DEEP TIDE QUARTET - See One, Do One, Teach One
Discus 64CD
Martin Archer (tenor & sopranino saxophones, bass clarinet); Kim Macari (trumpet); Laura Cole (piano); Walt Shaw (percussion & live electronics)
Recorded 8th & 9th May, 2017
This is a truly exceptional album from Martin Archer's Discus imprint, with a quartet featuring a veritable cast of some of the most exciting players on the contemporary jazz/improv circuit. See One, Do One, Teach One is a double album, with the CD sleeve advising that "you treat this collection as two separate albums to be heard at different times", and whilst there is a sense of group sound and continuity in these performances there the similarity ends.
The music presented offers up freely improvised pieces that may or may not have a pre-conceived compositional elements alongside music that draws a source of inspiration from graphic charts as opposed to notated scores. As such the two discs differ in as much as much of CD1 is comprised of the preconceived or composed pieces, and CD2 is predominantly improvised. Having said this the soundworld inhabited by the four musicians has a sonic consistency across both discs thus giving the overall impression of two complete performance in two distinct and separate sets.
Martin Archer has put together a quartet that does not simply operate within the confines of a recording studio, but one which is an active working band, and hopefully a work in progress that will continue to develop over an extended period of time. The instrumental combination provides a full and varied tonal palette, with Archer cleverly using the recording studio and post production techniques to enhance the recorded music. This may range from simply overdubbing his bass clarinet parts to the subtle electronic manipulation that is seamlessly integrated with the electronic soundscape of percussionist Walt Shaw, as such to try and discern who is doing what is a somewhat redundant exercise.
What is immediately discernible however, is how all four participants work together as a collective. All instinctively knowing when to contribute, and even adding poignantly to the music by not playing at all, and this is perhaps what makes the music on these two discs so ultimately satisfying. Kim Macari 's trumpet is beautifully full toned, yet the range of slurs and smears she elicits from the horn counteract Archer's more full throttled tenor to great effect. Whether eliciting a gentle melody or exploring the outer reaches of his tenor saxophone through extremes of pitch or multiphonics Archer's playing retains a tightly controlled focus that steers a secure course for his fellow travellers. His sopranino playing is just as intensely focussed when stepping out to solo, and also provides a superb counter voice to Macari's trumpet in delightful dialogues that appear as if from nowhere.
This is also true of pianist, Laura Cole, whose playing on both discs is quite phenomenal. Whether playing solo as she does on the through composed opener, 'Just A Moment In Time' or interacting with her three colleagues in ensembles that can be densely packed sonic excursions or quiet and reflective passages she is often the fulcrum f the music, building bridges between ideas or suggesting harmonic area of interest that can be taken up by Macari or Archer as is deemed most appropriate to the moment. Her commentary is often very subtle, not one to hog the limelight but contributing greatly to the group sound. This even extends to the long passages where the piano sits out, only to to sound so good when it once again returns. This side of Cole's musical persona is new to this reviewer and bodes well for the solo piano recording that is currently in preparation, and will also be released on Discus Music.
Overall a superb album that deserves to be widely heard, and a quartet that should be on everyone's radar to catch live. Contemporary composition/improv does not get much better than this.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Discus 64CD
Martin Archer (tenor & sopranino saxophones, bass clarinet); Kim Macari (trumpet); Laura Cole (piano); Walt Shaw (percussion & live electronics)
Recorded 8th & 9th May, 2017
This is a truly exceptional album from Martin Archer's Discus imprint, with a quartet featuring a veritable cast of some of the most exciting players on the contemporary jazz/improv circuit. See One, Do One, Teach One is a double album, with the CD sleeve advising that "you treat this collection as two separate albums to be heard at different times", and whilst there is a sense of group sound and continuity in these performances there the similarity ends.
The music presented offers up freely improvised pieces that may or may not have a pre-conceived compositional elements alongside music that draws a source of inspiration from graphic charts as opposed to notated scores. As such the two discs differ in as much as much of CD1 is comprised of the preconceived or composed pieces, and CD2 is predominantly improvised. Having said this the soundworld inhabited by the four musicians has a sonic consistency across both discs thus giving the overall impression of two complete performance in two distinct and separate sets.
Martin Archer has put together a quartet that does not simply operate within the confines of a recording studio, but one which is an active working band, and hopefully a work in progress that will continue to develop over an extended period of time. The instrumental combination provides a full and varied tonal palette, with Archer cleverly using the recording studio and post production techniques to enhance the recorded music. This may range from simply overdubbing his bass clarinet parts to the subtle electronic manipulation that is seamlessly integrated with the electronic soundscape of percussionist Walt Shaw, as such to try and discern who is doing what is a somewhat redundant exercise.
What is immediately discernible however, is how all four participants work together as a collective. All instinctively knowing when to contribute, and even adding poignantly to the music by not playing at all, and this is perhaps what makes the music on these two discs so ultimately satisfying. Kim Macari 's trumpet is beautifully full toned, yet the range of slurs and smears she elicits from the horn counteract Archer's more full throttled tenor to great effect. Whether eliciting a gentle melody or exploring the outer reaches of his tenor saxophone through extremes of pitch or multiphonics Archer's playing retains a tightly controlled focus that steers a secure course for his fellow travellers. His sopranino playing is just as intensely focussed when stepping out to solo, and also provides a superb counter voice to Macari's trumpet in delightful dialogues that appear as if from nowhere.
This is also true of pianist, Laura Cole, whose playing on both discs is quite phenomenal. Whether playing solo as she does on the through composed opener, 'Just A Moment In Time' or interacting with her three colleagues in ensembles that can be densely packed sonic excursions or quiet and reflective passages she is often the fulcrum f the music, building bridges between ideas or suggesting harmonic area of interest that can be taken up by Macari or Archer as is deemed most appropriate to the moment. Her commentary is often very subtle, not one to hog the limelight but contributing greatly to the group sound. This even extends to the long passages where the piano sits out, only to to sound so good when it once again returns. This side of Cole's musical persona is new to this reviewer and bodes well for the solo piano recording that is currently in preparation, and will also be released on Discus Music.
Overall a superb album that deserves to be widely heard, and a quartet that should be on everyone's radar to catch live. Contemporary composition/improv does not get much better than this.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
