GoGo Penguin

English band

GoGo Penguin
GoGo Penguin
Background information
OriginManchester, England
GenresJazz, electronica, nu-jazz, ambient, experimental, minimalist
Years active2012 (2012)–present
LabelsBlue Note Records (France), Gondwana Records (UK)
MembersChris Illingworth (piano)
Nick Blacka (double bass)
Jon Scott (drums)
Past membersRob Turner (drums)
Grant Russell (double bass)[1]
Websitegogopenguin.co.uk
GoGo Penguin performing at "Porgy & Bess" in Vienna on 2018-11-01.
GoGo Penguin performing at Porgy & Bess in Vienna in November 2018.
GoGo Penguin performs at Jazz Alley in Seattle, in June 2024

GoGo Penguin are an English band from Manchester, featuring pianist Chris Illingworth, bassist Nick Blacka and drummer Jon Scott.

On 6 December 2021, the band announced the departure of Rob Turner, citing creative differences.[citation needed] Turner's replacement was revealed as Scott.

Music style

The band's music features break-beats, minimalist piano melodies,[2] powerful basslines, drums inspired from electronica[3] and anthemic riffs.[4] They compose and perform as a unit.[5] Their music incorporates elements of electronica, trip-hop, jazz, rock and classical music.[4][6]

Critics have described GoGo Penguin's music with references to Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher,[7] Massive Attack, Brian Eno,[8] modern classical composers Shostakovich and Debussy,[9] or contemporary minimal music composers like Philip Glass.[10]

Critical reception

The band received positive reviews as they released their debut album Fanfares in 2012[11] and their follow-up album v2.0 in 2014.[12] In September 2014, v2.0 was shortlisted for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize Album of the Year.[9]

In 2015, GoGo Penguin signed to Blue Note Records (France).[13] Their album Man Made Object was released in 2016; the following album, A Humdrum Star, was released on 9 February 2018.[14] An eponymously named album was released on 5 June 2020.[15]

Discography

Year Album[16] Label
2012 Fanfares Gondwana Records
2014 v2.0
2016 Man Made Object Blue Note Records
2018 A Humdrum Star
2019 Ocean in a Drop
2020 GoGo Penguin
2021 GGP/RMX
2022 Between Two Waves XXIM Records
2023 Everything Is Going to Be OK
2024 From The North

Live in Manchester

XXIM Records

References

  1. ^ Lindsay, Bruce (15 March 2014). "GoGo Penguin: v2.0". All About Jazz. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  2. ^ Baber, Andy (22 September 2014). "Album review of GoGo Penguin album v2.0". musicOMH. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. ^ "GoGo Penguin". Low Four. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b Nocturnal Ghost (23 February 2014). "GoGo Penguin :: v2.0 (Gondwana)". Igloo Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  5. ^ Pickup, Oliver (12 December 2012). "Gogo Penguin". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  6. ^ Pallant, Adrian (8 March 2014). "'v2.0' – GoGo Penguin". AP Reviews. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  7. ^ Janssen, Guillaume (19 September 2014). "GoGo Penguin: v2.0". Spellbinding Music. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  8. ^ Mann, Ian (22 August 2014). "GoGo Penguin – v2.0". The Jazz Mann. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  9. ^ a b Heward, Emily (12 September 2014). "Mercury Prize 2014: Manchester jazz trio GoGo Penguin suitably 'chuffed' with nomination". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  10. ^ Lewis, John (1 February 2018). "Contemporary album of the month - Laurie Anderson/Kronos Quartet: Landfall - Best of the rest". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023.
  11. ^ Eyles, John (2012). "Music – Review of GoGo Penguin – Fanfares". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 November 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  12. ^ Hasted, Nick (23 January 2014). "GoGo Penguin v2.0 review". JazzwizeMagazine.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Blue Note France signs U.K. Trio GoGo Penguin". Blue Note Records. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  14. ^ "A Humdrum Star (2018)". Blue Note Records. 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  15. ^ GoGo Penguin Music (3 April 2020). "GoGo Penguin – Kora". YouTube. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  16. ^ "GoGo Penguin | Album Discography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.

External links

  • Producers: Colin Marshall Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Khun Minn Ohn, CJ Riculan; Production Assistant: Catherine Zhang; Photo: Samantha Clark (14 September 2018). Tiny Desk: GoGo Penguin (Web video with commentary). NPR. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  • Man Made Object – an interview with GoGo Penguin by JazzEspresso
  • GoGo Penguin's artist page on AllMusic
  • v
  • t
  • e
GoGo Penguin
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
  • Chris Illingworth
  • Nick Blacka
  • Jon Scott
  • Rob Turner
  • Grant Russell
Albums
  • Fanfares (2012)
  • v2.0 (2013)
  • Man Made Object (2015)
  • A Humdrum Star (2017)
  • GoGo Penguin (2019)
  • Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
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    National
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    • BnF data
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