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Having met astrobiologist Daniella Scalice at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Mercury nominated pianist Kit Downes became intrigued by the notion that the stars we see are often dead, and that stargazing is 'a form of time travel without moving'. The celestial scale might seem incomprehensible to us, but there are some routes towards understanding it. Already inspired by ideas of scale, these thoughts provided a strong conceptual framework for Downes and for the music on Light From Old Stars. The pieces explore the realms of the magical and fantastic through very grounded and earthy ideas. These are all complete, live takes without the use of editing. Light From Old Stars is Downes' first album to be recorded entirely with the quintet line-up, developing the approach to arrangements initiated on Quiet Tiger. The compositions are very specific orders and designs that also have chaos built in to them. They also link Downes' disparate musical interests from the early American blues masters through to European classical music via specific references to pianists Paul Bley and Jan Johansson. The raw, urgent quality of blues from guitarists such as Skip James, Blind Willie McTell and Howlin' Wolf is a fundamental inspiration here, not only on the dusty shuffle of Outlawed but also in the more veiled blues ideas that can be found throughout the album. The compositions on Light From Old Stars are united through inspirations that are escapist, but which also reflect reality. What's The Rumpus gets its title from dialogue in the Coen Brothers film Miller's Crossing, whilst Owls is inspired by David Lynch's bizarre and surreal drama Twin Peaks. The idea for the brief interlude Falling Dancing came after watching a ballet performance. To emphasise these links with other art forms, Downes has also been collaborating with visual artist Lesley Barnes.

Track Listing

Sales Points

• Extensive National Publicity and Marketing Campaigns

Press Quotes

...perhaps the most admired and creative musician of his generation....Lucy Railton's Cello and James Allsopp's reeds bring unfeasible depth to this magnificent ensemble.'

     —Chris Ingham, MOJO

'It's precisely the blend of the ethereal and the earthy that makes this such a fascinating album.'

     —Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph

'In this finely drawn nine-track collection, the pianist's multifarious gifts as a writer come strongly to the fore...It reveals an ear-catching artistry now in full bloom.'

     —Peter Quinn, The Arts Desk

'He has expanded his line-up with a reeds player and cellist adding an array of new colours on what's as engaging a British jazz album as you'll hear this year.'

     —John Bungey, The Times

'There's no doubting that with 'Light From Old Stars' his stellar talent is maturing.'

     —Andy Robson, Jazzwise

'The closing Jan Johansson beautifully combines eerily harmonised Nordic ambiance and the album's infinite-space theme.'

     —John Fordham, The Guardian

'...the spirit of Howlin' Wolf haunts these playfully bluesy avant garde grooves'.

     —Robert Shore, UK Metro

The old stars of the cosmos and the old stars of the blues may seem to have little in common--but both of them have inspired the creation of a lovely, rewarding, album. Light From Old Stars is Downes' most accessible and imaginative album to date, a worthy

     —Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz

Combining a variety of elements from chamber jazz signifiers in the arranging style through to free improv... this is Kit Downes' best album to date.'

     —Stephen Graham, Marlbank