Wandering Monster is a new band led by Sam Quintana, a Leeds-based composer and bassist. The debut album, which features the band’s leader on double bass, also features Ben Powling on saxophones, Calvin Travers playing guitar, AleksPodraza playing piano, Rhodes and an organ, and Tom Higham on the drums. They have already gained a large following in the North of England, and currently tour nationally to promote their debut album. They won the 2016/17 Jazz North Introduces Award. They have also supported acts such as Seamus Blake, Trio HLK, and Mammal Hands. Powling, a saxophonist, has played with WorldService Project, as well as his own bands, such as the 12-piece afrobeat/cosmic jazz ensemble Mansion of Snakes as well as more traditional jazz trios and quartets. Wandering Monster’s music blends the rhythmic, harmonic and improvisational qualities and jazz with contemporary rock and metal influences. Quintana says that Wandering Monster’s music is a combination of the best of both jazz and modern rock and metal. When I was in my twenties, I discovered a passion for jazz. This love grew when I moved to Leeds to study double bass. I was inspired to write for a band by musicians who combine jazz and rock, with the likes Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dave Holland, Tigran Hamasyan, and Emma Johnson. Quintana also plays electric bass with Robots As Menace, which includes Podraza, Higham, and the four-piece pop-rock trio led by Travers. He also plays stand-up bass with The Often Herd, a Newcastle-based bluegrass band. Wandering Monster’s debut includes six Quintana originals. They all last between six and nine minutes each, reflecting the “inner beasts” that all of us can have at one time or another. From www.thejazzmann.com
