Mark Perry (tpt); Duncan Eagles (ten); Gareth Lochrane (fl); Sam Leak (pno); Max Luthert (bs); Chris Nickolls (dms); Ola Onabule (vcl).
(Review by Lance)
A gem! A perfect example of where British jazz is at the moment and, if it's not, it's where it should be!
This is music accessible to all but the Troglodytes and the Outsiders.. Superb solos, great ensemble sounds on compositions by the co-leaders. It's bop - both hard and soft - as well as contemporary sounds that recognise chord changes. I'd love to know the background to the intriguing tune titles.
Flip of a Coin; Chord Game; Shawty; Forever; Barters Band; Wray Common; GG.T.; Road Ahead; One Last Kiss; Remember.
The front line guys are just perfect for the music - so they should be! Two out of three of them wrote the heads and you don't invent a game to get beat at it! Nevertheless, Lochrane, if he doesn't beat them at their own game at least proves their equal! But jazz isn't about competition and the horns and rhythm emphasise
to make this a disc that tells the world where we are at, jazz-wise, at this moment in time and I can tell you folks that this is as good as anything I've heard coming out of New York recently.
Eagles is a superb tenor player - well you knew that already didn't you? Lochrane, who could have been featured more, is perhaps the worlds best jazz flautist. Perry, I was unfamiliar with his work until this disc - a NYJO graduate, need I say more? It's still the best place to pay your dues and Perry is living proof.
The rhythm section dig in and Sam Leak's playing doesn't have any leaks - sorry!
The CD is launched on Sunday November 17 at Pizza (2pm). Part of LJF..
Lance
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