“Splendid”
★★★★★
- BBC Music Magazine
Modus Operandi is the incendiary new album from London-based five-piece instrumental jazz band Five-Way Split. A powerful statement of intent, the record captures a group at the height of its creative focus, delivering contemporary hard-bop rooted firmly in tradition yet driven by a modern edge.
Five-Way Split’s musical vision is to carry the torch lit by classic hard-bop ensembles of the 1950s and ’60s—groups such as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers—while drawing inspiration from the contemporary US bop scene. Through vibrant original compositions and distinctive interpretations of swinging, groove-led material, the band brings a fresh and authoritative voice to today’s jazz landscape.
The group is a true collective of highly established musicians and Ronnie Scott’s regulars: trumpeter Quentin Collins, saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, pianist Rob Barron, bassist Matyas Hofecker, and drummer Matt Home. Each member is an accomplished artist in their own right, having contributed to a wide range of successful projects across the international jazz scene.
Compositions by Barron, Collins, and Xenopoulos form the backbone of Modus Operandi, featuring snappy melodic hooks, rich harmonic language, and deep rhythmic drive. While the music clearly pays tribute to the hard-bop masters, Five-Way Split’s sound is shaped by decades of collective experience performing with artists as diverse as Al Jarreau, Kyle Eastwood, Stacy Kent, Harold Mabern, Barry Harris, and many others. The result is a classic jazz sound that feels confidently modernised rather than nostalgic.
Founded during the 2020 lockdown period, the band developed its identity through intensive rehearsal and collaboration at a time when live performance opportunities were scarce but creative energy was abundant. This period forged a rare level of cohesion, allowing the ensemble to function seamlessly as a unit while giving space for each individual voice to shine.
As Quentin Collins explains:
“Five-Way Split is a band born in 2020 at a time when performance opportunities were scarce, but creative energy was strong—by musicians with a shared passion for continuing the lineage of contemporary bop music.”
Following their critically acclaimed 2023 debut All The Way—shortlisted on multiple end-of-year ‘Best Of’ lists and nominated for Best Ensemble at the 2024 Parliamentary Jazz Awards—the band has performed sold-out shows at Ronnie Scott’s, PizzaExpress Jazz Club, and the 606 Club.
With Modus Operandi, Five-Way Split present their strongest recorded work to date: a confident, cohesive, and exhilarating statement from one of the UK’s finest contemporary jazz ensembles.
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