BRIAN MOLLEY QUARTET – Colour and Movement
www.brianmolley.co.uk
Brian Molloy – Tenor/Alto Sax, Flute, Clarinet; Tom Gibbs – Piano; Moario Caribe – Gouble bass, guitar; Stuart Brown – Drums, percussion
The Brian Molley Quartet is a classic jazz quartet of sax, piano, double bass and drums and has been busy touring and recording since 2012. Their previous album, 2013’s ‘Clocks’ received great reviews, with Radio 3 introducing it as a ‘classy and well crafted debut’.
Since that album, the group have been busy touring their native Scotland and further afield in India, where they spent time collaborating with local musicians. The fruit of these labours will be heard in spring 2018 when a new release ‘Journeys in Hand’ will be available containing compositions by Molley played with Rajasthani folk musicians.
In the meantime, we have ‘Colour and Movement’, the second album proper from the quartet. It’s something of a concept album: Each of the twelve tracks is in a different key and time signature. There are 9 original compositions and 3 rearrangements of jazz standards: ‘Cheer Up Charlie’, ‘That Old Black Magic’ and ‘Solitude’.
If this sounds rather too conceptual, you’ll be pleased to know that this doesn’t in any way sound like an intellectual exercise; it’s a pleasure to listen to. You don’t need to know the idea behind the 12 different pieces to appreciate the beautifully played and intricately textured music on offer.
Track one ‘Electric Daisy’ could be taken as a manifesto for the rest of the album: it’s a relaxed modal piece in 6/8 (though this time signature changes throughout). The feel is loose and there is lots of space for the musicians to solo.
From here, things pick up with the lively ‘Lexington 101’ and ‘Picayune Slinky’, which I’d love the chance to see being performed live. In the 9/8 ballad ‘The Pushkar Push’ its worth mentioning some excellent piano work from Tom Gibbs, whose precipitous piano runs put me in mind of Bill Evans.
There’s little evidence in this album of the quartet’s Indian influence, but Brian Molley’s flute on ‘A Borboleta’ has more than a nod to tropicalia and so there is evidence of a love of world jazz music.
With it’s variation of rhythms and feels and tones throughout, it’s a really fun listen. And there’s enough going on to keep me returning for another play.
Reviewed by Christian Stretton
www.brianmolley.co.uk
Brian Molloy – Tenor/Alto Sax, Flute, Clarinet; Tom Gibbs – Piano; Moario Caribe – Gouble bass, guitar; Stuart Brown – Drums, percussion
The Brian Molley Quartet is a classic jazz quartet of sax, piano, double bass and drums and has been busy touring and recording since 2012. Their previous album, 2013’s ‘Clocks’ received great reviews, with Radio 3 introducing it as a ‘classy and well crafted debut’.
Since that album, the group have been busy touring their native Scotland and further afield in India, where they spent time collaborating with local musicians. The fruit of these labours will be heard in spring 2018 when a new release ‘Journeys in Hand’ will be available containing compositions by Molley played with Rajasthani folk musicians.
In the meantime, we have ‘Colour and Movement’, the second album proper from the quartet. It’s something of a concept album: Each of the twelve tracks is in a different key and time signature. There are 9 original compositions and 3 rearrangements of jazz standards: ‘Cheer Up Charlie’, ‘That Old Black Magic’ and ‘Solitude’.
If this sounds rather too conceptual, you’ll be pleased to know that this doesn’t in any way sound like an intellectual exercise; it’s a pleasure to listen to. You don’t need to know the idea behind the 12 different pieces to appreciate the beautifully played and intricately textured music on offer.
Track one ‘Electric Daisy’ could be taken as a manifesto for the rest of the album: it’s a relaxed modal piece in 6/8 (though this time signature changes throughout). The feel is loose and there is lots of space for the musicians to solo.
From here, things pick up with the lively ‘Lexington 101’ and ‘Picayune Slinky’, which I’d love the chance to see being performed live. In the 9/8 ballad ‘The Pushkar Push’ its worth mentioning some excellent piano work from Tom Gibbs, whose precipitous piano runs put me in mind of Bill Evans.
There’s little evidence in this album of the quartet’s Indian influence, but Brian Molley’s flute on ‘A Borboleta’ has more than a nod to tropicalia and so there is evidence of a love of world jazz music.
With it’s variation of rhythms and feels and tones throughout, it’s a really fun listen. And there’s enough going on to keep me returning for another play.
Reviewed by Christian Stretton
