MARTLAND The Steve Martland Band Steve Martland conductor The Smith Quartet NMC D210 • Steve Martland was born on 10 October 1954 in Liverpool and studied composition in Holland with Louis Andriessen. • The CD booklet includes a forward from Andriessen, a specially written note by Joe Duddell, composer and member of The Steve Martland Band, along with many tributes and photos. • This double album anthology includes the long-awaited reissue of recordings Martland released on the legendary Factory label, home of Joy Division, Happy Mondays and New Order. • In 1998 he collaborated with the band Spiritualized on a project for the Flux Festival in Edinburgh and his music has been adapted frequently for fi lm and TV use. • Martland died on 7 May, 2013. When Martland died unexpectedly two years ago the outpouring of love and respect from composers, pupils and industry colleagues was immense.   He was frequently labelled an anti-establishment maverick (something those close to him would dispute) but there was no doubt he was an individual and an iconoclastic composer, performer and teacher.   His refusal to conform to the composer stereotype led him down a pioneering path; he was one of the first to embrace the importance of music education in schools and he surrounded himself with like-minded musicians, set up his own band and toured his music widely. Martland's music is rooted in the minimalist style and often amplified with propulsive, infectious rhythms more common in jazz and rock.   Instrumentation including saxophones, electric guitars, bass, marimba and drum kits give his music a distinctive, edgy timbre, as in Beat the Retreat and Horses of Instruction, but this anthology demonstrates his music could also be distinctly contrasting and poignantly beautiful.   Patrol, written for traditional string quartet, is influenced by Scottish folk fiddling, medieval music and the work of Henry Purcell.   He explores music from the past again in orchestral piece Crossing the Border, his response to Bach's Chaconne in D minor.   This album shows Martland to be an important voice of his generation of composers and should encourage many new fans to his work. 'England's leading musical minimalist' - The Independent 'He simultaneously thought his enfant terrible tag as particularly lazy journalism while at the same time positively relishing it' - Joe Duddell composer/Steve Martland Band CD 1. 1. Horses of Instruction     15'03 2. Mr Anderson's Pavane     07'47 3. Eternal Delight     13'26 4. Patrol     32'30 CD 2. 1. Beat the Retreat     11'09 2. Shoulder to Shoulder     12'22 3. American Invention     17'35 4. Crossing the Border     23'55 NMC Recordings are distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading, P.O.Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone (03) 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile (03) 9444 6879