After leaving the tranquility of rural Northumberland and the learning curve of Tyneside jam sessions, James Kitchman graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance to become an in-demand composer and guitarist on the London jazz scene and other genres.
He has returned to the north east on several occasions most notably with the Joy Ellis Quartet and a contemporary trio - Glasshopper.
First Quartet consists of ten originals by the guitarist and demonstrates just how much his horizons have widened since those early days. Jazz, chamber music, contemporary folk, improv and maybe a few other genres I didn't identify. Music, and jazz in particular, advances so fast these days that yesterday's free-form is tomorrow's Dixieland!
To his credit, Kitchman nods to the future without forgetting the past resulting in an album that presents him as an outstanding composer and instrumentalist - and to think that it all began, like so many others, at Dave Weisser's Take it to the Bridge sessions at The Chilli Arms in Heaton!
Of course, behind every good musician, there's a rhythm section and the trio behind James are of equal standing which makes for a tight unit.
As a matter of further interest, Kitchman and Heinen play a duo set at this year's Hexham Jazz Festival on May 15.
Lance
Preview - Available April 8 on Ubuntu Records.
No comments :
Post a Comment