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BLAZING FLAME QUINTET - The Set List Shuffle

Leo Records CD LR 788

Mark Langford (tenor sax, bass clarinet); Peter Evans (5-string electric violin); Julian Dale (double bass, cello); Steve Day (voice, words, hand-percussion); Anton Henley (drums, percussion).
Recorded, mixed and mastered at The Factory, Bristol, January 2017

Enormous delight in listening to this collection of modern-day jazz music played around jazz poetry from Steve Day, the whole delivered very much à la Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jack Kerouac or Gary Snyder. Fascinating that such contemporary music can raise and echo memories of their prose/poetry (‘50s, ‘60s); it reminds me just how Avant they were. No wonder we thrived on them: they gave us a real buzz. Now, Blazing Flame buzzes too.

Some startling musicians here: Langford’s improv is a singularity while Evan’s electric violin delivers an astounding, reverberating alchemy. They are not alone: the ensemble understanding performance as a skill additional to their talents as individual musicians and soloists, play together in complete unison, the dynamics of their collaboration never missing a beat.
A marvelous album which will be heard time and again.

Reviewed by Ken Cheetham

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