From the album Tileyard Improvisations Vol. 1

 Kathrin deBoer

 A brilliant two days spent at the Tileyard studios with the incredible Quentin Collins and  Max Cooper.  We went into the studio with no plan, Quentin and i had free reign to improvise and throw down ideas.   Speaking for myself,  it was the perfect environment to explore our instruments and enjoy bouncing off  each others ideas. In the words of my mentor Freddie Wilson, if it ain’t fun you ain’t doing it right.. and i have to say- this was as fun as it gets.

Caught in the city
of lost souls
With a mission inked to each arm
holding onto the cliffs
with no hint of fatalism,
no hint..
Do or die, hear them cry
do or die, hear them cryLife’s locomotion runs over them
over them
Life’s locomotion runs over them
over them
Life’s locomotion runs over them
over them
Life’s locomotion runs over them
over themDo or die, hear them cry

and they lie down like sleepers
lay down face down
life’s locomotion
life’s locomotion runs over them

i matter i do
do or die
my dreams tell me i do

 b. c. 1978, England. Raised in Richmond, Surrey, Collins was interested in music from an early age and studied the trumpet. Later, he took a post-graduate course at London’s Guildhall School of Music. A strikingly gifted trumpeter, Collins has gained an enthusiastic jazz audience as well as considerable critical acclaim for his dazzling post-bop playing. He became known to a wide audience through a long spell touring with soul singer Omar. Among jazz artists with whom he has performed and sometimes recorded are Renato D’Aeillo, Bruno D’Ambra, Mike Carr, Tim Garland, Michael Garrick, Ray Gelato, Basil Hodge, Dylan Howe, Tony Kofi, Jim Mullen, the Spitz Jazz Collective, John Surman, Jean Toussaint, Stan Tracey and Norma Winstone. Meanwhile, his studio work has found him in rather different musical company through sessions with Basement Jaxx, Jocelyn Brown, 4 Hero, Lulu and US3.

Although Collins draws some of his jazz repertoire from music played in earlier years by artists such as Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane, his work is decidedly contemporary, original and innovative. For his 2007 debut album, Collins allied himself with vibraphonist Jim Hart, bass player Michael Janisch and drummer Alyn Cosker as well as guest saxophonist Kofi. In 2007/8, Collins toured the UK in duo with Hart who also played in his working quartet, as did drummer James Madren. By the mid-00s, Collins was a leading figure on the UK jazz scene.”. ( source allmusic.com )