Record Reviews

ETERNAL TRIANGLE ~ GRAVITY JAZZ NOW 01 (Barcode: 5060774190678) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the debut album by British Jazz trio Eternal TriangleFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jamie HarrisFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Watts. The album is also the debut release on the new British label, called Jazz NowFind albums on this label, which is run by the same wonderful people, who run the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label, which produced an impressive series of brilliant albums, which document the development of British Jazz in past decades. Obviously the new label is meant to document contemporary British Jazz. As we all know, Watts and Veryan played together as a duo since decades, but a meeting during Watts’ 80th Birthday celebration got them together with Harris, and this trio was born. Apparently they decided it was a lot of fun to play together, and as a result this album was born. The music is quite surprising, as it is way more melody oriented than the Improvised Music usually associated with the two veterans. Watts always knew to weave some great tunes, but this album offers quite a collection of his more melodic, sometimes outright romantic outings, which are always a great pleasure to listen to. Of course Watts is still an absolutely amazing player and his saxophone improvisations sound as good as they did half a Century earlier, with his stamina and vitality completely intact. Veryan proves to be an amicable partner on his new electric keyboard and Harris adds the rhythmic layers all along the way and the music flows mostly quite happily, although there are a few more reflective moments as well. Overall, this is a great pleasure to hear these great musicians in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere, which allows them to spread their musical ideas at will, leaving us to enjoy the labor of their collective talents. They promise this is only a beginning, and we all hope this is the truth and nothing but the truth, as much for the music as the new label. Congrats are due all around!

Updated: 24/06/2024Posted: 23/06/2024

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PHIL MINTON / VERYAN WESTON ~ SONGS FROM A PRISON DIARY LEO 196 (Barcode: 5024792019625) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1991 Released: 1993 This is a criminally little known album by two distinguished British Jazz heroes, vocalist / composer Phil MintonFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist. It presents a brilliant Avant-Garde Jazz cantata for solo voice, choir, piano and percussion, co-composed by Minton and Weston, with lyrics based on poems written in 1943 by Vietnamese leader and statesman Ho Chi MinhFind albums by this artist while he was imprisoned by the Chinese. The music was recorded live at the Church of Saint Paul in Strasbourg with Minton performing the solo vocal parts, Weston playing the piano and Gary HammondFind albums by this artist playing the percussion. The twenty four piece choir called Voices From SomewhereFind albums by this artist, conducted by Mike RaffertyFind albums by this artist, includes British and French singers, among them such renowned Jazz vocalists like Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist and Maggie NicolsFind albums by this artist. The cantata is divided into eighteen tracks, eight of which are solo / duo / trio unaccompanied vocal improvisations. The music is a wondrous amalgam of Avant-Garde vocal music, Jazz improvisation, choral Church music, Jazz & Poetry and a myriad other idioms, fused together into a powerful statement, that keeps the listener on his toes from start to finish. As much as it is innovative and extraordinary in its approach, at the same time it is deeply rooted in European sacral music, which comes up to the surface from time to time. For people interested in vocal improvised music, this album is a true revelation of course and the solo vocal improvisations are absolutely stunning. But there is also the wonderful singing by Minton, which might be familiar to some listeners from his work with Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist, the majestic choir parts and the instrumental parts by Weston and Hammond, all performed with obvious devotion and talent. It took me a while to get hold of a copy of this album and a web search amounted to very little artistic assessment of this masterpiece (except for a raving review by Thom JurekFind albums by this artist), which prompted me to write about this album, simply to expose some more people to its importance and beauty. With so much appalling "music" around us these days, taking a glance at forgotten gems is at least a partial solace. For people who are open to musical adventures, this is definitely a way to go. Do yourself a favor a grab a copy, put it in a player and enjoy an interstellar ride into the unknown. This music sounds at times somewhat like the fabulous music by György LigetiFind albums by this artist, which is used in the "2001: A Space Odyssey" soundtrack, so it is definitely appropriate such a journey ;)

Updated: 18/04/2019Posted: 18/04/2019

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WATTS / WESTON / BLUNT / MARSHALL ~ DIALOGUES WITH STRINGS FSR 2017/09 (Barcode: 5905279364226) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a live album by the British duo comprising of saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and pianist Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist, expanded to a quartet with the addition of violinist Alison BluntFind albums by this artist and cellist Hannah MarshallFind albums by this artist. Recorded at London´s Café Oto, which has become the Mecca of Improvised Music in the UK Capital, the music includes three extended improvisations by the quartet, two of which are well over twenty minutes in duration and one almost ten minutes long. The compositions, as always in such cases, are credited to all four quartet members. The Watts / Weston duo already released an album in Poland in 2015 on the For TuneFind albums on this label label and this release is also on a Polish label (FSRFind albums on this label), which proves that Poland is a fertile ground for contemporary Improvised Music, both for the local musicians and guests from the world over, with several active record labels dedicated entirely to or seriously involved in Improvised Music. These performances prove that music knows no gender or age barriers and the quartet sounds as organic as humanly possible. The presence of the string instruments obviously calls for a gentler sound of the saxophone and piano, which clearly benefits the music. The double dialogue, or quadrilogue, achieved by the four participants is highly conversational and coherent, with the four individual voices working in tandem in order to achieve a result greater than just a sum of its parts. There is a heartwarming mutual respect and sympathy within the music, which amalgamates the ingredients into a powerful statement. Obviously this is a very demanding music, not to be treated lightly or casually. The listener needs to concentrate and literally open up to the flow of the notes, in order to let them take over his consciousness and tickle the pleasure buds inside the brain. But the overall effect is pretty overwhelming and should make all Improvised Music connoisseurs entirely happy. It is always a pleasure to see Trevor Watts blooming and vital as he always was since I´ve first met him well over fifty years ago. I wish for many more years of him being as productive and artistically challenging, as he still is today. British Jazz would have never be what it is today without his contribution. Respect!

Updated: 19/01/2018Posted: 19/01/2018

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TREVOR WATTS & VERYAN WESTON ~ AT AD LIBITUM FOR TUNE 0057 (Barcode: 5902768701593) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is a live recording by the British duo comprising of saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and pianist Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist, captured during the 2013 edition of Warsaw´s Ad Libitum festival. The album presents five pieces of improvised music, credited to both members of the duo, one of which lasts for over twenty minutes. Watts can be considered as one of the Godfathers of the Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene in Britain and his pivotal and groundbreaking recordings with the Spontaneous Music EnsembleFind albums by this artist, AmalgamFind albums by this artist, London Jazz Composers` OrchestraFind albums by this artist, Moire MusicFind albums by this artist and other ensembles constitute a most significant part of the modern British Jazz legacy. Weston, who is perhaps less prominent outside a closed circle of "insiders", has also an impressive legacy and his activities over the years are worth being discovered. Their performances as a duo are always a thrill and sound youthful and contemporary, as if time stood completely still for them. The music herein is a perfect example of what Improvised Music is all about; the intimate duo format allows both musicians to exchange musical ideas on the fly, probing and responding almost instantly, which often sounds as if the duo was in fact one mind occupying two persons. Playing together for quite a while allows these two Masters to approach their music without any inhibitions or barriers, simply communicating on a telepathic level, and the resulting music sounds perfectly coherent and natural. I have followed Watts every step since the 1960s, attending numerous gigs he played all over Europe and of course listening to all the albums he released over time. There are very few Jazz artists that can match his consistent excellence and his everlasting drive to move forward with his musical ideas. This duo suits his characteristics perfectly and Weston proves a worthy and inspiring partner. Together they create heavenly music!

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