Saxophonist, composer, and educator Phil Bancroft has launched a new album, Degrees of Freedom, and an artist-led streaming platform called Myriad Streams. Born in London and now based in Midlothian, Bancroft has been a significant figure in the Scottish new-jazz scene.
Degrees of Freedom
Degrees of Freedom features top Scottish musicians Paul Harrison (piano), Stu Ritchie (drums), and Aidan O’Donnell (bass). The album showcases their ability to seamlessly transition between chordal and freeform improvisations.
Bancroft wanted to release the album for a long time, but financial constraints and personal responsibilities delayed the process. He refers to this balancing act as the “beautiful struggle.”
Myriad Streams
Launched on May 5, 2023, Myriad Streams is Bancroft’s new artist-led streaming platform. It aims to provide an alternative to the heavily commodified distribution of music on platforms like Spotify. Bancroft plans to release at least seven of his own albums and one collaborative album on the platform.
Myriad Streams will also allow other artists to build their streaming sites using the platform’s code base. The goal is to create a village of sites, each celebrating the work of individual artists, bands, or collectives.
Featuring Phil Bancroft’s Work
In addition to his new album, Bancroft has an upcoming album with Graeme Stephen (guitar) and Gyan Singh (tabla), exploring asymmetrical time signatures and improvisation. He also plays in a Standards trio with his brother Tom and bassist Mario Caribe, who plan to release a Standards album on Myriad Streams.
Supporting the Scottish Jazz Scene
Bancroft is proud to see a new generation of young Scottish musicians embracing their own music and creativity. He hopes that the work of his generation, which blended American jazz and Celtic music, has inspired these young artists to explore improvisation further.
Learn More about Myriad Streams
Interested in learning more about Myriad Streams or signing up for the platform? Visit the About Myriad Streams page and Free Sign-Up page for more information.
