The Listening Room Event

The Listening Room Event #3 - Promises

The Listening Room Event #3 - Promises

The LP:

Pharaoh Sanders joins with Sam Shepherd, the British producer and composer who records under the name Floating Points, on a sweeping, nine-movement piece called Promises.

Shepherd composed the music, played various instruments, electronic and otherwise, and enlisted the London Symphony Orchestra to perform it. Sometimes the piece is so quiet you might check your volume setting to see if it's still on, and other times, when the strings hit a crescendo, it's earth-shaking. In the middle of this tapestry is Sanders, his warm tone and fluid technique undiminished even at 80 years old, listening to his surroundings and finding brilliant patterns to stitch the work together and thus elevate it.

The arc of Promises needs time and space to unfold, and the length and continuous nature of the piece is central to its impact. If it were 20 minutes long—or 60—it wouldn’t have the same force. Nothing is rushed, but nothing is lingered over for too long, either. And as gorgeous as Shepherd’s music and arrangements are, I keep circling back to Sanders, his horn now quieter but just as emotionally powerful as when he wielded it alongside John Coltrane at age 25, when he was ripping terrifying blasts of sound that could peel paint. He’s always been quiet as far as the press goes, doing few interviews and letting his playing do the talking. On this piece, a clear late-career masterpiece, it’s saying plenty.

The all-star collaboration between a producer, a saxophonist, and a symphony is a celestial event. But it’s Pharoah Sanders’ playing that holds it all together, a clear late-career masterpiece. 

Credit:Mark Richardson at Pitchfork

The Event:

We would like to host 16 of you on Wednesday March 4th at 6.30pm when we will dim the lights, even offer you a blackout eye mask and then drop the needle for an incredibly deep listening experience.  

This is the LP we always had in mind to launch the Listening Room Events and we can't wait to share it with you.

Ticket prices are 50% off when bought with the LP (which is the Die Cut Gatefold Sleeve 180g version)


£38.00
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What To Expect On The Night?

Expect an evening of familiar faces gathering together to share in the joy of quality music discovery! Specifically, we will (re)open the shop doors at 6.30pm to welcome you in and give you all the chance to grab a drink and settle.

At 6.45pm we will introduce the album, then turn the lights down, offer you an eye mask and invite complete silence in advance of dropping the needle to give you the opportunity to disappear into the music. The evening will then last for as long as the album!

What Is The Listening Room?

The Listening Room is a dedicated space, created in collaboration with our friends at Audio Note, designed for anyone who wants to experience music at its very best. Built around creativity, flexibility, and community, it offers a calm, welcoming environment where you can slow down, sink in, and truly listen.

The room is equipped with some of Audio Note’s finest components, including their AN-E SPe HE speakers, the Meishu Tonmeister Phono 300b valve amplifier, and the TT3 record player. The result is an intimate, immersive listening experience unlike anything else.

The Listening Room is more than a space, it’s a celebration of great sound, great records, and the joy of discovering music together.

What Others Say About These Nights...

"Capsule Records continue to bring great music both familiar and not so familiar to the good people of Brighton & Hove (and beyond) via their listening experience evenings with the finest sound system it has been my pleasure to enjoy. Each selection is carefully thought about and listened to in advance to ensure those attending will have the optimal enjoyment on the night It has led to me viewing my own music collection in a fresh light with renewed enthusiasm and an appreciation for the input of those involved in the whole process'. Keith

"Thanks all for a wonderful evening. A profoundly moving and uplifting experience. To be transported into the studio, through such incredible audio and immersed in the sound from such great musicians. What a joy! Will be back for more". Nick

"In the dark, with a full house, we listened to each track in remarkable clarity. The double bass was wonderfully prominent, the drums had incredible precision, and the vocals of Fontella Bass and Roots Manuva (in particular) soared above the instrumentation, creating an unforgettable experience". Simon

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