Record Reviews

OLIE BRICE ~ IMMUNE TO CLOCKWORK MULTIKULTI MPI 026 (Barcode: 5907796319529) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by a quintet led by British Jazz bassist / composer Olie BriceFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Mark HanslipFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Alex BonneyFind albums by this artist, drummer Jeff WilliamsFind albums by this artist and leading Polish clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Brice. Brice has been active on the British (mostly London based) Improvised Music scene since a few years and is involved with several ensembles in parallel, some as a leader and others as a band member. He also cooperated with the Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetists / composer Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist in the past, expanding the British / Polish Improvised Music interaction, which often produces excellent results. The music is surprising, and contrary to the accepted image of Improvised Music, beautifully lyrical and melody based. The three soloists are featured extensively, playing long and well constructed solo improvisations and collective improvisations. Most notably Zimpel, who plays here more explicitly and vividly than on the Polish albums he lately recorded as a leader, those being more contemplative and less Jazz oriented than this recording. Therefore Zimpel followers can hear some of his the best moments captured in a long time. Brice, apart from being the composer, also sets the overall direction of the album with his solid bass lines, which are the backbone of this music. He sets the tempo variations and the passage between the unisono theme statements, the solos and the group improvisation parts. Therefore he fulfills his role as a leader in full in addition to being part of the ensemble. Williams also deserves praise for following Brice´s moves closely and applying his rhythmic layer with grace and obvious sympathy. Although he does anything but keeping time, the result is well in check, with him keeping time without actually keeping time, a rare gift which only the best drummers can handle really well. In many respects this album sounds a bit retrograde, and I mean it in the most positive sense, bringing back fond memories of the wonderful British Jazz recordings by early Free Jazz / Improvised Music ensembles in the late 1960s. There was the same level of serenity and non-aggressiveness present than, which was almost completely lost over the years with Improvised Music musicians often trying to outshout each other rather than integrate. Overall this album is a beautiful and pleasing listening experience, which serves well the image of Improvised Music at its best. Congrats Olie for doing your thing and selecting the right folk to do it with. Well done indeed!

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MICHAEL GARRICK ~ LIVE AT PIZZA ON THE PARK, LONDON VOCALION 9000 (Barcode: 765387900021) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 Pianist / composer Michael GarrickFind albums by this artist has been an icon of British Jazz for the last five decades. His exquisite touch on the keyboards, deep lyricism and unparalleled inventiveness as a composer characterize his entire legacy over time, which has very little rivalry or precedence. This DVD captures his exquisite performance with his new quartet (Garrick – piano, Martin HathawayFind albums by this artist – reeds, Paul MoylanFind albums by this artist – bass and Alan JacksonFind albums by this artist - drums with guest musician Mark HanslipFind albums by this artist – tenor sax). Garrick seems to be untouchable by time, as he not only looks great but also plays beautifully, as if no time passed at all since he touched the keyboard for the first time. The music includes some of his old and some new compositions, as well as a few standards (all from the Duke EllingtonFind albums by this artist stable), which get a typical Garrick treatment, with a dash of British humor. He also recites a couple of poems, as appropriate for a pioneer of the Jazz & Poetry movement and gives a chance to a young gifted player as a guest. A most enjoyable performance of great Jazz, which warms the heart and makes your feet go “tap tap tap”. The DVD also includes an insightful interview with Garrick, where he warmly (and with a lot of humor again) remembers the “good old days”, which were glorious indeed. I had a great time watching / hearing this and I’m sure anybody familiar with Garrick’s splendid and innovative contributions to music will do as well. 140 minutes.

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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NOSTALGIA 77 ~ SESSIONS FEATURING KEITH & JULIE TIPPETT TRU THOUGHTS 183 (Barcode: 5060006355127) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This is a criminally little known album by British Jazz producer Benedic LamdinFind albums by this artist operating under the Nostalgia 77Find albums by this artist moniker, recorded with the legendary couple: vocalist / lyricist / composer Julie TippettsFind albums by this artist and her husband pianist / composer Keith TippettFind albums by this artist. Other musicians participating on this album are bassist Riaan VoslooFind albums by this artist, drummer Adam SorensenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Gary BoyleFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mark HanslipFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Fulvio SigurtaFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen original songs, composed by Julie, Keith and other musicians participating in this session, with lyrics mostly by Julie. The music is a brilliant amalgam of Blues, soulful Jazz and Avant-Garde, radiantly performed by all the participants. The music moves naturally and smoothly between to genres, which is of course quite surprising and seemingly impossible. Julie offers both “straightforward” vocals and Free Form vocalese, as usual breathtakingly beautiful and Keith idiosyncratic piano playing is the leading instrumental support of the proceedings, but he also offers several wonderful soli. Boyle offers some great guitar parts, as do Hanslip and Sigurta, and the rhythm section supports the music amicably for the entire duration. Overall, this is a little known gem, which offers a superb document of the diversity, openness and versatility offered by Keith and Julie Tippett. The mostly melodic music is spiced by Avant-Garde touches, which should be acceptable to listeners not usually exposed to that kind of music. This is of course a must to all fans of the Tippett couple (separately and together), and is definitely worth seeking out, as long as it is available.

Updated: 20/02/2023Posted: 20/02/2023

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