And so John Pope’s bid to officially become the ‘Hardest
Working Man in Show Business’ acquires another piece of evidence. Hot upon the
heels of the release of his group’s Citrinitas
album here he is again, this time in a collaboration with saxophonist and
clarinet player Michael Moore. Ever reliable drummer Johnny Hunter, also a
member of Pope’s quintet, makes up the trio.
I’ll be honest, I was expecting something very abrasive from the off with this one, but, in fact it strikes a lovely balance in just being free enough to excite and restrained enough for the unsure amongst us not to lose our sense of security.
Providence
is the classic case in point. It opens with a lovely, mellifluous sax from
Moore before the rhythm section join in and start pulling it in different
directions with Hunter’s rattling drums and a bass solo that sounds rooted in
the earth. Having lured you in with Providence,
A Simple Change is
all about the trio listening to each other and reacting to what’s going on.
It’s fractured in places and unified in others. Undulation takes us just that little further step out but First Half of May, an unexpected lullaby
with soft clarinet over a mellow bass solo pulls us back. Anything Can Happen opens with a sax solo that suggests 'Round Midnight and that theme is hinted
at several times during the tune, but there's upheaval going on below with
rattling, rolling drums punching below a solid bass solo. To disconnect further
Moore reaches into the higher register with his sax. It’s like the swan with
all the activity below the waterline, but, having said that, Moore is happy
enough at certain points to join in the excitement.
The big beast at the heart of the album is Some Moore/Middle of the Road, which
title perfectly illustrates my so far out/so far in theory. The opening bars
suggest Love for Sale but it breaks
down into the three component parts. A metronomic bass line from Pope supports
a strangled wail from Moore. It’s a very delicate, desolate piece with
atmospheric bowed bass and thin cries from Moore which builds a tension and
anticipation that remains unresolved. It fades away as if blown on the wind.
It’s immersive and frustrating at the same time as if the joke is on us.
May-Ting is as
predictable as they come if you expected a western hoedown to be mixed in with
some deconstructed free jazz and an elegant be bop ballad over a bass and drum
shuffle. If you saw that coming I’ll have Saturday’s lottery numbers off you
with thanks. Half way though it becomes an exercise in different levels of
languid. Moore is the most relaxed, playing elegant lines and, at the other end
of the scale, Hunter is the most energetic. Pope seems to move between the two,
at one moment relaxed in his accompanying Moore, at others falling in with
Hunter’s energetic displays.
Closer, Bug Music, opens
with a statement toot and a crash of cymbal that develops, after more
languid tenor playing from Moore, and a
sudden stop/turn on a dime moment, into a rolling squall, full of sound and
fury. Delicate moments follow between the outbreaks when regular rhythms are
interposed. It demands the attention and, moment by moment, gives no hint at
what will follow.
The whole album is lightning in a bottle, captured with
great separation so that you can hear every note, every rattle and hum that’s
played. Points to John Martindale (listed on the sleeve as responsible for
recording, mixing and mastering the album) for that. I’m not sure yet, whether
I like this more or less than Citrinitas but
in any case it’s a joyous way to pass the time!
The album was released on October 20 and is available HERE on Bandcamp. Dave Sayer
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