"Trickery is the second instalment of essential black vinyl stuff from Manchester's only jazz band under 46 years of age, Kalima. Four songs - 12" diameter. Aural proof that jazz is still vital and relevant in 1985. Kalima had previously been known to those with ears to hear as The Swamp Children, who recorded the remarkable So Hot album way back in the mists of time. 1982 actually, and there weren't that many young bands playing Latin American influenced jazz roaming the streets that August."

This is an extract from a 1985 press release to promote the Fac 127 'Four Songs' 12" single by Kalima. This particular copy is from the Tony Wilson Collection at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

Read the full Kalima press release from 1985.

Factory catalogue number spotters should note the incorrect assignment of Fact 80 to 'So Hot' by Swamp Children. 'Alma Mater' by The Stockholm Monsters, the true Fact 80, had already been released in autumn 1984 so this must just be a typo.

Labels: Andy_Connell, Ann_Quigley, Jez_Kerr, Kalima, Liz_Naylor, Martin_Moscrop, Nathan_McGough, promotion, Swamp_Children, Tony_Quigley

A special blue plaque to celebrate BBC Music Day was unveiled by original partner and in-house designer Peter Saville at 86 Palatine Road, the old Factory Records HQ on Thursday 15 June. Bearing the inscription "Factory Records Founded Here (1978-1992) it is affixed just below a first floor window.

There were plenty of Factory Records folk present to honour the occasion including Shaun Ryder, Bez, Mark Day and Rowetta from Happy Mondays, Bruce Mitchell (the Gonzo Drum Master himself from The Durutti Column), Jez Kerr out of ACR, Hacienda designer Ben Kelly, DJ Graeme Park and the Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham was there too plus media coverage from BBC Manchester and North-West.

See the more pictures courtesy of Lawrence Cassidy at 86 Palatine Road Blue Plaque.

Listen to Alison Butterworth and Phil Trow talk about Factory Records and the blue plaque preparations on BBC iPlayer (geographical restrictions may apply).

Labels: Ben_Kelly, Bruce_Mitchell, Happy_Mondays, history, Jez_Kerr, Manchester, Peter Saville, Rowetta

Jez Kerr (A Certain Ratio) is raising money for C.A.L.M. (Campaign Against Living Miserably).

Jez says "Whilst working at the Post Office I produced 100's of drawings at a time when I was unwell. Now recovering I would like to use these drawings to help raise funds for C.A.L.M. I have previously helped them with their 31 Songs album which helped to set up a full time help line."

There are approximately 500 hand drawn pictures which can be viewed on Jez's Facebook page.

Make a donation now via Jez Kerr's Just Giving page. Then send a stamped addressed envelope to Jez via the address on that page. It's as simple as that and you will have made a valuable donation to a great cause and will also become the owner of a unique piece of art.

Labels: art, charity, Jez_Kerr

Section 25 and their Very Special Guest Jez Kerr (A Certain Ratio) play a one-off London date at the Borderline on Saturday 11 April 2015. Doors are at 7pm.

Tickets priced 15.00 GBP plus booking fee are available now via Stargreen and WeGotTickets.

Labels: gigs, Jez_Kerr, Section_25

Jez Kerr is back with a new band, new single and a new gig in Glasgow. The A Certain Ratio lead singer's new single is Control Myself and it's out on 1 December 2014 via Higuera Records.

The new band's first gig is at The Broadcast, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow on 6 December 2014.

More info at Facebook and jezkerr.com

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, gigs, Jez_Kerr

Hip hop maestro Scroobius Pip and DJ partner Dan Le Sac present We.Are.Lizards at The Book Club in Shoreditch with special guest DJs the ACR Soundsystem featuring Martin Moscrop and Jez Kerr who will be fresh from their headlining gig at Under The Bridge the previous night. All this plus Destruction and We.Are.Lizards resident DJs.

Full details at the Facebook event but the headlines are it's free before 8pm and 5 quid after and on til 2pm.

The Book Club
100 Leonard St
London EC2A 4RH
[2 mins from Liverpool Street]

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, DJ, events, Jez_Kerr, Martin_Moscrop

With A Certain Ratio on hiatus, Jez Kerr has been busy recording new solo material which he has then been publishing via his Soundcloud. Alongside earlier gems such as cover versions of Isolation and Insight by Joy Division you'll find a quartet of new pieces from the last month or so.

Cerysmatic's favourites are 'Gonna Sell The World' featuring Lis Murphy on vocals (alongside Jez) is indeed "a sound that makes the world shine"and 'Who Painted God (Down is the Flight)' which features lyrics co-written by Ana Uvar. ACR fans will particularly love the latter and should also seek out the vintage curio 'Intro Talk-In' Jez's first ACR rehearsal.

