EUAN STEVENSON & KONRAD WISZNIEWSKI - New Focus On Song
Whirlwind WR4690
Euan Stevenson - piano; Konrad Wiszniewski - tenor and soprano sax, clarinet, low whistle; Andrew Robb - bass; Alyn Cosker - drums
with; The Glasgow String Quartet: Nicola Wiszniewski - flute; Alina Bzhezhinska
This album is a follow-up to Stevenson and Wiszniewski’s 2012 collaboration New Focus, which made the shortlist for the Scottish Album of The Year award. It’s obviously a highly fruitful collaboration as this recording is meticulously conceived and delivered with exquisite care and attention to detail, and the two protagonists’ musical styles seem to dovetail perfectly. Opener ‘Air in D Minor’ sets the scene with a sweeping folk-tinged melody, the additional orchestrations carefully integrated into the quartet sound, to create a cinematic sounding piece laden with atmosphere that would make the perfect signature music for a celtic crime drama. ‘Green Park’ uses a driving 7/8 rhythm to update a very traditional sounding melody, and ‘Destination Unknown” presents the basic quartet in a piece of introverted, gently celebratory nordic euro-jazz that shows off Cosker’s delicatley virtuosic chops.
Wiszniewski is in his understated way a hugely accomplished saxophonist in the vein of Tommy Smith, able to switch from the most delicate melodic playing to the burning neo-bop of ‘Corea Change’ (the track’s title wears it’s influence on it’s sleeve). The latter track also gives the estimable rhythm team of Robb and Cosker a chance to stretch out, and closes with some exhilarating rapid-fire writing for the strings. Elsewhere ‘Ascension’ and ‘Braeside’ have more of the feel of the French impressionism of Ravel or Debussy as interpreted by soundtrack composers, with the cello taking the lead. “Little Allegory” is a highlight, with it’s powerful declamatory feel augmented by sweeping blues-y strings that briefly evoke the glories of Philly disco, carefully controlled precision drumming and a celebratory solo from Stevenson. This is a hugely accomplished, multi-faceted album whose many influences meld together thanks to the leaders’ sure touch and the cohesive nature of Stevenson’s compositions, with a similar melancholy-tinged but high accessible melodic sensibility running throughout. Those looking for wild cutting-edge improv should probably look elsewhere, but commissioning editors for film and TV should certainly check this out, as should all those who appreciate a rich melody and sheer quality of writing and performance in contemporary European jazz.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Whirlwind WR4690
Euan Stevenson - piano; Konrad Wiszniewski - tenor and soprano sax, clarinet, low whistle; Andrew Robb - bass; Alyn Cosker - drums
with; The Glasgow String Quartet: Nicola Wiszniewski - flute; Alina Bzhezhinska
This album is a follow-up to Stevenson and Wiszniewski’s 2012 collaboration New Focus, which made the shortlist for the Scottish Album of The Year award. It’s obviously a highly fruitful collaboration as this recording is meticulously conceived and delivered with exquisite care and attention to detail, and the two protagonists’ musical styles seem to dovetail perfectly. Opener ‘Air in D Minor’ sets the scene with a sweeping folk-tinged melody, the additional orchestrations carefully integrated into the quartet sound, to create a cinematic sounding piece laden with atmosphere that would make the perfect signature music for a celtic crime drama. ‘Green Park’ uses a driving 7/8 rhythm to update a very traditional sounding melody, and ‘Destination Unknown” presents the basic quartet in a piece of introverted, gently celebratory nordic euro-jazz that shows off Cosker’s delicatley virtuosic chops.
Wiszniewski is in his understated way a hugely accomplished saxophonist in the vein of Tommy Smith, able to switch from the most delicate melodic playing to the burning neo-bop of ‘Corea Change’ (the track’s title wears it’s influence on it’s sleeve). The latter track also gives the estimable rhythm team of Robb and Cosker a chance to stretch out, and closes with some exhilarating rapid-fire writing for the strings. Elsewhere ‘Ascension’ and ‘Braeside’ have more of the feel of the French impressionism of Ravel or Debussy as interpreted by soundtrack composers, with the cello taking the lead. “Little Allegory” is a highlight, with it’s powerful declamatory feel augmented by sweeping blues-y strings that briefly evoke the glories of Philly disco, carefully controlled precision drumming and a celebratory solo from Stevenson. This is a hugely accomplished, multi-faceted album whose many influences meld together thanks to the leaders’ sure touch and the cohesive nature of Stevenson’s compositions, with a similar melancholy-tinged but high accessible melodic sensibility running throughout. Those looking for wild cutting-edge improv should probably look elsewhere, but commissioning editors for film and TV should certainly check this out, as should all those who appreciate a rich melody and sheer quality of writing and performance in contemporary European jazz.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
