Ant Law (guitar); Michael Chillingworth (alto sax, bass clarinet); Ivo Neame (piano); Tom Farmer (acoustic bass); James Maddren (drums) + Tim Garland (tenor sax), Adam Kovacs (percussion).
I've had the pleasure of seeing this terrific guitarist as leader and with Tim Garland, who makes a guest appearance here. On both occasions I found myself chatting with him and he's amiable, charismatic and humble, even as he emerges as one of the front-line of British Jazz guitarists.
He's joined here by fellow leading British jazz musicians, who gel seamlessly and I found myself making comparisons with Weather Report, and I can pay no higher tribute than that. But the music, while grounded by conventional sounds from primarily acoustic instruments besides his guitar is nevertheless, thoroughly contemporary.
The album opens with The Sleeper Sleeps and I spotted a nursery rhyme quality even before I knew the title of the track or the album. The Sleeper Wakes ups the ante, indicating Law's chops, but without any rock guitar posturing or any sense that it's just for the sake of it cos he can.
Liable to Wyble is the first of several short solo guitar or sax interludes which, while perfectly pleasant, add little either as individual pieces or to any overall album-wide development.
Two Bridges features brilliant solos from sax and piano, the latter also providing assured comping behind Law's solo.
Her Majesty is the longest piece on the set and gives Law space for his most jaw-dropping playing, together with more compelling comping from Neame, Maddren suitably busy on drums.
The final cut, Swan Song, is perhaps one slow number too many, though drums bubbling just beneath the surface threatens an escalation that's never fully realised.
It's a good set that should interest guitarists and guitar enthusiasts and anybody who likes their jazz straight but entirely modern sounding.
It's out on July 24 but on digital platforms only, which troubles me slightly. While I have no ideological objection to streaming in principle, and it's certainly the future, I'm not sure it's yet entirely the present. He may find he's alienating a section of his audience who still need something they can hold.
Steve T.
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