Labels: Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr has uploaded two new tracks to Soundcloud and both are available to listen to now for free.

Of the first, All The Things You Say, Jez says "Listening to James Brown, as per, used the track Soul Power as a basis for my tribute."

The second is Jez's cover of Joy Division's Insight.

Don't forget, Jez's debut album Numb Mouth Eat Waste is available via iTunes.

Labels: Jez_Kerr, Joy_Division

Steve Morris takes a break from touring with New Order to play a special DJ set in Albert Square, Manchester alongside Jez Kerr's Family Bizarre on Sunday 23 September 2012. Entry is free with donations requested for Musicians Without Borders which is a Manchester-based charity supporting war and torture survivors living in the UK, Kosovo, Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Middle East. They are hosting some amazing FREE events and a fundraiser as part of Manchester Peace Festival at Manchester Food & Drink Festival in Albert Square, Manchester.

DJ Steve Morris (New Order)
DJ Tintin
The Family Bizarre (with vocalist Jez Kerr of ACR
The Oreohs

Sun 23 September
Albert Square
Manchester
5.30–11.00pm

FREE ENTRY

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr, Stephen_Morris, The_Family_Bizarre

Jez Kerr out of A Certain Ratio and the Family Bizarre have been confirmed as support for New Order on the Scottish leg of their forthcoming UK tour. The play Glasgow O2 Academy on 5 May and Usher Hall in Edinburgh on 6 May.

For all of you going to watch New Order in Scotland, enjoy the support band a little bit more by hearing a few tracks off Jez's current album Numb Mouth Eat Waste at jezkerr.com.

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr, New_Order

The London launch of debut solo album by A Certain Ratio's Jez Kerr, Numb Mouth Eat Waste takes place at The Bowery in London this Friday 30 September. Tickets are 10.00 advance (or 15.00 with a special offer including a signed copy of the album). Support comes from The Institute of Modern Love and doors open 19:30. See you there!

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The Bowery
36-38 New Oxford Street
London WC1A 1EP
Tel: 020 7580 3057

More details on Jez Kerr's Facebook

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr

2011 sees ACR celebrate their 33-and-a-third birthday party with a show in Manchester, which might seem an odd and inappropriate time to release a parallel project and your first solo debut, but that’s precisely what the iconic band’s front-man is doing in September. This is the year of the first Jez Kerr album.

Numb Mouth Eat Waste consists of ten atmospheric tracks that might never have seen the light of day on an ACR album or single, but understandably don’t sound particularly at odds with its creator's previous creative output. Conversely, the opening salvo of Rip You Right Back, first single Play Sumthing Fast and the roughly trumpet-spattered Help Me, have rather more in common with the more recent outbursts of Wire than ACR – sharp guitar thwacking, biscuit-tin drums and distorted basslines all topped off with unsubtle arrangements, not so far removed from their Object 47 and Red Barked Tree sets.

But it’s from the remainder of Kerr’s intriguing album where jewels can be discovered and nuggets can be mined. The bassist’s previous forte has been with plaintive, pretty yet atmospheric vocals – think Flight, think The Big E, think Knife Slits Water and think Choir - and on this album, you get similar, minus the bigger sometimes Martin Hannett-flavoured arrangements. Inland, a minimal sample-laden twitchy funk-a-logue with Kerr’s softly-uttered lyrics, sets the scene. The potty-mouthed and almost poppy Sum Space, also possesses a different approach with the writer presenting exclamations like, “Thick as a brick, so says me / I don’t know shit / so says me” - he won't win Pulitzers with that coupling, but it’s honest.

So then, gone is the strident Mancunian confidence, or so it would seem, but lock onto the album’s fantastic centrepieces in the middle of the album and all is even better. Reason I Feel Like An Alien is the standout on this album, beautifully sung, exquisitely played and triumphantly arranged - if Kerr fails to stick this under radio stations' noses, I can only presume he has better in his canon, or he's mad - it's a corker. No Left Shoe and Technicolor Dawn (next single) fill out the middle of the album, both charged with quirky breaks, back-in-the-daze basslines and rolling beats and both bass-heavy with whispered lyrics and minimal trickery.

Ultimately, Numb Mouth Eat Waste is all about Kerr stretching out from the confines and conformity of a group and exploring a world of experimental and esoteric soundtracks, created within a ring-fence of mates and a reputation for cranking out a solid show.

8 out of 10

Album review by Paul Pledger (cheers Paul)

Numb Mouth Eat Waste is out on 12 September 2011 via Higuera Records (digital download)

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Jez_Kerr, review

[CORRECTED] With debut solo album Numb Mouth Eat Waste due for release 12 September via Higuera Records, Jez Kerr plays a gig at the Static Gallery in Liverpool on Friday 16 September 2011. Doors open at 8pm and support comes from Tea Street Band, Dass Unser plus DJs. Tickets priced 7.00 GBP are available from via Seetickets.

