ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Neil Cowley Trio
RADIO SILENCE HIDDENSIDE 19.4.10 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
Hmmmmm….. Jazz….. Cool. The press blurb manages to sidestep the ‘jazz’ word like it is a dog turd to avoid treading in but Cowley’s piano sits in a free-flowing, improvisational setting of musical interplay. And, as Bing Crosby said, “that’s jazz”. The Neil Cowley Trio kick off in the best way imaginable by making a sound a lot like the acoustic work of Medeski, Martin and Wood – a successful trio of jamming improvisers. The melody and beats are sure here and the energy is high, the ambience is feeling live. I love an album with a sense of space, a feel of the shape of the instruments’ sounds and an awareness of the band listening to each other in the moments between notes. Here, there is a swing, a play on rhythm as the trio follow flickers of difference in the other’s playing this time round. Sometimes the effect is soulful, sometimes pensive; more often, it’s playful – like the funky and smiling ‘Gerald’. Neil’s piano is playful, stepping gladly in and out of all sorts of spaces as the bass and drums weave around. The effect is intimate, yet something to want to share, moments of wit make me smile with recognition and I’m sure a live performance would see an uplifted crowd, joined by a common understanding. Tunes like ‘Hug The Greyhound’ set the head nodding as note after note floats down from the right hand side of the piano, riding down the rock and roll chords of the left, bass end. Everything is tight and placed right, though loose and flowing – the effect of master musicians going for a take when its just right. The sound is astonishing – perhaps connected to it being put out through high-end hifi manufacturer, Naim. Whatever your prejudices about jazz, this is a bit special. www.neilcowleytrio.com |
