(Review by Steve H)
Many of the participants of this collective will be
familiar to Tyneside jazz audiences*. In fact you could split the orchestra into
two teams of nine:- one team consisting of those musicians I have
seen and the other team those that I haven’t. Included in this second nine
would be bandleader and composer London-based Portuguese guitarist
Paulo Dias Duarte.
Given the reputation that most of the musicians on
the disc come from shall we say the freer side of the jazz spectrum? I expected
this album to be the sort of thing that BSH supremo Lance would run a mile
from but it is surprisingly melodious and easy to listen to. Full of
fascinating interactions between the various sections of the orchestra,
punctuated by individual solos and maintaining a constant groove this is
the sort of music that gives free jazz a good name. In fact the more I listen
to this album the better it gets, Touring an eighteen piece jazz orchestra must
be a logistical nightmare but I hope sometime it happens because I can only
imagine that seeing them live would be absolutely amazing.
This is a really tremendous piece of work full of
life and vigour and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone no matter what side
of the jazz divide they reside.
Steve H
Chris Williams (alto, soprano
sax/flute); Julie Kjær (alto sax/ flute); Rachel Musson (tenor
sax/flute); Mike Lesirge (tenor sax); Cath
Roberts (baritone sax); Tom Ward (clarinet,/bass clarinet); Noel Langley, Yazz Ahmed (trumpet/flugelhorn); Andre
Canniere, Chris Batchelor (trumpet); Paul
Taylor Raph Clarkson (trombone); Olivir
Haylet (bass trombone); Ben Kelly (sousaphone); Paulo Dias Duarte (guitar);
Dave O’Brian (keys); Jason Simpson (bass);
Jon Scott (drums).
*Yazz Ahmed can be heard at Gosforth Civic Theatre this Friday (Oct. 4) as part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2019.
*Yazz Ahmed can be heard at Gosforth Civic Theatre this Friday (Oct. 4) as part of the Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music 2019.
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