2007年夏天，美國類人樂團 Human Equivalent Band由目前就讀Berklee College of Music(美國波士頓的音樂學院)身懷音樂絕技的高材生所組成的樂團。薩克斯風樂手首兼作曲家的Leah Gough-Cooper歷經童年時期爵士、搖滾、嘻哈、放克的淬練，在進入美國波士頓的音樂學院兩年後，即開始為樂團創作，直到現在，他仍不斷挑戰各團 員的演奏技能，以及自我的音樂創作極限。
To add to the busy past semester/season I’ve had, my group, Human Equivalent, got the rare opportunity of being invited to play at the London Jazz Festival, which happens yearly November-time. At 6pm, on November 13th 2009, at the Front Room Stage in the Southbank Center, we played our set and I speak for everyone in the band when I say that it was an amazing and inspirational concert for us.
Along with the overall professionalism of Serious Music and everyone involved in the London Jazz Festival, the turn-out and overall atmosphere of the concert was beyond our expectations. Before any concert I’ve given, there’s always that hour before when you weigh-up every factor of the situation you’re about to go into: the stage, the room, the audience that begins to trickle through the doors, the focus of the band, the set of music you’ve chosen… There are times when you believe that any one of these factors could alter the state of play, if it’s not ‘perfect’ or if it’s a little bit ‘different’ from your last concert. If November 13th wasn’t an example of a band adapting to each factor, so much so to create the atmosphere they needed, I don’t know what is!
One of the factors we have to thank is the audience. As blogged by one observer, we managed to accumulate five times the audience they usually get at the Front Room. I’m going to assume most people enjoyed the music, seeing as all seats were taken and roughly another 50-100 people were still standing (or dancing!).
Along with this performance on the Friday, we were invited to work with the community music school Groove Academy, in Hampton (run by Angela and Mark Ramsey), where we gave a workshop during the day for the kids and then gave a mini concert in the evening, with a wee jam session at the end. Again, this was a great experience for us: the kids were all very enthusiastic and ready to try out some of the styles we had discussed within our own music. We want to thank Groove Academy and the Ramseys for their hospitality and support, during the whole weekend!
April is going to be a VERY busy time for my band, Human Equivalent. We’re recording our next big album in NYC (more on that soon) and will doing a few shows. One show that I really want to tell you about is a Fundraiser that my friend is putting together as her final project for her Degree. It’s on Tuesday 7th April, at All Asia, Cambridge MA, at 9.30pm. The Fundraiser is for Diabetes Research, an important issue for my friend and, having been diagnosed with PCOS a couple of years ago myself, a very relevant issue for me too. So, for any of you in the Boston area next month, please come and hear some awesome music and support a good cause! More funding needs to go towards awareness of and research into Diabetes and related illnesses, so if you come and donate, I’ll personally give you a big hug
We had a really great gig at the Berklee Performance Center (2 Feb.). Thanks to the band, Alan Benzie (keys), Patrick Kunka (drumset), Serghio Jansen (electric guitar) and Martin Nessi (electric bass). Great job, guys. Thanks to everyone who came along and heckled! We got a great recording, the PA was awesome in that great big auditorium. I’m waiting to see what the DVD looks like, and hopefully we’ll get some of the tracks up soon and the videos on to this web site and YouTube.
This autumn Human Equivalent has been “exported” to the USA. I still wanted to keep playing/improving/writing for HE. Berklee students Alan Benzie joined HE in the summer 2008 and Patrick Kunka subbed for Calum at Fettes Jazz Festival, Edinburgh 2008 so there was a core who knew the music. We co-opted Berklee students Serghio Jansen from Aruba and Martin Nessi from Chile, and played 2 gigs in November 2008 in Boston.
