All the People features leader Lockrane on flute, well it would wouldn't it seeing as it's his band and he just happens to be the best jazz flautist in this sceptered isle?! Nightingale and Stanley also do some ass-kicking on trombone and Hammond respectively. It's a hard swinger with some contemporary touches. At times, even a degree of gentility sneaks in.
Box of Tricks has mood changing moments on this, the title track. It's a complex arrangement and a credit to the musicians who, after many hours of rehearsal, got to grips with this and the rest of the compositions on the album. Lockrane and Outram solo to great effect. Strangely, Outram isn't listed among the album's personnel although he is included among the soloist credits.
Dennis Irwin may seem a strange title for a tune, Irwin being an Irish international footballer and ex Man U full back whom his then manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, rated mega highly. How then does Lockrane paint a musical portrait? I'm not sure he does. Georgie Best or Roy Keane might have been a better choice but, what do I know? What I do know is that, irrespective of the subject, this is one helluva track with the two tenors, Blevins and Teimoori jousting, Steve Fishwick on trumpet making like Harvey Barnes* and 'Sir Alex' on piccolo shooting from 20 yards out and scoring! Solid support and drive from Ian Thomas - maybe he's the Irwin connection.
Memories in Widescreen, after a reflective piano intro, Lockrane unpacks his bass flute before bringing in Tom Walsh on trumpet - melodic, lyrical and emotional it sets the mood for some restrained fluting. Walsh has a second bite of the cherry, he's more adventurous this time. The ensemble passages are enhanced by Pat Levett's contribution on chromatic harmonica.
Grooverider begins with a hypnotic rhythm laying down the groove beneath Collins' trumpet and the funky riffs emanating from the punchy ensemble. Blevins displays his fearsome technique on tenor, Thomas works out on kit and Outram signifies his return with a note/mind-bending blast worthy of any blues bar in the world. Listen to that final chord by the horns. I'd hate to try and identify it. What a chart!
Captain Kirkland, no doubt inspired by Captain Kirk of the starship OSS Enterprise in the TV franchise Star Trek, opens with Ross soloing over a jaunty rhythm. Sam Mayne on alto and Trevor Mires on trombone are also on board for this eight minute trip to an outer galaxy. The complex scoring, I imagine, indicates the occupational hazards one encounters on such a journey. Thomas's drumming is completely au fait with what's going on. You can check this one out on YouTube
Plan B, has me wondering what the original plan was because this does it for me. Relaxed without any loss of precision, Ross sets the mood on piano as does Chillingworth on soprano with the arrangement skillfully built around them.
Leviathan opens with the horns exercising their fingers over a propulsive rhythm setting the scene for solos by Tom Smith (baritone sax), Olli Martin (trombone) and Mike Chillingworth (alto sax). The arrangement lives up to the title - Leviathan: something, or someone, that is large and extremely powerful (Cambridge Dictionary).
Lockup, possibly inspired by Covid and lockdown. In retrospect of what I've learned from the recent release of the enquiry the title is more relevant now than ever! However, this being a non politically based site that is neither here nor there. Regarding the actual track, it's the most swinging of the nine arrangements without losing the contemporary edge. Lockrane is simply magnificent on flute his mastery setting the bar for some paintstripping tenor by Temoori, fireworks from Fishwick and a great rideout by the band leaving me totally breathless. This is some album. May 16, 2023, must have been quite a day in London's Livingstone Studios! Lance
*Earlier tonight Harvey Barnes scored twice in the Toon's 2-1 demolition of Man City.
No comments :
Post a Comment