CD Review: Moonlight Saving Time - Meeting At Night

Emily Wright (vocals); Nick Malcolm (trumpet); Dale Hambridge (piano); Will Harris (bass);

Mark Whitlam (drums); special guests Jason Yarde (alto sax); Dan Moore (Hammond organ).

(Review by Ann Alex).

I absolutely loved this CD, with its influences of world and folk music, free improvised ‘feel’ in many places, tuneful sweet singing, a certain dream-like quality, skilled instrumentation, yet still showing an unmistakable jazz element, and don’t ask me to define that last fact technically – I just know that it’s jazz. This is the band’s debut CD but they are known to audiences at the likes of Brecon Jazz Festival, and listeners to BBC Radio 3 and BBC 6 Music, so they are making a name for themselves in the UK jazz scene.

The mixture of songs is eclectic, written by all 5 band members, with lyrics by Wright, except for the title track (a poem by Robert Browning) and a version of John Masefield’s Sea Fever, which has a haunting spaced out tune by John Ireland. There are also re-interpretations of the music of Calvin Harris (I’m Not Alone) and the Isley Brothers (not clear which track this is).

For instance, Meeting At Night starts with a free improvisation sound on trumpet, then comes a jazzier alto sax from Jason Yarde, wordless singing and then trumpet and sax blend well to finish.  Yarde also plays on the track Views, which can be best described as impressionistic music.  Silence Is Here, which was inspired by the Wright family’s garden, shows the dream-like element, whilst I’m Not Alone is very evocative with the oft repeated lyrics: ‘If I see a light flashing, could be that I’m coming home, If I see a man waving, does this mean I’m not alone?’.

The titles of the other tracks are Clouds; Trio; Desire For Nothing Known; From My Window; Arthur’s Dance. These titles give listeners an idea of the dreamy, other-worldly quality of the music. 

The CD will be released on October 2, 2015. See www.moonlightsavingtime.co.uk

Ann Alex