Empirical Win Best Jazz Act At MOBO's

British post-bop pin-up boys Empirical made a swift ascent to the heights of the UK jazz scene in April 2007, with their Courtney Pine endorsed eponymous debut album. The band harvested critical acclaim at every corner and quickly amassed accolades including BBC Jazz Awards Best Ensemble, MOJO Jazz Album of the Year and Jazzwise Album of the Year.   

Every live performance ensured a rigorous demonstration of pure talent; justifying the fresh-faced, smart-dressed boppers' rapid and hype-free rise to success. Their achievements took them to the USA, where a rare standing ovation at the Newport Jazz Festival awaited. Whilst on the cusp of breaking infamous American preconceptions on new British jazz music, conflicting aspirations began to drive the band apart.  In 2009 the band changed line-ups with Tom Farmer (bass) and childhood friends Shaney Forbes (drums), Nathaniel Facey (alto sax) recruiting bright eyed Trinity College student Lewis Wright (vibraphone). Inspired by legendary saxophonist/clarinettist Eric Dolphy Empirical began to cultivate a cerebral edge in their original compositions and a barn-storming live performance saw them win the Musicians' Benevolent Fund's Peter Whittingham Award, which allowed the band to enter the studio and complete their latest record Out ‘n' In.  Released on Naim Jazz, Out ‘n' In  received wide-spread critical acclaim and Empirical have spent 2010 spreading their musical blessings across the European festival circuit.

"The coolest of Britain's young jazz bands" Daily Telegraph

"Empirical could turn out to be one of the most important bands in UK jazz history" Jazzwise