CONG FUSION - The World As We Know It
Self Release - Available from Bandcamp
Rowan Porteous (trumpet); Alan Short (alto saxophone, flute); Tom Ridout (tenor saxophone, electric recorder); Ryan McCaffrey (keyboards, synthesiser); Flo Moore (bass); Joseph Malone (drums); Andy Sedman (percussion); Jerome Marcus (extra percussion).
Recorded Spacehouse Studios, Hackney. No recording dates
The punningly-named Cong-Fusion is apparently a play on the words conga drums and confusion, says its founder, keyboardist Ryan McCaffrey. He formed the band while still at the Birmingham Conservatoire, back in 2006. The band’s influences are a mix of Afro-Cuban, funk, soul and jazz, with artists such as Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver being particular inspirations. Cong-Fusion’s size has varied from a quintet to a nonet, and this album has a septet plus one configuration (the plus one is the additional percussionist Jerome Marcus, who plays on six of the nine tracks).
The band members include bassist Flo Moore, whom I first saw at a Beverley Beirne recording session six years ago. Back then, it was obvious that she was a talented musician (she plays both acoustic and electric bass, and also teaches guitar), and she has played with John Dankworth and Jason Rebello. Tenor saxophonist Tom Ridout has won numerous jazz awards including, the Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist, and was a finalist in the 2016 BBC Young Musicians Jazz Awards. He’s also played with Barbara Thompson, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and formed his own quintet. Drummer Joseph Malone has played with the likes of Horace Silver, Chaka Khan and Andrew Lloyd Webber, while alto saxophonist has performed with Donna Summer, Chic and Natalie Cole.
The album is dedicated to McCaffrey’s grandparents and is a statement on the world today, with climate change, corruption and the control of the masses, its central themes. The opening number ‘Sly Cops’ (another neat pun!) starts off with a slow funk feel, reminiscent of Billy Cobham’s ‘Stratus’ and then transforms into a funk meets jazz-swing piece, with Moore switching to a brisk walking bass riff and Malone playing a hard, swinging beat on ride cymbal and snare. The horns harmonize beautifully, and Porteous plays a trumpet solo that soars off to the stratosphere. Moore also gets to solo, ably demonstrating why her bass playing has attracted so much attention. It’s an excellent opener.
The effervescent Afro-Cuban ‘Unchartered Waters’ has an intro that throws you off balance, beginning part way through the first bar, and featuring a blazing horn section that rises up like a geyser soaring out of the ground. There’s a joyful energy to the sound and feel of this tune. The aptly-named ‘Rush’ highlights the powerful drumming of Malone, who lays down a driving, skipping, funk groove over which McCaffrey’s electric piano glides and Moore delivers a punchy bass riff. Moore and Malone are also given solo spots on which they both shine, and once again, the horn arrangements are superb.
The world might be facing a climate catastrophe and be riddled with the corruption, but the music on the album’s title track, ‘The World As We Know It’ is in stark contrast to this, with the sweet sound of Short’s lyrical flute leading this tender midtempo piece. At the coda, harmonized horns and skittering synth lines raise the musical tension, before a gentle riff played on electric piano closes things up. As would be expected with a tune called ‘Monk Funk,’ there’s a quirky feel to this midtempo tune, with a wah-wah-drenched, churning rhythm, stabbing horn lines roaring sax and a nimble bass solo – it’s got a great groove.
The ballad ‘Peace For Jean,’ is dedicated to McCaffrey’s late grandmother, and opens with the sound of mournful horns and a rhythm section edging slowly forward. Ridout on tenor, and McCaffrey on piano, both play exquisite solos on this moving piece. ‘Song For My Grandfather’ is the band’s take on Horace Silver’s classic ‘Song For My Father,’ with the horns given a more prominent role than on the original – it’s a fine rearrangement, with Porteous playing a forceful trumpet solo and McCaffrey laying down the famous piano riff, as well soloing (Moore’s supporting bass lines during the piano solo are sublime).
The album ends on an upbeat note, with the swinging ‘Reputation,’ complete with clanking cow-bell percussion, rapid-fire horn lines and an extended piano solo that climbs up to a satisfying conclusion. The closer, ‘The Plan’ is a terrific number. Moore starts things off with a funk bass vamp, before drums and percussion join in. McCaffrey plays a circular keyboard riff, and then the horns enter in a blaze of sound. A dreamy, waltz-like section makes way for Ridout’s scorching solo on electric recorder. McCaffrey stretches out on electric piano, before playing a vamp, over which Malone solos with a series of machine-gun-like fills. Once again, the horn arrangement is superb – with the three horns harmonizing and criss-crossing multiple melodies. This is a very fine album.
