DAVE ARCH - Coming Home
Diploma Records DR111
Dave Arch (piano, fender rhodes, keyboards, composer & arranger)
featured soloists Paul Stacey (guitar); Nigel Hitchcock, Iain Ballamy (saxophone); Andy Greenwood (trumpet); Andy Finden (shakuhachi, bamboo flute); John Parricelli (guitar, electric sitar); Steve Sidwell (flugel); Laurence Cottle (bass guitar); Mark Nightingale (trombone); Tommy Blaize, Tori Beaumont (vocals); Eddie Hession (accordian); Rolf Wilson (violin); Frank Ricotti (marimba); Tony Pleeth (cello); Gareth Lochrane (flute)
Dave Arch may be a familiar name as the MD for the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing band but his career has spanned much more than that and has included appearances on albums by Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams and film score credits too numerous to list here.
In Coming Home his debut release, composer and arranger Arch presents a wide ranging and varied collection of impeccably executed pieces. Featuring around 80 of the finest studio musicians Arch could possibly have gathered, pieces range from the Eastern tinged ‘More Air’ through the almost ‘funky’ groove of ‘Roll The Dice’ to the full on rock elements of ‘Three Amigos’.
This is no gratuitous display of ‘chops’ though, as there is a thread of continuity and unity stringing the compositions together into a free-flowing whole that produces Fusion music without excess exhibitionism or flamboyance that often gives the music a bad press. The standout tracks on this highly impressive outing are the superb ballad ‘What I Was Trying To Say’ and ‘Time To Remember’ a poignant reminder of loss featuring the eloquent vocals of fellow Strictly band member Tommy Blaize.
Particularly engaging also are the subtly blended wordless vocals of Tori Beaumont on ‘Migration,’ so perfectly positioned within the arrangement that they are almost indiscernible yet an essential element nevertheless. Amongst other performances of note, Iain Ballamy brings some superlative soloing to ‘Desire’ The Question’ and ‘Coming Home’.
Although perhaps difficult to pigeon hole, this is a most enjoyable listen and well worth checking out, especially to hear this fabulous line-up of musicians directed by Arch, performing in a context outside of their usual ‘modus operandi’ and blowing life and personality into these carefully constructed compositions.
Reviewed by Keith Marion
Diploma Records DR111
Dave Arch (piano, fender rhodes, keyboards, composer & arranger)
featured soloists Paul Stacey (guitar); Nigel Hitchcock, Iain Ballamy (saxophone); Andy Greenwood (trumpet); Andy Finden (shakuhachi, bamboo flute); John Parricelli (guitar, electric sitar); Steve Sidwell (flugel); Laurence Cottle (bass guitar); Mark Nightingale (trombone); Tommy Blaize, Tori Beaumont (vocals); Eddie Hession (accordian); Rolf Wilson (violin); Frank Ricotti (marimba); Tony Pleeth (cello); Gareth Lochrane (flute)
Dave Arch may be a familiar name as the MD for the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing band but his career has spanned much more than that and has included appearances on albums by Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams and film score credits too numerous to list here.
In Coming Home his debut release, composer and arranger Arch presents a wide ranging and varied collection of impeccably executed pieces. Featuring around 80 of the finest studio musicians Arch could possibly have gathered, pieces range from the Eastern tinged ‘More Air’ through the almost ‘funky’ groove of ‘Roll The Dice’ to the full on rock elements of ‘Three Amigos’.
This is no gratuitous display of ‘chops’ though, as there is a thread of continuity and unity stringing the compositions together into a free-flowing whole that produces Fusion music without excess exhibitionism or flamboyance that often gives the music a bad press. The standout tracks on this highly impressive outing are the superb ballad ‘What I Was Trying To Say’ and ‘Time To Remember’ a poignant reminder of loss featuring the eloquent vocals of fellow Strictly band member Tommy Blaize.
Particularly engaging also are the subtly blended wordless vocals of Tori Beaumont on ‘Migration,’ so perfectly positioned within the arrangement that they are almost indiscernible yet an essential element nevertheless. Amongst other performances of note, Iain Ballamy brings some superlative soloing to ‘Desire’ The Question’ and ‘Coming Home’.
Although perhaps difficult to pigeon hole, this is a most enjoyable listen and well worth checking out, especially to hear this fabulous line-up of musicians directed by Arch, performing in a context outside of their usual ‘modus operandi’ and blowing life and personality into these carefully constructed compositions.
Reviewed by Keith Marion
