Cold Bath Street

Cold Bath Street are a musical improvising group. CBS developed out of a collaboration between Senior Lecturer in Music Simon Partridge and undergraduate students of the University of Central Lancashire. Though the band share their name with the best-selling book by A.J. Hartley, which refers to the same street in Preston, they were actually using it before the book came out.
Improvisational Approaches
When CBS began they worked off what Partridge refers to as ‘cues’ - small fragments of musical information that are then used as jumping off points for larger sections of musical improvisation - an approach common within the jam bands of the 60s. All of the members had studied what could loosely be termed ‘experimental’ music within their degree programmes and as such had some experience in use of feedback, timbral exploration, non-pitched sounds, free-time, electronics et al. As the group has evolved, their developing ability to collectively compose has led them away from the need to use cues. They do not, however, define themselves as a 'free improvisers' due to their regular use of conventional rhythms and diatonic material.
Timeline
The group began rehearsing at UCLan Preston in 2013. As with many improvising groups, the players were involved entirely for their own enjoyment and the creative challenges of making music and had no illusions of, or interest in, any commercial success. They played to small audiences in local venues in Preston and were also a staple of the university’s music performance schedules, regularly featuring in their Future Sound Festival.
As interest in the group grew, a second line up was added. CBS began to venture further afield seeking out small and open-minded venues such as the Golden Lion (Todmorden) Jimmy’s (Manchester) and the Electric Church (Blackburn). The sellout launch of their second album at the Alston Observatory complete with interplanetary projections, reinforced the group's continuing interest in interdisciplinary practice. Following shows and their first album with poet Winston Plowes, this saw them work alongside dancers including choreographer Sam Rice and collaborating with multi-media artist Anne Fox on the ‘Dream of Space’ shows culminating in a livestream from Hebden Bridge Trades Club.
Continuing interest in the group led to larger shows including supporting Chris Corsano, Stephen Grew and Damo Suzuki and initial work on the festival circuit, including Northern Green Gathering and Ribble Valley Jazz Festival. In 2019, they were joined onstage at the Preston Jazz Festival by Emerson Lake and Palmer drummer Carl Palmer. With growing experience, came a desire to share the music-making approaches they’d developed. Though delayed by the pandemic, this is evolving into a program of practical workshops introducing their improvisational approaches and reinforcing their belief in the pivotal importance of people working and playing together.
Influences
Partridge regularly cites influence on his own practice as being taken from the progressive rock, blues and jazz-fusion musicians of the 60s and 70s. The group members have informally given a broad range of reference points for their practice drawn from both inside and outside of improvisation, contemporary and dating back to this period.
See Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd, Jojo Mayer, Cecil Taylor, Miles Davis, Can.
Members
Current members (2022): Christopher Graves (Bass) Samuel Bowen-Wild (Drums and Percussion) Joshua Bennett (Synth) Daniel Bench (Bass and Cello) Maddi Rolinson-Lord (Violin and Viola) Javon Aziz (Guitar, Bass and Drums), Conor Daniels (Piano) and Simon Partridge (Guitar).
Initial members (2013): Niall Smythe (Bass) Sean O’Hara (Drums) Liam Ogburn (Guitar) Joshua Bennett (Synth) and Simon Partridge (Guitar).
Other members: Scott Wilcoxson (Bass) Holly Hughes (Flute and Voice) Samuel O’Brien (Drums) Christopher Price (Synth)
Discography
2016 [https://coldbathstreet.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-the-atomic-age-2 ‘Return to the Atomic Age’ (CD) with poet Winston Plowes]. UCLan Recordings Group
2017 [https://coldbathstreet.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-the-atomic-age-2 ‘Sound Research Rebellion (LP). UCLan Recordings Group]
2019 [https://coldbathstreet.bandcamp.com/album/return-to-earth ‘Return to Earth’ (CD). UCLan Recordings Group]
2021 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?vodI3SwfsRRk&t1831s ‘Self-Isolating Clouds’ Broadcast by Xperiments in Sound within their ‘Balconi’ event].

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