This early 2020 recording from Frank Griffith's Liverpool based quartet is an extremely welcome addition to the catalogue of albums by modern sax quartets. Expertly played and recorded at Paul O'Neill's L'pool 'Soundhouse Studios' it contains a splendid variety of material designed to demonstrate the outfit's ability to impress a wide audience profile. Indeed, having been formed elsewhere back in 2015, Saxtivity have been enjoyed at many different venues including music clubs, cafés, churches and educational establishments. From my personal experience as a long-time collector of saxophonists' work I consider this album a most interesting arrival on account of its content as summarised below.
Tracks 1 and 2, Flamingo arranged by Frank and Jazz Suite for Sax Quartet composed and arranged by Dick Walter left me with the distinct impression of 'modern (music) writing', not entirely dissonant but nevertheless certainly avant garde. Then I thought 'what would Duke Ellington be doing now with sax quartets – if he were to still be with us?' Very possibly not unlike these two tracks. The third track Saxtitivication from Frank introduces his liking for funky/bluesy lines which re-appear in tracks 5, 6 and 7 The Sampler, Tribal 2-step and No Deal. All three of these are magnificently underscored by a 'dancing bari' motif – with my “best track of the album award” going to The Sampler, a real rocking number. I'm sure I heard shades of 12 or modified 12-bar sequences in 6 and 7. Track 4 Quark from Mike Mower is a contemplative ballad showing off the quartet's smooth relaxed delivery.
At track 8 we find Wapango, a Paquito d'Rivera 'Latin American' styled 6/8 number of 'test piece' complexity – very well done! The last two tracks 9 and 10 are Music to Watch Girls By and Yesterday's Gardenias. 9 arranged by Frank features an alto sax improvisation whilst 10, from the US arranger/altoist Lennie Niehaus, illustrates his masterful writing.
So there we have it, an accessible showcase of saxophony from writers and players who are clearly at the top of the game. Kenneth Morris
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