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The Static Gallery
23 Roscoe Lane
Liverpool L1 9JD

More details on Facebook

Labels: Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr's new single Play Sumthing Fast is out now on iTunes UK as a download single with the additional track Chick Huh also available on this 2-track single which is out via Higuera Records.

Labels: Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr has a string of upcoming dates:

Sat 28 May - The Trip Festival, Bangor, North Wales
Sun 12 June - SUDEP Awareness @ De Bees, Winsford
Sat 18 June - The Bay, Glasgow
Sat 25 June - North Bar, Blackburn

Meanwhile, the new single Rip You Right Back is out on 23 May with the debut album Numb Mouth Eat Waste out in September via Higuera Records.

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr follows last Monday's gig at The Social in London (check out the photo gallery on Facebook) with an appearance gig at De Bees in Winsford.

Jez's band comprising Si Wolstencroft (The Fall) on drums, DJ Tintin (New Order) on keyboards and Winsford's own Keo Martin (Treatment, Latin Rascals) on guitar and keyboards will all be present and correct and everyone attending will receive a link to an exclusive download remix of Jez's new single Play Sumthing Fast.

Doors open at 7pm and a regular club night will follow on after the gig from 10pm.

Tickets priced £5 are available via wegottickets.com

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De Bees
19 Market Place
Winsford CW7 3DA

Labels: Jez_Kerr

A final reminder that Jez Kerr plays in London tonight with his full live band at The Social near Oxford Circus. Support comes from Rebecca Collins and Jez is due on stage at 21:30.

--

Tickets are £5 on the door.

The Social
5 Little Portland Street
London  W1

Labels: Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr out of A Certain Ratio continues his ongoing series of live solo dates with a headline show at The Social in London on Monday 28 March 2011.

Jez will be appearing with his full band comprising Si Wolstencroft (The Fall, Ian Brown) Drums, Tintin (New Order) Keyboards and Keo (Higuera) Guitar, Keyboards.

Tickets are £5 on the door.

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More info at Facebook

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr

Jez Kerr hits the road with his live band starting on Saturday 19 February at Gullivers in Manchester followed by Saturday 26 February at Zanzibar, Seel Street, Liverpool and 28 March at the Heavenly Social in London in support of new single Play Sumthing Fast (available from iTunes UK now).

Cerysmatic Factory caught up with Jez with the tour about to unfold to talk about the new and the old:

CF: You've had offshoot projects before (e.g. Twenty Four Hours) but why is now the right time for a solo project proper?

JK: I think now is the right time, because I've written a good album and I want to play it live, and I want to actually get to play more than 5 times a year.

CF: What can we expect from you live? Will it be substantially different from A Certain Ratio? What is the live line-up?

JK: You can expect a great set, Simon Wolsencroft's powerful drumming, New Order DJ Tintin's synth bass lines, Keo Martin's Slits-like guitar, my bass and words. Not sure what it will be like, could be a bit like ACR, but that's not surprising really, I think it's a bit punkier.

CF: What was it like working with Simon Topping again after all those years on the Sum Ratios project? Is there anything else in the pipeline from the band?

JK: I enjoyed meeting up with Simon and Pete again. A year prior to the gig at FAC 251 we met up in St. Helens and had a rehearsal. Pete hadn't seen Simon for 25 years, and it was the first time in 25 years that Pete had played guitar. We jammed just one thing for about an hour. Unsurprisingly in the key of 'E'. As if we had never had a 30-year break.

CF: There was a large archive of demo and live recordings of Joy Division collected by Rob Gretton and Peter Hook over the years. Is there a similar collection of historic ACR recordings?

JK: There may well be, the Talking Heads track we recorded with Grace Jones? Also, I have got a cassette recording of my first rehearsal with Pete and Simon, from 78. It was 2 days before my first gig with them at Band On The Wall. It's from that cassette, that I reworked an unrecorded tune called Intro/Talk-in, into Teri.

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Jez Kerr on Facebook | Twitter | Message Board

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, events, gigs, interview, Jez_Kerr, Twenty_Four_Hours

A reminder that Jez Kerr's first ever solo performance will be at Gullivers in Manchester on Saturday 19 February 2011. Everyone who attends will receive a remix of the new single Play Sumthing Fast as a free download.

Special guests for the evening are confirmed as The Orch whose album Small Times is out on Skinny Dog Records and available for download.

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Saturday 19th Feb
Gullivers
Oldham St Manchester

8pm £6 on the door upstairs

Labels: events, gigs, Jez_Kerr, The_Orch

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