Reviews and comments

Jade Warrior reviews (Opens in new tab)

Sid Smith's 'NOW' review
Gnosis
ProgressoR
Vintageprog
Sea Of Tranquility

Finally a special mention to our good friend Dave Platt at The Friends of Jade Warrior website


Excerpts from a selection of press reviews for 'NOW', and quotes from fans

I have lived with this album for many years now and every time I put it on I'm amazed at how 'modern' sounding it is. Brilliantly produced and well layered. It has much in common with Talk Talk and bands like the Alan Parsons Project. Each track boasts multiple 'parts' and you're never left for long to get tired of a particular passage of music. Highly recommended.
Raggleman review - Progarchives

Jade Warrior return with a top-flight album boasting cinematic dynamics, thoughtful instrumentation and the strategically astute placement of a roster of guest artists. This collection of songs has warmth, clarity and the power of surprise on its side. Though very different to their classic Island albums, 'NOW' is nevertheless a worthy successor to their glory days.
Record Collector magazine

The album is as challenging as it is atmospheric, varying from the elegiac 'Lost Boys', with plenty of Field's flute to the fore, to 3am Meltdown, a milieu of barking-mad blues, easy listening and clattering free-form jazz. Duhig would be proud of the powerchords on True Love.
Classic Rock magazine

Jade Warrior is back, and has reinvented itself once again. The music is recognizably that of Jade Warrior - the flutes of Jon Field, the keyboards and fretless bass of Dave Sturt, and the lyrics and voice of Glyn Havard are all familiar elements - but there's an entirely new chemistry developing here. 'NOW' is not simply a recap or reprise of earlier Jade Warrior albums, and has a flavor all of its own.
The old-but-new band lineup brings together elements of several phases of the band's history, and adds a depth and expressiveness which is both striking and novel. This is the most emotional - and I think the most mature and most deeply human - album Jade Warrior has ever created.
Dave Platt - FOJW website

Well, color me impressed! My first impression is WOW, VERY good, Jade Warrior is back! This is an uber-cool, very well-produced & well-executed album & one that I think Tony Duhig would be very proud of... I can envision him in Heaven saying, "Good job, chaps". The engineering is also top-notch, every instrument on here (especially the DRUMS) sounds great. I could not recommend this more highly - a VERY worthy addition to Jade Warrior's already impressive library of music.
Douglas Vencill - Amazon review

Arguably their best album since 1978's 'Way Of The Sun' with a fusion of 1972's 'Last Autumn's Dream'. Many surprises with volume, especially the guitar parts played by Tim Stone (like a cross between Robert Fripp and Jade Warrior's late guitarist Tony Duhig). This whole 'NOW' is a roller coaster throughout the entire career of Jade Warrior... Jade Warrior 'NOW' is THE highlight of late 2008-2009 thus far.
Gooner review - Progarchives

That's what I call MUSIC!! Since the 70's I'm in love with the amazing sounds of Jade Warrior and I just wanna say thanks for this new, great and wonderful album!! Thanks to Jon Field, Glyn Havard, Dave Sturt and Co for this great piece of music! With 'NOW' you made me happy, guys!!!
Markus Probst

A friendly missive to congratulate you on the marvel that is your magnificent new album. 'NOW' is simply the most goddam fantastic rock album I have ever heard in my life.
Mark Caldicott

With 'NOW' Jade Warrior have bounced back in fine style and although elements of early Jade Warrior are present throughout, the band has reinvented themselves here making this really an album for today.
DPRP website

WOW! This has to be one of the best albums I have heard this year. I've loved Jade Warrior since the Island days, and this is easily as good as any of those albums. Fantastic production allied with their 'trademark' dynamics gives 'NOW' an aural clarity I thought we would never hear again. Jon's flute sounds better than ever, Glyn's voice has matured nicely, and it's all underpinned by some sublime bass from Dave Sturt. Buy this, you won't regret it!!
Simon Davies

Jade Warrior have released not just a good or very good album, but a great album, one that stands along their finest works from the early 1970s. 'NOW' is the work of a band discovering itself again, and rediscovering the greatness that was there in the past. It's also a fantastic recording, with an almost analog feel that's rare in the digital realm these days.
Classic Rock Music blog

Jade Warrior are back with a simply stunning album, 'NOW' (Windweaver Records, 2008). There is always an element of risk when you have a long, established, and highly respected tradition surrounding a band, and you decide to return to the studio to revive that name. No need to worry here. 'NOW' oozes all the quality you could possibly hope for.
BlogCritics magazine website

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Some very kind words from fans regarding our gig at Astoria 2.

The setlist for this gig can be viewed here

Just wanted to say that was a fantastic gig at the Astoria 2 last night. The old and new songs blended really well and the 9 piece band arrangements were superb. I do hope that the great reception you got from the audience will encourage Jade Warrior to play live a little more often! - Tony

It was a great pleasure to listen to great music, excellently played, and professionally performed. Please don't let this be a one off - keep it going, there's too much pappy music around and you guys are worth listening to. - Nick

Jade Warrior at Astoria 2 was a great gig - no egos, no dreary seven minute one-theme wonders - just excellent music. We thought it was an excellent set - very varied - there was something for everyone - except maybe the most ardent punk rocker - who wouldn't have gone there anyway. The arrangements really pushed the songs along and kept them fresh and dynamic. - Anthony & Tracey

Hello to all at Jade Warrior,
First of all, thanks for a really good concert at the Astoria the other night. It was so good to see and hear you live again. The new stuff sounds good too. Without sounding too sycophantic, your music has given me so much to enjoy and discover, which is difficult as I consider myself to be very critical and discerning. Finally, I hope you plan more live stuff in the near future. - Andrew

It was a great pleasure to meet you and the guys, I loved the gig, I would never have thought I would be singing along to "Reason to believe" with JW. - Dave Hewitt

Hello guys
May I just say that I was at your gig at the Astoria last week - and I loved every second of it. What a fantastic gig. Top entertainment.
In my opinion you guys should be on Jools Holland, or at the very least on the Legend stage at Glastonbury (following in the footsteps of one of my other all time heroes - Love). Please do some more gigs. It's so great that you've managed to get it all together after so many years. - Pete