ABBIE FINN TRIO - Northern Perspective
Self Produced
Harry Keeble (tenor saxophone), Paul Grainger (bass), Abbie Finn (drums).
Award winning drummer, composer and educator, Abbie Finn from Brandon, County Durham, is one of the fastest rising stars on the northern jazz scene. She studied under Asif Sirkis and Gene Calderazzo and has played with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Trinity Laban Composers Orchestra, also appearing within the bands of high profile musicians such as Simon Spillett, Andrea Vicari and Derek Nash. Now an in demand and seasoned performer she is comfortable in almost any jazz setting. On double bass in Abbie's trio is Paul Grainger, who as well as playing in many other northern based ensembles is the founder and resident bass player at Newcastle's Jazz Cafe. On centre stage is the young extrovert tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble, originally from Hastings in Sussex, he also played with NYJO and attended Leeds College of Music's from where he graduated with his degree in jazz studies.
This is a very well balanced album, with three straight ahead standards, two well known pieces from major jazz stars, and most interestingly, five originals from band members. Many musicians over the years have experimented with the saxophone, bass and drums format, but with pianoless line-ups such as this, it cannot help but expose the reed man, and on many occasions highlight any flaws in technique or lack of creativity. Perhaps we have to go back as far as the two Sonny Rollins classic albums of the fifties, Freedom Suite and Way Out West for the perfect template for such an approach. However right from track one of this album, Walkabout a piece by drummer and leader Abbie Finn, it is obvious that tenor saxophonist Harry Keele as a large enough stream of ideas to fill the solo space on offer and that both the bass player Paul Grainger and drummer have enough originality to keep most listeners engrossed. Without doubt it is the original pieces on the recording that show the trio at their very best. The jointly written composition Waltz for Tony has a great melody and shows the fine control that Harry Keeble has at low tempo. When it comes to a pure jazz standard like Chick Corea's rather complex Windows, it does seem that the band struggle just a little, and on the popular standards, particularly Cole Porter's Night and Day to some minds it may appear that not quite enough reverence is paid to the composer's original purpose. Having said that the final two tracks, Harry Keeble's Ginnungagap and Paul Grainger's Umlazi Morning we find the trio in total cinque with each other producing contemporary jazz of the finest order and signalling the very bright future ahead of them.
Northern Perspective can be purchased directly through Abbie Finn's Bandcamp website.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Self Produced
Harry Keeble (tenor saxophone), Paul Grainger (bass), Abbie Finn (drums).
Award winning drummer, composer and educator, Abbie Finn from Brandon, County Durham, is one of the fastest rising stars on the northern jazz scene. She studied under Asif Sirkis and Gene Calderazzo and has played with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Trinity Laban Composers Orchestra, also appearing within the bands of high profile musicians such as Simon Spillett, Andrea Vicari and Derek Nash. Now an in demand and seasoned performer she is comfortable in almost any jazz setting. On double bass in Abbie's trio is Paul Grainger, who as well as playing in many other northern based ensembles is the founder and resident bass player at Newcastle's Jazz Cafe. On centre stage is the young extrovert tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble, originally from Hastings in Sussex, he also played with NYJO and attended Leeds College of Music's from where he graduated with his degree in jazz studies.
This is a very well balanced album, with three straight ahead standards, two well known pieces from major jazz stars, and most interestingly, five originals from band members. Many musicians over the years have experimented with the saxophone, bass and drums format, but with pianoless line-ups such as this, it cannot help but expose the reed man, and on many occasions highlight any flaws in technique or lack of creativity. Perhaps we have to go back as far as the two Sonny Rollins classic albums of the fifties, Freedom Suite and Way Out West for the perfect template for such an approach. However right from track one of this album, Walkabout a piece by drummer and leader Abbie Finn, it is obvious that tenor saxophonist Harry Keele as a large enough stream of ideas to fill the solo space on offer and that both the bass player Paul Grainger and drummer have enough originality to keep most listeners engrossed. Without doubt it is the original pieces on the recording that show the trio at their very best. The jointly written composition Waltz for Tony has a great melody and shows the fine control that Harry Keeble has at low tempo. When it comes to a pure jazz standard like Chick Corea's rather complex Windows, it does seem that the band struggle just a little, and on the popular standards, particularly Cole Porter's Night and Day to some minds it may appear that not quite enough reverence is paid to the composer's original purpose. Having said that the final two tracks, Harry Keeble's Ginnungagap and Paul Grainger's Umlazi Morning we find the trio in total cinque with each other producing contemporary jazz of the finest order and signalling the very bright future ahead of them.
Northern Perspective can be purchased directly through Abbie Finn's Bandcamp website.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
