CD Review: Paul Baxter Quartet - Monuments

Tom Harrison (alt/fl); Tom Taylor (pno); Paul Baxter (bs); Jon Ormston (dms).
(Review by Lance.)

Double Bassist Paul Baxter's Quartet played a Splinter at the Bridge gig a couple of weeks ago that, due to other commitments, I missed. This, their début CD, goes some way to making up for it.

All pieces are by the leader and are further evidence of his ever increasing compositional skills. At times some of the voicings have a distinctly Mingus feel to them. On alto, Harrison sets the cane crop on fire with his blistering solos. He also displays a lyrical side on his Flute feature Para Lecouna. A to and a Fro (subtitled Tales From The Lane) sees a return to strident harmonic challenges as Harrison searches for and finds notes above and beyond the normal alto saxophone range. Baxter brings a return to sanity with a probing explorative bass solo that brings in A Day in June - presumably a reference to the month of June although, as the next track is titled If Peggy Knew.... maybe it isn't! Whatever, it's a lovely track full of tenderness from all concerned.

The Peggy track, like the opening Blame has a compelling angular theme and pianist Taylor displays how au fait he is with contemporary harmonies.

Ormston drives things along throughout coping easily with the many changes of mood and tempo.

For fans of accessible jazz of today it's well worth checking out which you can do here.

Lance.