ALEX WESTERN-KING - Sideslip
Ubuntu Music – UBU0086
Alex Western-King - tenor sax; James Copus - trumpet; Sam Leak - piano; Johnny Wickham - bass; Jay Davis - drums
This is the debut release by hotly-tipped young London sax player, working very much within the modernist tradition. ‘Make Way’ sets out his stall - a mid-tempo swinger with very faint echoes of the old chestnut ‘Tangerine’ hovering somewhere in its DNA. Western-King establishes his identity within the first few bars: he’s got a quirky sense of phrasing that you might say recalls Thelonious Monk, and an attractively hoarse, slightly grainy tone that bears comparison to that of Monk’s longtime companion Charlie Rouse. Like many contemporary players he’s worked hard on his altissimo register and uses the extra distance to create some exciting intervallic leaps while still keeping things melodically rooted. There are some nice creative arrangement touches: “The Long Road” is a more Joe Henderson style tune, dark and uptempo, with a thrilling opening chorus of sax roaming free over Jay Davis’ drums, and the ballad ‘Dark Space’ opens with a wonderful duet between Western King and big-toned bassist Johnny Wickham. Sam Leak on piano is a perfect partner, his melodic sensibility, sophisticated harmonic imagination and sensitive use of space creating the exact conditions of tradition-rooted freedom and possibility, simultaneously ambitious and relaxed,for Western-Kings’ own personality to shine. ‘Disorder Reordered’ is a more obviously showy example of intricate writing and impressive technical chops: trumpet whiz James Copus raises the temperature for the very Cedar Walton-era Blakey title track, which bowls along to terrific effect: but Western-Kings’ unique voice really comes to the fore on the more relaxed tunes, like ‘Toe The Line’, where his full individuality has time and space to assert itself. This is a great recording full of personality, delivered with an appealingly understated confidence, and deserves to gain a lot of positive attention.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Ubuntu Music – UBU0086
Alex Western-King - tenor sax; James Copus - trumpet; Sam Leak - piano; Johnny Wickham - bass; Jay Davis - drums
This is the debut release by hotly-tipped young London sax player, working very much within the modernist tradition. ‘Make Way’ sets out his stall - a mid-tempo swinger with very faint echoes of the old chestnut ‘Tangerine’ hovering somewhere in its DNA. Western-King establishes his identity within the first few bars: he’s got a quirky sense of phrasing that you might say recalls Thelonious Monk, and an attractively hoarse, slightly grainy tone that bears comparison to that of Monk’s longtime companion Charlie Rouse. Like many contemporary players he’s worked hard on his altissimo register and uses the extra distance to create some exciting intervallic leaps while still keeping things melodically rooted. There are some nice creative arrangement touches: “The Long Road” is a more Joe Henderson style tune, dark and uptempo, with a thrilling opening chorus of sax roaming free over Jay Davis’ drums, and the ballad ‘Dark Space’ opens with a wonderful duet between Western King and big-toned bassist Johnny Wickham. Sam Leak on piano is a perfect partner, his melodic sensibility, sophisticated harmonic imagination and sensitive use of space creating the exact conditions of tradition-rooted freedom and possibility, simultaneously ambitious and relaxed,for Western-Kings’ own personality to shine. ‘Disorder Reordered’ is a more obviously showy example of intricate writing and impressive technical chops: trumpet whiz James Copus raises the temperature for the very Cedar Walton-era Blakey title track, which bowls along to terrific effect: but Western-Kings’ unique voice really comes to the fore on the more relaxed tunes, like ‘Toe The Line’, where his full individuality has time and space to assert itself. This is a great recording full of personality, delivered with an appealingly understated confidence, and deserves to gain a lot of positive attention.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
