Page 94 - BBC Music (January 2020)

Jazz

Garry Booth savours new discs from Keith Jarrett, Darius Brubeck and more

January round-up Thirty years on,
JAZZ CHOICE
ECM has been able to nurture leading her own
adventurous artists like Kit Downes quintet, Rayner
Heavenly sounds for the last 50 years thanks largely still makes bright,

to the global sales of improvising open jazz music
galactico Keith Jarrett. The pianist’s that rejoices
Kit Downes uses the organ and a galaxy of new album for the illustrious in human experience without
stars to push back the boundaries of jazz German imprint, Munich 2016, sentimentalising it. Short Stories, a
is the latest in a series of live solo collection of eight perfectly formed
recordings made over the years. It’s originals, makes the most of three
a supernatural performance, even standout soloists: Cartwright, along
by Jarrett’s peerless standards. The with wily two-handed pianist Steve
simply numbered 12-part suite is Lodder and lithe saxophonist Diane
a standing wave of harmonic and McLoughlin. I especially liked the
melodic imagination that draws on affectionate ‘A Braw Boy’, lovingly
folksong, blues articulated by McLoughlin, and
and classicism. Cartwright’s ‘Life Lived Wide’,
There’s no sign whose rising wave of energy
that it’s the final channels the late Esbjorn Svensson
date on the tour’s (Blow The Fuse BTF1914 HHHH).
European leg, Like Alison Rayner, the young
such is Jarrett’s focus and energy; Belgian horn player Jean Paul
even the quieter pieces have a Estievenart sprinkles a little Latin
profound intensity. A gentle reading flavour over his writing for Strange
of three tin-pan alley standards, Bird. But his quintet’s sound isn’t
including his signature ‘Somewhere at all spicy. An understated soloist,
Over the Rainbow’, seals the Estievenart’s
deal beautifully. (ECM 2667/68 restrained
HHHHH) lyricism
Pianist Darius Brubeck has reminds me of
always celebrated his famous the American
Flowing pipes: trumpeter Tom
Downes experiments father’s life and legacy, rather than
with the pipe organ be put in the shade by it. His latest Harrell. The original number ‘Con
quartet recording, Live in Poland, Pasion’ is anything but passionate
commemorates Dave Brubeck’s – though Estievenart articulates
Kit Downes historic tour behind the Iron feeling beautifully through fluent,
Curtain in 1958. This beautifully deft phrasing. The introduction
Dreamlife of Debris produced recording made in of guest altoist Logan Richardson,
Kit Downes (piano, organ), Tom Challenger Poznan’s Blue Note Club – four whose attacking style on ‘Henri’, a
(sax), Lucy Railton (cello), Stian Westerhuis original pieces and three associated spiky bebop piece and two other
(guitar), Sebastian Rochford (drums) with Brubeck numbers, is a clever touch to
ECM 2632 Snr – is a straight- contrast Estievenart’s cool approach
Kit Downes follows 2018’s Obsidian ahead treat. (Out Note OTN 630 HHHH).
album, an idiosyncratic solo exploration There’s no There’s no law that says a
of the pipe organ, with this quintet work of other-worldly beauty. grandstanding Hollywood superstar can’t front a
Although largely improvised around pre-written themes (the from the leader, big band for fun, nor put out CDs
pieces are named after galaxies), studio edits and overlays were just an easy swinging facility that whose cover shows him sitting at
used to heighten the sound’s celestial textures. Downes stays at aims to please, like the lilting South a white grand piano that’s in the
the centre of the music and, while sax player Tom Challenger is African-hued ‘Nomali’. British middle of a palm-fringed swimming
never far away, the other players move in and out of orbit. saxophonist Dave O’Higgins is pool. Indeed, Jeff Goldblum is to
‘Sculptor’ sets the scene, Downes’s limpid piano figures magisterial, blowing pure-toned be encouraged:
combining with Challenger’s piping tenor lines, all set against a lyricism on ‘Earthrise’. The set I Shouldn’t
diaphanous organ drone. ‘Pinwheel’ has a creepy theme spelled closes with the rhythm section given Be Telling
out by the piano, haunted by Railton’s cello accompaniment and free rein on a version of ‘Take Five’ You This is a
Rochford’s rustling cymbals. The segue into ‘Bodes’ passes (Ubuntu Music UBU0033 HHHH). swinging affair
PAULA RAE GIBSON, GETTY launches steely sheets of sound and deep space reverberation. already a mainstay of the UK jazz of tunes – Herbie Hancock, Wes
and his choice
Bassist Alison Rayner was
almost unnoticed until Norwegian Stian Westerhuis’s guitar
scene when she co-founded the
Montgomery, Joe Henderson – show
The programme is consummated by ‘Blackeye’, Rochford’s
he’s got musical taste at least. (Decca
snare and splashing ride cymbals assailing the organ’s grandiose
Guest Stars in London, alongside
guitarist Deidre Cartwright in 1989.
00602508060519 HHH)
edifice of sound. It is jazz – but not as we know it. HHHHH
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