PIECE OF UNHEARD MUSIC FOR THE DARK STAR LOUNGE EVENT AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ART FESTIVAL SCOTLAND.

http://www.environmentalartfestivalscotland.com/event/eafs-gathering-2-sound-nature-dark-skies/


Friday 5 July 2013

TOULOUSE






























POSTER FROM THE LES ABATTOIRS PERFORMANCE

TOULOUSE





















LAND OBSERVATIONS - LIVE AT LES ABATTOIRS, TOULOUSE



Saturday 22 June 2013


LIVE AT LES ABATTOIRS AUDITORIUM, TOULOUSE - 21.06.2013




















LES ABATTOIRS - AUDITORIUM - MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, TOULOUSE, FRANCE

Wednesday 19 June 2013






























LAND OBSERVATIONS LIVE PERFORMANCE AT LES ABATTOIRS, TOULOUSE - 20.06.13






















B-SIDES FESTIVAL, SWITZERLAND









































LAND OBSERVATIONS- B-SIDES FESTIVAL, SWITZERLAND 



Sunday 9 June 2013

THE LAND OBSERVATIONS 'ROAD' PROJECT OF INSTRUMENTAL RESPONSES TO PARTICULAR ROADS AND STREETS CONTINUES WITH NEW RECORDINGS IMMINENT..

Saturday 4 May 2013



























LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PERFORM LIVE AT - 

LES ABATTOIRS - AUDITORIUM

19.00 - 20 JUNE 2013 

MUSEE D'ART MODERNE ET CONTEMPORAIN A TOULOUSE
76 ALLEES CHARLES-DE-FITTE
31300 TOULOUSE
FRANCE

http://www.lesabattoirs.org/















LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PERFORM LIVE AT THE - 

B-SIDES FESTIVAL

15 JUNE 2013

SONNENBERG
6010 KRIENS
LUCERNE
SWITZERLAND

http://b-sides.ch/blog/events/event/b-sides-festival/

Thursday 25 April 2013






























LIVE IN STORE PERFORMANCE AT NEW RECORD FOR THE RE -RELEASE OF THE DEBUT RECORD - ROMAN ROADS EP 






















RECORD STORE DAY - BARI - ITALY - 20.04.2013

Monday 8 April 2013






























LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PLAY A LIVE SHOW AT - 
NEW RECORD RECORD SHOP, VIA DE GIOSA, 59 BARI, ITALY
20TH APRIL 2013 
http://www.recordstoreday.com/Venue/5800






























PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT LAND OBSERVATIONS WILL BE RE-RELEASING THE 'ROMAN ROADS' EP ON ENRAPTURED RECORDS FOR RECORD STORE DAY ON THE 20TH APRILIT WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A LIMITED EDITION 7" WHITE VINYL WITH A POSTCARD. 

Tuesday 26 March 2013






























LAND OBSERVATIONS - LIVE - UNION CHAPEL - DAYLIGHT SESSIONS - LONDON
23.03.2013

THANKS FOR COMING TO THE SHOW ON A COLD, SNOWY SATURDAY

Saturday 2 March 2013


















DOCUMENTARY ON ALASKA
A SHORT DOCUMENTARY ABOUT WATERLESS LIFESTYLES AROUND FAIRBANKS, ALASKA WITH MUSIC BY LAND OBSERVATIONS
Created by Rebecca File
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CILcdkcJL8&feature=youtu.be

LAND OBSERVATIONS TO PLAY CAFE OTO, LONDON ON THE 22ND MARCH 
18 - 22 Ashwin street, Dalston, London, E8 3DL

Sunday 27 January 2013


PLEASED TO CONFIRM THAT LAND OBSERVATIONS WILL BE PLAYING THE UNION CHAPEL, ISLINGTON, LONDON  - ON MARCH 23, AS PART OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE - DAYLIGHT SESSIONS.

Thursday 20 December 2012


























VERY PLEASE TO ANNOUNCE THAT ROMAN ROADS VI - XI WAS VOTED THE 18TH BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR BY DOTS AND DASHES -
http://dotsanddashes.co.uk/features/dots-and-dashes-records-of-2012/