EUAN BURTON - Too Much Love
Whirlwind Recordings – WR4662
Euan Burton (bass) Adam Jackson (alto sax) Tom Gibbs (piano) Alyn Cosker (drums & cymbals)
Recorded at Castlesound studios, June 17th 2013
In his third disc for Whirlwind, award winning composer and bassist Euan Burton has assembled a group of fellow Glaswegians to give us a set of refined pieces that fulfil his thoughtful compositional aims whilst providing ample opportunity for improvisational dialogue and embellishment. The music combines elements of Celtic romanticism with formal classical devices and enough rhythmic verve to place it within the jazz canon without submitting to the restraints imposed by conventional interpretation and expectations,
There is a philosophical theme embedded in the title and if I’ve interpreted it correctly it has to do with the idea that adherence to given enthusiasms can become obsessional and limiting and that in his music Burton has tried to avoid these pitfalls by opening himself up to many influences. The things he loves are reflected in the music but he wisely avoids a fanatical commitment to any single genre by absorbing the influences of many others thereby shielding himself against the consequences of `Too Much Love`. Somebody please tell me if I’ve got it wrong.
Back to the music: there are modal themes of folk like simplicity, some uplifting melodies of pastoral nostalgia, passages of Euro –Romanticism for piano, at times in Bach like contrapuntal exchanges with the bass. The improvisational developments emanating from the melodic substance are largely carried by Adam Jackson’s pure toned, classically sounding alto sax with which he employs little vibrato coming over like a post-modern Paul Desmond plus added passion. Underpinning all is the articulate and highly potent drumming of Alyn Cosker who knows when to lay back and when to turn up the heat and whose judicious use of percussive accents and cymbal colouration adds a vital element of catharsis when introspection tends to become too hermetic.
Of the individual tunes, apart from those of the “tartan and twilight” persuasion, stand out tracks are `Krakow`, a polka type tune with a catchy piano vamp and some impassioned blowing from Jackson, and `Fading Memories` a blues inflected threnody with an unusual bass line reminiscent of an Eddie Cochrane disc I once owned and some pontillistic piano bordering on Taylorian freeform expression.
Once again we are indebted to Whirlwind for upholding the standards of fine contemporary jazz and steering and interesting course by avoiding the increasingly rarefied pre-occupations of their near neighbour ECM.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Whirlwind Recordings – WR4662
Euan Burton (bass) Adam Jackson (alto sax) Tom Gibbs (piano) Alyn Cosker (drums & cymbals)
Recorded at Castlesound studios, June 17th 2013
In his third disc for Whirlwind, award winning composer and bassist Euan Burton has assembled a group of fellow Glaswegians to give us a set of refined pieces that fulfil his thoughtful compositional aims whilst providing ample opportunity for improvisational dialogue and embellishment. The music combines elements of Celtic romanticism with formal classical devices and enough rhythmic verve to place it within the jazz canon without submitting to the restraints imposed by conventional interpretation and expectations,
There is a philosophical theme embedded in the title and if I’ve interpreted it correctly it has to do with the idea that adherence to given enthusiasms can become obsessional and limiting and that in his music Burton has tried to avoid these pitfalls by opening himself up to many influences. The things he loves are reflected in the music but he wisely avoids a fanatical commitment to any single genre by absorbing the influences of many others thereby shielding himself against the consequences of `Too Much Love`. Somebody please tell me if I’ve got it wrong.
Back to the music: there are modal themes of folk like simplicity, some uplifting melodies of pastoral nostalgia, passages of Euro –Romanticism for piano, at times in Bach like contrapuntal exchanges with the bass. The improvisational developments emanating from the melodic substance are largely carried by Adam Jackson’s pure toned, classically sounding alto sax with which he employs little vibrato coming over like a post-modern Paul Desmond plus added passion. Underpinning all is the articulate and highly potent drumming of Alyn Cosker who knows when to lay back and when to turn up the heat and whose judicious use of percussive accents and cymbal colouration adds a vital element of catharsis when introspection tends to become too hermetic.
Of the individual tunes, apart from those of the “tartan and twilight” persuasion, stand out tracks are `Krakow`, a polka type tune with a catchy piano vamp and some impassioned blowing from Jackson, and `Fading Memories` a blues inflected threnody with an unusual bass line reminiscent of an Eddie Cochrane disc I once owned and some pontillistic piano bordering on Taylorian freeform expression.
Once again we are indebted to Whirlwind for upholding the standards of fine contemporary jazz and steering and interesting course by avoiding the increasingly rarefied pre-occupations of their near neighbour ECM.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
