speakers corner quartet

one finds the most interesting things in strange ways. Covent Garden in London, home to many inanities, unexpectedly turned up the Speakers Corner Quartet busking outside the nike store, using the storefront as backlighting.

originally formed as the backing house band for the spoken word/hiphop open mic night at the Speakers Corner in Brixton, their sound is as unexpected as their makeup: flute, cello, double bass and drums. their original material delivers a tight mash combining hiphop rhythms with string soundscapes and a particular taste for Indian-tinged scales. tightness, of course, is in spite of the complex arrangement, with odd times and multiple sections changing in groove and feel.