Portico Quartet is a British instrumental band based in London. Formed in 2… Read Full Bio ↴Portico Quartet is a British instrumental band based in London. Formed in 2005, they are known for their use of the Hang, a modern percussion instrument. Their debut album, Knee-Deep in the North Sea, was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize and was Time Out’s Jazz, Folk and World album of the year 2007. Of the original members, Nick Mulvey left in August 2014 for a solo career and the other three released an album in 2015 as Portico. The band subsequently signed with Gondwana Records in 2017 and released their fourth studio album as Portico Quartet - Art in the Age of Automation - which reached No.1 in the UK jazz chart. Their fifth studio album - Memory Streams - was released in 2019.
Formed from two sets of schoolfriends, they share a house in East London, make recordings, and play festivals and clubs. They are primarily acoustic: percussion, bass, and wind instruments, together with the hang, a tuned percussion instrument bought on impulse at a music festival.
The line-up of the band is Duncan Bellamy (drums), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass), Jack Wyllie (soprano, tenor saxophones and electronics) and Keir Vine (hang and percussion), replacing Nick Mulvey, whom left the band in August 2014 for a solo career.
They started their career busking on the South Bank in London’s, began to get paid bookings plus the odd festival, and made a five-track CD to sell at gigs. In 2007 they signed a record deal to make a full length CD, Knee Deep in the North Sea. This was a turning point; the album attracted attention from DJs, bloggers, and critics, and was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.
The band's second album was Isla (2009), recorded by producer John Leckie. It preceeded albums Portico Quartet (2012) and Living Fields, released early 2015. They also released a Live/Remix album in 2013.
Mulvey left in August 2014 for a solo career and the other three released an album in 2015 as Portico. The band subsequently signed with Gondwana Records in 2017 and released their fourth studio album as Portico Quartet - Art in the Age of Automation - which reached No.1 in the UK jazz chart. Their fifth studio album - Memory Streams - was released in 2019.
Formed from two sets of schoolfriends, they share a house in East London, make recordings, and play festivals and clubs. They are primarily acoustic: percussion, bass, and wind instruments, together with the hang, a tuned percussion instrument bought on impulse at a music festival.
The line-up of the band is Duncan Bellamy (drums), Milo Fitzpatrick (double bass), Jack Wyllie (soprano, tenor saxophones and electronics) and Keir Vine (hang and percussion), replacing Nick Mulvey, whom left the band in August 2014 for a solo career.
They started their career busking on the South Bank in London’s, began to get paid bookings plus the odd festival, and made a five-track CD to sell at gigs. In 2007 they signed a record deal to make a full length CD, Knee Deep in the North Sea. This was a turning point; the album attracted attention from DJs, bloggers, and critics, and was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.
The band's second album was Isla (2009), recorded by producer John Leckie. It preceeded albums Portico Quartet (2012) and Living Fields, released early 2015. They also released a Live/Remix album in 2013.
Mulvey left in August 2014 for a solo career and the other three released an album in 2015 as Portico. The band subsequently signed with Gondwana Records in 2017 and released their fourth studio album as Portico Quartet - Art in the Age of Automation - which reached No.1 in the UK jazz chart. Their fifth studio album - Memory Streams - was released in 2019.
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Eric Sandoval
God. This is one of those groups that makes you think "how can people settle for what's on the radio these days?" Absolutely beautiful in every way.
Yé lassina coulibaly
La musique,du Faso est une source intarissable de douceurs.
Elle permet de plonger au plus profond de soi et simultanément d'entrer en résonance avec son prochain, Yé Lassina Coulibaly❤❤❤❤❤❤
Jonathan Bentinck
Autumn 2006 and I heard Portico busking in Southbank in London. When they finished playing I went over and spoke with them. They told me they were playing again at some kind of mini festival at Embankment in about an hours time and I should come if I could. I did, and sat in a big deck chair and listened to them for an hour. I bought their EP from them, Gypsy Music. Prickly Pear was my favorite track. A year later they played at the Norwich Arts Center where I volunteered. I saw them again and briefly spoke with the sax player. When I told him I had a copy of Gypsy Music he was really chuffed. Their music has stuck with me since and I'm always taken back to those times when I hear them play.
jackie meridew
Wow...
The Best You've Never Had
I too discovered them in Autumn 2006 ✌️😯
I found them at about 1am on a channel on sky - called 'Spotlight' where I also found Nick Mulvey & Joe Driscoll.. both great artists! & although changed over the years, both still going now.
Back to topic, I used to video record these dudes on my Sanyo Slide phone & turn it up as loud as possible without disturbing my mother in the room below! Ahhhhh the amount of people I tried to show these to between 2006-2010 then I gave up because the recording was terribly bad Quality & I started using YouTube around 2009/2010 & discovering many amazing artists! Respect YouTube! We love you!!
Portico Quartet! We love you too!!! 👁️💗👁️💗👁️💗👁️
Augustus Robicheaux
This, this is the evolution of music, blending classic instruments with digital sound. It's everything I could ever want. This is not just music, this is modern art in the form of sound!
Max Ilusivii
Check ClockDVA albums from early 90's > blending analogue with digital. Evolution started long ago ...
propoetide
@Max Ilusivii ClockDVA <3
Nicolas Antonio Rodriguez Marchant
Dani te quiero mucho hermano💕 este es tu regalito de cumpleaños, espero que te guste, un abrazote🌱
Dani Villarroel
Te quiero mucho 💞