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RELEASES - QUOTES - REVIEWS
Critic
Rating xxxxx
By Ian
Mann
I
first encountered Oriole, the band led by Kendal born
guitarist Jonny Phillips at Lichfield Jazz Blues & Real
Ale Festival last summer.
The
band played two excellent sets in unseasonably chilly
weather conditions, but the first thing that struck me
was the extensive use of acoustic guitar and cello, both
unusual instruments in jazz. The combination reminded
me of guitarist Ralph Towner's classic 1979 album "Old
Friends, New Friends" which featured cellist David
Darling.
Suitably
enlivened by the real ale I asked Jonny about the Towner
influence between sets. He told me that he had certainly
listened to Towner but he wasn't a major influence, the
main inspiration being folk music particularly that of
Venezuela .
The
first Oriole release "Song For The Sleeping" was
an enjoyable album with lots of potential but this new
CD is something else again. Phillips has extended his
stylistic palette to take in Brazilian, Flamenco, Cuban
and African influences, and an extended line-up gives
him a wide variety of instrumental sounds to add to his
global mix.
It
is a sign of his rapidly growing maturity as a composer
and arranger that he pulls all the different stylistic
and instrumental elements together brilliantly. The attention
to detail in the writing reminds me of Pat Metheny. Some
other bands operating in this kind of pan cultural
area can sound contrived or self consciously eclectic,
but Oriole's music sounds unforced, unhurried and thoroughly
organic.
The
well-travelled Phillips has assembled a truly international
cast for the recording but the nucleus of the band is
made up of fellow F-ire Collective members Ingrid Laubrock
(saxophones), Ben Davis (cello) and the remarkable Sebastian
Rochford on drums. Having Rochford on a record is almost
a guarantee of quality. He has appeared on some genuine
landmark recordings already with Polar Bear and Acoustic
Ladyland and "Migration" deserves to be another
one.
Throughout
the album Laubrock's saxophone lines and Davis ' cello
improvisations intertwine around each other like snakes.
Davis is an incredible musician; I've never seen anybody
play the cello so brilliantly in a jazz context. Laubrock
just gets better and better. Elsewhere on the album she
duets beautifully with fellow saxophonist Idris Rahman
on "Hymn". Rahman also adds some fine clarinet
to the album especially on "We're All Angels".
Rochford's
drumming is restlessly inventive but always sensitive.
He may be incredibly dynamic and powerful in Polar Bear
or Ladyland but he is also the perfect accompanist. In
short if you're meant to notice him you do, if you're
not - you don't. It's this all round ability that makes
him the top young drummer in the country - and that's
before you even start on his composing skills.
Rochford
is complemented by the percussion of Brazilian Adriano
Adewale Itauna, who is excellent throughout, and adds
a welcome touch of authentic South American exotica to
the recording. Fellow Brazilian Fernando De Marco adds
electric bass and atmospheric cavaquinho.
As
for Phillips his guitar is at the heart of the arrangements,
always rhythmic, always prompting. He is not a flashy
soloist and concentrates very much on ensemble playing.
He takes a brief and atmospheric acoustic guitar solo
on the introduction to "Bate Calado" underpinned
by Davis ' cello and Itauna's shimmering percussion.
The
brief "Two Smiles " is also a gentle acoustic
guitar led piece with delightful tuned percussion from
Itauna.
Elsewhere
the music alternates between the wistful and the joyous.
There is a melancholic edge to Davis ' cello that imbues "Forms
To Dust" and both "First Flight" and "Last
Flight".
The
main body of "Bate Calado" is an outpouring
of joy featuring the wordless vocals of Itauna plus guest
vocalists Julia Biel (another F-ire alumnus) Okou and
Guillermo Rozenthuler. "Migration To The Orange
Trees" and especially "Sunshine Continuous" are
also wonderfully joyous pieces.
This
is a beautiful album, flawlessly written, arranged, played
and produced and covering a wide stylistic and emotional
range. A joy to listen to and it should be a contender
for the album of the year awards. It may be "world
jazz" and upset a few purists, but I think it's
magnificent - so there!
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