COLEMAN – AHEARN QUARTET – Cooper Ridge
STEEPLECHASE LOOKOUT SCCD 33116
Christian Coleman (drums) Gavin Ahearn (piano) Jon Irabagon (tenor sax) Sam Minaie (bass)
Recorded January 14th 2014
Steeplechase records , ever on the lookout for new talent, have homed in on the recently formed partnership of Coleman and Ahearn – the latter an Australian pianist of notable technique – and married it to the prodigious skills of `happening` tenor saxist, Jon Irabagon -noted for his work with the iconoclastic group, ‘Mostly Other People Do The Killing` - to produce a potent set of originals that will satisfy the taste of all those with a mature appreciation of jazz fundamentals and it’s forward looking aspirations.
Given the power of Irabagon’s playing it is difficult to escape his omnipresence and it is his voice that tends to dominate the session making it harder for the joint leaders to put down their individual markers save through the compositional content which, but for one piece, is attributed entirely to them. Both are accomplished musicians: Ahearn at turns reflective and impressionistic, at others potently groovy whilst Coleman drives the momentum with heavily accented rim shots and swirling cymbals as well as negotiating the shifting rhythmic terrain with a diversity of percussive techniques. Sam Minaie’s bass also plays a significant role with a couple of significant solos and a powerful pulse throughout but such is the assertive stridency of the tenor sax that one is tempted to conclude that this is Irabagon‘s session.
The compositions are mainly modal in what has become the conventional post bop style: most are anthemic ballads which morph into torrid ride-outs or arias of almost operatic intensity whilst a couple of tunes draw inspiration from road house funk and greasy greens blues, managing to avoid the obvious banalities associated with those particular genres. All in, it is a very satisfying session and with repeated listening I’ve no doubt that the leaders’ individual voices will emerge with more clarity but at a first pass it is Irabagon who is the one to lookout for.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
STEEPLECHASE LOOKOUT SCCD 33116
Christian Coleman (drums) Gavin Ahearn (piano) Jon Irabagon (tenor sax) Sam Minaie (bass)
Recorded January 14th 2014
Steeplechase records , ever on the lookout for new talent, have homed in on the recently formed partnership of Coleman and Ahearn – the latter an Australian pianist of notable technique – and married it to the prodigious skills of `happening` tenor saxist, Jon Irabagon -noted for his work with the iconoclastic group, ‘Mostly Other People Do The Killing` - to produce a potent set of originals that will satisfy the taste of all those with a mature appreciation of jazz fundamentals and it’s forward looking aspirations.
Given the power of Irabagon’s playing it is difficult to escape his omnipresence and it is his voice that tends to dominate the session making it harder for the joint leaders to put down their individual markers save through the compositional content which, but for one piece, is attributed entirely to them. Both are accomplished musicians: Ahearn at turns reflective and impressionistic, at others potently groovy whilst Coleman drives the momentum with heavily accented rim shots and swirling cymbals as well as negotiating the shifting rhythmic terrain with a diversity of percussive techniques. Sam Minaie’s bass also plays a significant role with a couple of significant solos and a powerful pulse throughout but such is the assertive stridency of the tenor sax that one is tempted to conclude that this is Irabagon‘s session.
The compositions are mainly modal in what has become the conventional post bop style: most are anthemic ballads which morph into torrid ride-outs or arias of almost operatic intensity whilst a couple of tunes draw inspiration from road house funk and greasy greens blues, managing to avoid the obvious banalities associated with those particular genres. All in, it is a very satisfying session and with repeated listening I’ve no doubt that the leaders’ individual voices will emerge with more clarity but at a first pass it is Irabagon who is the one to lookout for.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
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