Reviewed by George Cole
Self Release - Available from Bandcamp
Rowan Porteous (trumpet); Alan Short (alto saxophone, flute); Tom Ridout (tenor saxophone, electric recorder); Ryan McCaffrey (keyboards, synthesiser); Flo Moore (bass); Joseph Malone (drums); Andy Sedman (percussion); Jerome Marcus (extra percussion).
Recorded Spacehouse Studios, Hackney. No recording dates
The punningly-named Cong-Fusion is apparently a play on the words conga drums and confusion, says its founder, keyboardist Ryan McCaffrey. He formed the band while still at the Birmingham Conservatoire, back in 2006. The band’s influences are a mix of Afro-Cuban, funk, soul and jazz, with artists such as Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver being particular inspirations. Cong-Fusion’s size has varied from a quintet to a nonet, and this album has a septet plus one configuration (the plus one is the additional percussionist Jerome Marcus, who plays on six of the nine tracks).
The band members include bassist Flo Moore, whom I first saw at a Beverley Beirne recording session six years ago. Back then, it was obvious that she was a talented musician (she plays both acoustic and electric bass, and also teaches guitar), and she has played with John Dankworth and Jason Rebello. Tenor saxophonist Tom Ridout has won numerous jazz awards including, the Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist, and was a finalist in the 2016 BBC Young Musicians Jazz Awards. He’s also played with Barbara Thompson, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and formed his own quintet. Drummer Joseph Malone has played with the likes of Horace Silver, Chaka Khan and Andrew Lloyd Webber, while alto saxophonist has performed with Donna Summer, Chic and Natalie Cole.
The album is dedicated to McCaffrey’s grandparents and is a statement on the world today, with climate change, corruption and the control of the masses, its central themes. The opening number ‘Sly Cops’ (another neat pun!) starts off with a slow funk feel, reminiscent of Billy Cobham’s ‘Stratus’ and then transforms into a funk meets jazz-swing piece, with Moore switching to a brisk walking bass riff and Malone playing a hard, swinging beat on ride cymbal and snare. The horns harmonize beautifully, and Porteous plays a trumpet solo that soars off to the stratosphere. Moore also gets to solo, ably demonstrating why her bass playing has attracted so much attention. It’s an excellent opener.
The effervescent Afro-Cuban ‘Unchartered Waters’ has an intro that throws you off balance, beginning part way through the first bar, and featuring a blazing horn section that rises up like a geyser soaring out of the ground. There’s a joyful energy to the sound and feel of this tune. The aptly-named ‘Rush’ highlights the powerful drumming of Malone, who lays down a driving, skipping, funk groove over which McCaffrey’s electric piano glides and Moore delivers a punchy bass riff. Moore and Malone are also given solo spots on which they both shine, and once again, the horn arrangements are superb.
The world might be facing a climate catastrophe and be riddled with the corruption, but the music on the album’s title track, ‘The World As We Know It’ is in stark contrast to this, with the sweet sound of Short’s lyrical flute leading this tender midtempo piece. At the coda, harmonized horns and skittering synth lines raise the musical tension, before a gentle riff played on electric piano closes things up. As would be expected with a tune called ‘Monk Funk,’ there’s a quirky feel to this midtempo tune, with a wah-wah-drenched, churning rhythm, stabbing horn lines roaring sax and a nimble bass solo – it’s got a great groove.
The ballad ‘Peace For Jean,’ is dedicated to McCaffrey’s late grandmother, and opens with the sound of mournful horns and a rhythm section edging slowly forward. Ridout on tenor, and McCaffrey on piano, both play exquisite solos on this moving piece. ‘Song For My Grandfather’ is the band’s take on Horace Silver’s classic ‘Song For My Father,’ with the horns given a more prominent role than on the original – it’s a fine rearrangement, with Porteous playing a forceful trumpet solo and McCaffrey laying down the famous piano riff, as well soloing (Moore’s supporting bass lines during the piano solo are sublime).
The album ends on an upbeat note, with the swinging ‘Reputation,’ complete with clanking cow-bell percussion, rapid-fire horn lines and an extended piano solo that climbs up to a satisfying conclusion. The closer, ‘The Plan’ is a terrific number. Moore starts things off with a funk bass vamp, before drums and percussion join in. McCaffrey plays a circular keyboard riff, and then the horns enter in a blaze of sound. A dreamy, waltz-like section makes way for Ridout’s scorching solo on electric recorder. McCaffrey stretches out on electric piano, before playing a vamp, over which Malone solos with a series of machine-gun-like fills. Once again, the horn arrangement is superb – with the three horns harmonizing and criss-crossing multiple melodies. This is a very fine album.
Reviewed by George Cole
