DINOSAUR - Together As One
Edition Records EDN1078
Laura Jurd (tpt, synth) Elliot Galvin (fen rhodes, hammond org) Conor Chaplin (elec bs) Corrie Dick (drs)
From simply a quartet bearing her name and The Chaos Orchestra, through to Blue Eyed Hawk, Human Spirit and now Dinosaur, these are some of the bands that have been led by multi award winning musician and composer Laura Jurd since she burst onto the scene with her debut release "Landing Ground" in 2012. Still only 26 years of age alongside her compatriot Elliott Galvin she has been at the forefront of contemporary creative music for the best part of five years. Long term core members of her groups, Conor Chaplin on bass and drummer Corrie Dick have also played a huge part in her rise to critical acclaim.
On this release she has elected to play far more trumpet than on previous albums, presenting the listener with a virtuosic level of musicianship alongside imaginative composing skill. As the first track "Awakeniing" gets under way, you can easily forget that you don't have the Miles classics "In A Silent Way or "Bitches Brew" on the player, such is the similarity in sound and musical approach to the great master. The track itself set's the standard for the whole album with hand drumming, pulsating electric bass, splashing cymbals and Chick Corea like Fender Rhodes supporting the leaders horn as this easy paced opener gives the feel of distant thunder with the trumpet supplying regular lightening strikes. Mood changes come easily to this band, usually led from the keyboards, and this is certainly the case with "Robin" with it's jaunty fairground chordings and distinct melody, reminiscent of "The Lady Of Bruntal" from the composers debut album . However this is first and foremost about the quality of the leaders trumpet and composing skills alongside the telepathic interaction of all the group members developed over nearly a decade of playing together. This is more than proven on "Living Breathing" which does just that with it's many tempo changes, flying bass and tension building behind the lyrical horn. There are three pieces on the disc under three minutes in length, all with strong themes which could perhaps have been developed particularly the dark and brooding "Underdog" with Laura seeming to skate across the melodic theme from afar.
The nine and a half minute "Extinct" is a truly majestic trumpet showcase with it's sinister, sounding theme at subdued tempo providing an eerie atmosphere and includes a telling interval from the Hammond Organ. "Primordial" jumps forward marginally in time to an approach more like the Filmore East sessions of 1970 with a far more dense ensemble sound and spiky stabbing trumpet. The album closer "Interlude" (not to be confused with Dizzy's tune that eventually became A Night In Tunisia) boasts a beautifully crafted melody, using echo above a metronomic bass line, splashing cymbals and subdued keyboards.
Although the shadow of Miles weighs heavily on the music, this is very far from a "soundalike" album. It is rather a work of highly creative composing and superb musicianship from all band members taking from the past but delivering a set of the very highest contemporary music, that may well prove to be a watershed in their musical development.
See also details of Dinosaur's November UK tour and further information at www.laurajurd.com
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Edition Records EDN1078
Laura Jurd (tpt, synth) Elliot Galvin (fen rhodes, hammond org) Conor Chaplin (elec bs) Corrie Dick (drs)
From simply a quartet bearing her name and The Chaos Orchestra, through to Blue Eyed Hawk, Human Spirit and now Dinosaur, these are some of the bands that have been led by multi award winning musician and composer Laura Jurd since she burst onto the scene with her debut release "Landing Ground" in 2012. Still only 26 years of age alongside her compatriot Elliott Galvin she has been at the forefront of contemporary creative music for the best part of five years. Long term core members of her groups, Conor Chaplin on bass and drummer Corrie Dick have also played a huge part in her rise to critical acclaim.
On this release she has elected to play far more trumpet than on previous albums, presenting the listener with a virtuosic level of musicianship alongside imaginative composing skill. As the first track "Awakeniing" gets under way, you can easily forget that you don't have the Miles classics "In A Silent Way or "Bitches Brew" on the player, such is the similarity in sound and musical approach to the great master. The track itself set's the standard for the whole album with hand drumming, pulsating electric bass, splashing cymbals and Chick Corea like Fender Rhodes supporting the leaders horn as this easy paced opener gives the feel of distant thunder with the trumpet supplying regular lightening strikes. Mood changes come easily to this band, usually led from the keyboards, and this is certainly the case with "Robin" with it's jaunty fairground chordings and distinct melody, reminiscent of "The Lady Of Bruntal" from the composers debut album . However this is first and foremost about the quality of the leaders trumpet and composing skills alongside the telepathic interaction of all the group members developed over nearly a decade of playing together. This is more than proven on "Living Breathing" which does just that with it's many tempo changes, flying bass and tension building behind the lyrical horn. There are three pieces on the disc under three minutes in length, all with strong themes which could perhaps have been developed particularly the dark and brooding "Underdog" with Laura seeming to skate across the melodic theme from afar.
The nine and a half minute "Extinct" is a truly majestic trumpet showcase with it's sinister, sounding theme at subdued tempo providing an eerie atmosphere and includes a telling interval from the Hammond Organ. "Primordial" jumps forward marginally in time to an approach more like the Filmore East sessions of 1970 with a far more dense ensemble sound and spiky stabbing trumpet. The album closer "Interlude" (not to be confused with Dizzy's tune that eventually became A Night In Tunisia) boasts a beautifully crafted melody, using echo above a metronomic bass line, splashing cymbals and subdued keyboards.
Although the shadow of Miles weighs heavily on the music, this is very far from a "soundalike" album. It is rather a work of highly creative composing and superb musicianship from all band members taking from the past but delivering a set of the very highest contemporary music, that may well prove to be a watershed in their musical development.
See also details of Dinosaur's November UK tour and further information at www.laurajurd.com
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
