“During Putin’s tsarist empire would risk something like beatings and jail”

Here’s a link to buy Spy Boy in lots of digital formats:

I’ve been working on Brass Mask’s music for 18 months now. It’s incredibly inspiring for me. Not only is the band full of great guys, the project has lead me to explore a lot of musics and ways of writing I’d never checked before. Babel have kindly helped release the first album. Here’s some nice words from the Marlbank blog that sum up the project nicely:

Only in existence for some 18 months or so octet Brass Mask’s founder reeds player Tom Challenger (Dice Factory) is, however, no stranger to London label Babel who have just released Spy Boy, the band’s debut. Reeds- and brass-heavy the album opens deceptively in a kind of Gil Evans space rather than New Orleans the prevailing ‘style’ of the album as soon becomes plain. Challenger says he looks to the Mardi Gras Indians and New Orleans street bands as inspiration but that’s not all that’s here by any means. The band features alongside Challenger on sax and clarinet, rising stars the Cross brothers: Theon (who plays the tuba), and Nathaniel (trombone); plus George Crowley (sax/clarinet), Dan Nicholls (bass clarinet/saxophone), Rory Simmons of Eyes of a Blue Dog and Alex Bonney (both trumpet); and John Blease (drums/percussion). The dirge-like ‘I Thank You Jesus’ summons the rural African American music of the deep south the blues at its heart, yet there are unexpected influences from equally unguessable parts of the metropolitan avant garde present as well, Challenger explains on the label’s website: “A big influence on me and my writing for this recording was Henry Threadgill’s Just The Facts and Pass the Bucket. Its combination of form-based improv, harmonic counterpoint and intense ensemble playing has been a big marker for me with Spy Boy.”

Tom Challenger (Tenor Saxophone, Alto Clarinet)
Dan Nicholls (Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet)
George Crowley (Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet)
Alex Bonney (Trumpet)
Rory Simmons (Trumpet)
Nat Cross (Trombone)
Theon Cross (Tuba)
John Blease (Percussion)