Brain Landrus is not just concerned about the Earth’s declining ecological diversity, he is absolutely furious and there are parts of this album that assail the ears in a way that attempts to convey the full force of his fury and the accompanying desperation. On this album he has focused on thirteen of the most endangered animals on the Red List, the International Union for Conservation of Nature list that identifies the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species. Jasper Hoiby covered similar ecological themes on his 2020 album Planet B and we can go back to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On in 1971 for the high profile release that included the much covered recently Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology).
But
what’s the point? To paraphrase Frank Zappa (I think) “Isn’t writing music
about endangered species like dancing about football?” (And writing reviews of
it even more so?). Or is this the first of many, timely, albums as more and
more artists become engaged with the most important issue of the day? Landrus’
hope with this album is that “Red List will help to
facilitate critical yet uncomfortable conversations about changing our global
habit of destroying nature for our own gain.”
On
the album Landrus addresses these themes in two ways. He writes about the
diminishing natural environments and he intersperses these with specific pen
portraits of the animals at risk. He draws on nature for some of his music. He
is quoted in DownBeat (August 2022, a comment that Lance put up on BSH) that "I kept listening to these different
calls from different animals, same species, and they were all using major
thirds." I could have expected an album full of mournful laments but much
of it celebrates the diversity of the disappearing habitats and the animals
themselves as if to strengthen the cry of ‘Look what we’re losing!’
To the music itself. It’s a mix of bold widescreen soul/jazz with occasional dips into other styles, such as reggae, played by a core septet with guests. The opening track Canopy of Trees is an overture, a full voiced prog-rocky opening with thumping piano before a more fluid solo by Keezer leads into a bold brass chorus and a wistful baritone sax solo. It’s a rousing call to arms.
The
title track, Red List, sees Landrus
use the full range of the baritone’s voice. It both soars and laments. It’s
another great example of his arranging as the soloists call and respond with
the main body of the players or solos are wrapped around the themes. It breaks
down for the last minute of the tune to suggest the peril ahead, as if it can’t
continue to hang together.
The
track, Giant Panda is dominated by
the baritone sax which seeks to capture the movement and the look of the
animal. It’s almost a modern day Carnival
of the Animals, though tinged with tragedy.
Tigris is
probably my favourite on the album. It builds from a guitar/bass/drums opening
to a full band peak before a further baritone sax solo over rolling drums and
punching percussion. Stabbing piano leads into a soaring, screaming tenor sax
solo before Felder brings it home with a solo that incorporates staccato stabs
and fluid runs.
Bwindi Forest, (now a nature reserve in South-West Uganda and home to the mountain gorilla), the most discordant track on the album, is full of rage whilst Congo Basin is all space and big skies. Up River is beautiful soulful jazz pushed along by Lonnie Plaxico’s electric bass. The next track Only Eight is another chance for Plaxico to shine, this time on acoustic bass, though only briefly - all of 48 seconds.
Vaquita, dedicated to and a celebration of the animal (a species of porpoise found in the northern end of the Gulf of California, in Mexico. It is the smallest of all living cetaceans.) The music is 70s soul jazz that conjures up images of the ocean. The solos, by Landrus and Jaleel Shaw are elegant as if to reflect the movement of the porpoise through the water.
On the face of it the closer, Javan Rhino, is an electric boogaloo but
it has a darker edge, a shadow emphasised by the baritone sax. The weight of
tone is more pessimistic than a lighter toned instrument would have been. It’s
not an optimistic ending.
This is an album without a wasted moment. The
music reflects Landrus’ concerns and he has amassed a top flight group and
arranged them brilliantly. It deserves greater success than it will receive
commercially but its profile may be raised by both its timeliness and, I
suspect, recognition in any relevant awards later in the year.
There is more information about the album and
the issues it raises on Landrus’ website HERE. The IUCN Red List
can be found at IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species
Red List was released in June and is widely available. Dave Sayer
No comments :
Post a Comment