A timely release (March 7) as later (March 16) ARQ play the Globe which on the strength of this album and the quintet's previous visits to the venue is one for the diary.
Espiritu Libre, presumably translates as Free Spirit and the spirits do indeed run free although not out of control. Composed by Rayner, the musicians create the illusion of frolicking in the mountains of the Basque country when in actual fact the frollicking is being done at the Vortex Jazz Club in East London.
Looking For a Quiet Place. A composition by McLoughlin, who has found just such a place to contemplate, mavbe discover the secret of life, or stumble upon a previously unknown minor chord progression. The solos and the melody lines are beautiful.
Semaphore opens with Rayner's rich, sonorous double bass lines before upping the tempo for some catchy riffing from the others. Solos jump in and out, McLoughlin's tenor and Cartwright's guitar to the fore. Changes of mood, piano from Lodder with Buster boosting the rhythm. Rayner must have been delighted with the way they handled her tune. The Vortex audience show their appreciation - they know they're in on the ground floor of something quite special.
Hamble Horror, by Steve Lodder, is described as: 'In which our hero survives a watery disaster and survives'. What happened? Did he fall asleep in the bath? Did he find himself up the creek without a paddle or was he caught in the rain without his brolly? I don't know the answer but I do know that this is the swingingest track so far - certainly the horror factor has quickly been dispensed with. Brilliant.
Signals From Space. Some cosmic balderdash surrounds the title but the music itself is anything but eight million light years away from Earth. It's there if you look out of the window at night. It's not the music of the spheres you hear but composer Cartwright's guitar or McLoughlin's soaring soprano turning the night sky into a new galaxy right on our doorstep.
Trip Dance. Rayner says that it feels like a dance with a little trip in it. A bit like my terpsichorean efforts. If it's not included in the set at the Globe then I'll request it. Drum solo from Buster breaks things up nicely.
Riding the Waves. McLoughlin's in the composer's chair and takes the first solo on tenor. Lodder follows with some complex runs and big fat chords before giving way to Cartwright for a few bars. Some good ensemble work.
The Handkerchief Tree or Davidia Involucrato, as we horticulturists often refer to it when strolling around Kew Gardens, is described by Lodder as 'flowers like hanging hankies'. He copped a glance of them up in Abney Park, North London.
All Will be Well, composed by Rayner over a two year period when her sister was gravely ill. There's a poignancy about it that creates a mood reminiscent of Mingus' Goodbye Pork Pie Hat. There's a brief period of hope that sadly didn't materialise. I defy anyone to listen to it without having to fight back the tears.
Don't forget: the Globe March 16. You can hear the music live and buy a CD to take it all home with you.. Lance
Talking about the Globe, if you like the venue, the wide variety of music presented and want to help it onwards and upwards find out about the crowdfunding project by going to crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-globe.
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