Steve Fishwick (trumpet/flugelhorn); Alex Garnett (alto sax); Michael Karn (bass); Matt Fishwick (drums).
(Review by Lance).
There's something about 21st-century vinyl that, somehow, feels like a piece of precious porcelain, even before you've actually heard the content you know you are holding a treasure. Fortunately, it's not fragile - no one's going to make a lampshade out of today's "long players"! Nor will the sleeves end up torn and disheveled after a night out on the Dansette!
Unlike those historic albums that we still love and treasure, where we used to devour the sleeve notes as if they were the new New Testament and which, nowadays, when reproduced on CD booklets, are unreadable - unless you live in Cape Canaveral that is, the sleeve notes here provide us with only the bare insight to the background. However, this is one of those albums where the music speaks for itself. Like Fats, or was it Louis?, apocryphally said: "If you have to ask, don't mess with it".
The music is contemporary hard bop but, don't be deterred by the word contemporary, I use it in the best tradition of modern jazz as played by four of the top guys on the London scene (which means anywhere in the world east or west of New York).
I've always thought of Garnett as one of the best tenor players around but here, he throws his hat into the alto ring. 'Bird lives!' in the manner of which he would have lived had he lived.
The brothers Fishwick have kept the faith for a few years now and it hasn't diminished. Steve is more fluent, less restrained than he once was, and very much a voice to be reckoned with. Matt does the business, handling the backing, the driving, the breaks, pushing, holding back, unleashing the power - not just for himself - forcing the frontline to respond to his impetus.
Karn's a new name to me but, on this form, he will soon be on every bass player's threat list!
Steve and Alex shared the composing chores (chores? pleasure's a better word!)
It's a gem and available next month on Hard Bop Records HBR33011.
Lance
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