The latest Dinosaur album To The Earth is the third album that Laura Jurd has made with her Dinosaur group. The band have played together for over 10 years and the cohesiveness of the unit is clearly evident throughout.
Within this collective structure all the individual members still find a way to shine.
Unlike previous Dinosaur releases this is a mainly acoustic offering with very little electronic wizardry. The majority of the tracks are fairly subtle and low key.
Apart from a Billy Strayhorn number, Absinthe, the other 6 pieces are written by Jurd although the final piece, For One, is credited to the entire band.
The influence of Miles Davis on Jurd can be clearly be heard on the opening title track and also the final piece. Middle Eastern and Slavonic themes are evident throughout but particularly in Banning Street Blues. The highlight of the album for me was a piano/percussion duet between Galvin and Dick on Mosking a tune which was inspired by Norwegian piano trio Moskus. Bass player Chaplin is a wonder throughout hooking the listener into every single number.
This really is a fine and satisfying recording maybe short on pyrotechnics but definitely long on style and substance.
Steve H.
Available now (CD/vinyl/digital) on Edition Records - listen here.
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