CD Review: Wildflower Sextet - Wildflower

Matt Anderson (ten); Laura Jurd (tpt); Alex Munk (gtr); Jamil Sheriff (pno); Sam Vicary (bs); Sam Gardner (dms).

(Review by Lance).

Although Leeds based, all the above guys are well known on the  Newcastle scene having appeared with each other (and others) in various formats - indeed trumpet player Jurd is at the Black Swan next Tuesday (Jan 27) with her own septet. So, listening to this Wayne Shorter inspired CD, I knew what to expect - or did I?

Having been sent to sleep by Shorter at The Barbican a couple of years back I was prepared to pass this on to one of my colleagues but, out of respect for Matt, I stuck it on the player...

I didn't fall sleep! In fact I was knocked out but not in a zzzzzzzzzzz fashion! This kept me wide awake!

Anderson doesn't attempt to emulate Shorter but blows his own thing in a manner that I'm sure Shorter would approve of.

Ms Jurd eschews the bravura macho mode of trumpet playing for an attractive lyrical take and guitarist Munk provides an additional solo voice. Shariff and the two Sams deliver no less than you would expect of them and quite often more!

The album isn't released until March 9, my birthday, and if I didn't already have a review copy this would be high on my present list - available upon request!

The band tour throughout February but the nearest they get to the north east on this tour is Zeffirelli's in the north west (Ambleside) although they did play the Lit and Phil last year.
Tour details/YouTube tracks.
Lance.