Portico Quartet are a 4-piece modern jazz group from London. Their sound is made distinctive by the use of the hang, a 21st Century percussion instrument used on all their tracks. The group is comprised of Jack Wyllie (soprano and alto saxophone), Duncan Bellamy (hang and percussion), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass), and Nick Mulvey (hang and percussion).

After nearly two years of playing mainly small gigs and busking regularly outside the National Theatre in London, they signed to Babel Label in 2007. Their first album, Knee-deep in the North Sea was released on 5th November 2007, coupled with performances at the London Jazz Festival at Purcell Room together with pianist Michiel Borstlap and drummer Bill Bruford.

Knee-deep In The North Sea

The band's debut album 'Knee-deep in the North Sea' was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize. The week after the awards show it debuted on the UK Top 200 Albums Chart at #186. It was Time Out's best jazz album of 2007.

Credits

Recorded and Mixed at Livngston Studios, London on 7th, 8th, 9th February and 6th, 7th, 8th August 2007
Produced by Portico Quartet
Co-Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Sonny.
Assisted by Kevin James Feazey and Simone Filiali
Mastered by Andrew Tulloch at The Blue Studio, London
Executve Producers Oliver Weindling and Will Gresford
Design, Artwork and collages by Duncan Bellamy
Photograph by Matt Crossick

Track listing

All tracks composed, arranged and performed by Portico Quartet.

1. "News From Verona" – 4:24
2. "(Something's Going Down on) Zavodovski Island" – 4:22
3. "Knee-Deep In The North Sea" – 4:52
4. "Too Many Cooks" – 5:32
5. "Steps In The Wrong Direction" – 6:09
6. "Monsoon: Top To Bottom" – 4:14
7. "The Kon Tiki Expedition" – 4:29
8. "Cittàgazze" – 4:47
9. "Pompidou" – 3:08

(Hidden Track: "Prickly Pear" - 5:47)

References

External links

• Myspace page.
• Review by [[Time Out].]
• Portico Quartet live review (musicOMH.com)
• Artist page from Babel Vortex label