Walter Smith III (ten); Romain Pilon (gtr); Michael Janisch (bs); Jamire Williams (dms).(Review by Lance.)
The third generation Smith gave a "gig of the year" performance at Sage Gateshead back in January so I knew I'd be hearing some cracking tenor playing and I wasn't disappointed. However, Pilon was a new name to me although when someone such as Lionel Loueke describes the young Parisian based guitarist as, "Having a flawless technique and a great harmonic sense, the expectations are high."
Those expectations were resolved at an even higher level than I anticipated!
Pilon is without doubt one of the most outstanding guitarists to have emerged in recent years. His lyricism and harmonic exploration show a player who, and here I quote Mike Moreno, "Plays with a knowledge of the past and a foot in the future." That those qualities also apply to Smith III makes this a true meeting of kindred spirits ably abetted by Janusch (also a major contributor to the Sage Gateshead gig) and Williams who steered this four wheel drive through seven originals by Pilon as well as an emotive version of Horace Silver's Lonely Woman.
The title track, Colorfield, is taken from a style of abstract painting that emerged in New York City in the 1940's and 1950's. In Colorfield painting, color is freed from an objective text and becomes the subject in itself - or so the album liner notes say.
Whatever, the undisputed facts in my mind is that this an album to listen to intently, drawing in different nuances with each playing.
Put the player on repeat and let the music take over...
Romain Pilon - Colorfield is released tomorrow (October 7) on Whirlwind WR4641 and is officially launched at King's Place, London, as part of the Whirlwind Festival on Saturday October 12.
Lance.
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