The
Fresh Sounds New Talent label has been going for 30 years now and, in
celebration, label head honcho Jordi Pujol decided to record a commemorative
album using, mainly, London based musicians, many of whom are familiar to north
east audiences from leading or taking part in various bands over the years.
Two dates, in August and October 2022 were organised and this varied 68 minutes is the result.
Day one, with a nonet saw
11 tracks recorded (including an alternate take of El Murcielago) whilst the octet that regrouped in October recorded
the remaining three. The music covers a fairly wide modern jazz spectrum.
There’s nothing here that feels especially cutting edge or challenging but what
it is is very good modern jazz, with good arrangements and players at the top
of their game all given the freedom to contribute their best and it’s well
produced so that they all have the space to shine. That shouldn’t be taken as
faint praise because, amongst its other charms is that this album is a definite
grower. I’ve listened to it several times and there’s more to enjoy and
appreciate each time so it rewards return visits and I shall be keeping it
handy.
I always think that
arrangements are crucial when there’s a big small band or a small big band
involved. Too often the temptation is to have ‘trio and succession of soloists’
arrangements where half the musicians sit out for much of each tune. This
happens on occasion across this album but for much of it the arrangements work
the whole band or use an array of instruments in the back ground to support the
soloist, to add different tones and colour to the tunes. Track 3, Alex
Merritt’s JT and the Planets does
this to great effect.
The album opens with a clarion call of intertwined saxes over a
punchy bass line as the track, Erased,
builds up to an equally punchy tenor front line behind composer Adele Sauros’ full
voiced solo.
Now, if you do want
something that sounds like it is part of a blowing session, the non-alternate
take of El Murcielago is your man.
This is just a romp with Steve Fishwick, who composed the tune, blowing up the
proverbial storm. It is a tight, small group arrangement and Fishwick decorates
it with flying daggers, (metaphorically).
After the strangled yelps
of Do You Like Apples (better than
that description makes it sound) comes another tune by Adele Sauros. Simplicity is a delicate piece that
frames Sauros’ solo. Ollendorff provides a lovely Metheny-esque run on the
guitar over rolling bass and drums. It’s one you have to lean into and hang on
to every note to fully appreciate.
Alex Merritt’s Anita Life (in tribute to Maria Kondo?) is
another pile on which shows why Jazz groups can produce an album in a day
whilst Pink Floyd take 3 years. Another gentle opening with Merritt's tenor then Ollendorff’s guitar
to the fore which suddenly acquires more gravitas with a bomb from Davis on the
drums. His rolling mallets(?) support a fuller arrangement from the band.
Ollendorff leads but his solo is gradually overwhelmed by a wall of horns. Chillingworth
and Fishwick take us out with entwined solos on sax and trumpet whilst Davis
lets loose in the background. This is what these sessions should be for.
Asimuth
is
a Tom Ollendorff composition but his guitar is subdued for much of it behind
Michael Chillingworth’s bass clarinet. I always think that the bass clarinet is
a bit of a Marmite sound that I tend to avoid where I can. Courtney Pine and
Alan Barnes, who both know more about these things than I do, would probably
disagree. I could definitely have done with more of Ollendorff’s brief closing
solo.
Alex Hitchcock’s Bin Raccoon provides the opportunity for
a solo from John Turville over a driving bass from Conor Chaplin whilst the
band provide colour in the background. This tune really motors and the arrangement
moves the reeds and horn from front to back and back again. It’s probably the
best arrangement on the album and shows the strengths of a group of this size.
Points, too, for the
album cover design as long as I’m right in thinking that it’s a medical
photograph of brainwaves with synapses firing at points of intersection. It’s a
good representation of the interplay between the musicians on this album.
More Information about the album, the thinking behind it and the Fresh Sounds New Talent Label’s history can be found HERE. Common Threads is out and available now from all the usual suspects. The website in the link takes you to the album and there are links on there to other works by the artists brought together for this project. Dave Sayer
No comments :
Post a Comment