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COMPOSING

I am currently writing a suite for a small group comprising strings, horns and jazz instruments. As in my previous composing projects this one will combine jazz and other areas of art music. It will incorporate found sound and pre-recorded material as well as improvisation. I am striving to achieve a dream like quality to the music which takes the listener on a journey perhaps similar to the experience of listening to a film score.

My most recent composition project was Sketches, a commission for the Exeter Vibraphonic Festival. Sketches is a continuous suite scored for the OCTOBER ENSEMBLE, a 10-piece band made up of jazz quartet plus strings and horns. The music is a blend of contemporary jazz themes, minimalist soundscapes, latin and downbeat grooves and improvisation. Sketches was premiered on Sat 13th March 2010 at the Exeter Phoenix. The musicians were Pete Canter (tenor & soprano saxophones), Ian Wright (piano), Mike Thorn (double bass), Steve Crossen (drums & percussion), Mike Brewer (flugelhorn), Gill Baker (flugelhorn), Nicola Cleave (horn), Carmen Denman (violin), Philip Belsham (violin), Isabelle Woollcott (cello). This event was supported by private sponsors: St David's Equine Veterinary Surgeons and Glanville Robinson Solicitors and by Exeter Arts Council and Exeter Phoenix. Also thanks to Mack Robinson and Tony Kaye for their support and help with the project. Sketches was also perfomed at Tiverton High School on 16th June 2010, for which the October Ensemble was expanded to a quindectet with 6 violins and 2 cellos, 2 flugelhorns, french horn, piano, bass, drums and saxophone.

October Ensemble Strings: Philip Belsham, Carmen Denman (violins) & Isabelle Woollcott (cello). Premiere performance of Sketches in the Exeter Vibraphonic Festival at Exeter Phoenix March 13th, 2010

October Ensemble Brass: Mike Brewer, Gill Baker (flugelhorns) & Nicola Cleave (french horn). Premiere performance of Sketches in the Exeter Vibraphonic Festival at Exeter Phoenix March 13th, 2010

October Ensemble Rhythm Section: Ian Wright (piano) Mike Thorn (bass) Steve Crossen (drums).Premiere performance of Sketches in the Exeter Vibraphonic Festival at Exeter Phoenix March 13th, 2010

Pete Canter's October Ensemble. The quindectet pre-perfomance at Tiverton High School June 2010: Ian Wright (piano), Marcus Russell (bass), Steve Crossen (drums & percussion) Kate Turnbull, Sophie Holden, Anna Davis, Ellen Stratton, Philip Belsham, Carmen Denman (violins), Carol Galton, Isabelle Woollcott (cellos), Mike Brewer, Gill Baker (flugelhorns), Nicola Cleave (french horn), Pete Canter (saxes).

Background

I began composing for small jazz combos a number of years ago and recorded three original tunes: Down from the Trees, Slick and Why Not at the end of 2004 with a quartet comprising Dhevdhas Nair on piano, Riaan Vosloo on bass and Mark Heyward on drums. These were first released on the 2005 Pete Canter Quartet album and then re-released in 2007 on my compilation album So Far.

In 2005, I was awarded a mentoring grant by Artsmatrix to study jazz composition with internationally renowned saxophonist/composer Iain Ballamy and worked with him for a nine month period over 2005 and 2006.

I went on to write a collection of tunes scored for a quintet with sax and trumpet frontline. This band, Pete Canter's OCTOBER QUINTET gave a debut performance of the music in the 2007 Exeter Summer Festival  supporting the Kyle Eastwood Band and received a great reception. The OCTOBER QUINTET went on to perform at the Taachi-Morris Arts Centre in Taunton and at sell-out concerts at the Bridge Inn, Topsham and at the George Hotel, South Molton. The band also went down a storm in the 2008 North Devon Festival performing at Zena's in Barnstaple. These compositions draw on influences from the hard-bop, be-bop and latin jazz tradition, the musical styles of Horace Silver, Bill Evans and Kenny Wheeler, experimental and contemporary classical music approaches and free jazz.

I was then awarded a grant by Exeter City Council for "Outside In" a suite of compositions scored for the OCTOBER QUINTET and performed in the 2008 Exeter Autumn Festival. The event was staged at the Amber Rooms in Exeter to a packed house including many young people who do not usually listen to contemporary jazz.

In 2008 I was featured in one of the PRS-MCPS monthly podcasts of  new composers.

I went on to record Ununbium, a quartet album of my original tunes, some first written for the quintet and others newly composed. The band was Jim Blomfield on piano, Wayne Elliot on bass and Gary Evans on drums. The album came out well and received good reviews (see recordings). Various incarnations of the Pete Canter Quartet/Quintet continue to perform this material live.

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