GEOFF EALES - Memoir
33Extreme021
Geoff Eales (piano, samples on 'Swirling'); Andy Findon (flute on 'Swirling'); Ray Roughler Jones (poetry reading on 'Mardi Gras', 'Biscay Dipper' and 'Swirling')
Recorded 27th February, 2021
Welsh pianist Geoff Eales has been making some highly inventive and consistently excellent albums for more that two decades. Having spent his early musical career as pianist for the BBC Big Band in the seventies and early eighties, followed by a stint as a studio musician. Turning his back on the session work in 1999, Eales set out to pursue his love of jazz and improvisation and with a steady stream of trio and solo piano albums, the pianist set out his stall as an exciting and original improviser. Whether playing standards, original compositions or freely improvising, Eales always has something of interest to say. His dynamic approach to music making and passion for the music shines through in everything he does, and it is fair to say that no one will get caught napping when listening to him play.
Recorded and released in 2021 to coincide with Eales 70th birthday celebrations, Memoir shows no signs that the pianist is slowing down. In fact, if anything, Eales working schedule seems busier than ever. With projects as diverse as his multi-media musical drama, "Spirit of the Mine", an ongoing story about the rise and fall of the Welsh coal mining industry. If anything, his playing is still on an upwards spiral indicating that perhaps even at three score years and ten he has still not peaked.
The music on Memoir has the pianist's personal stamp all over it. Finely wrought compositions that draw the listener into his world. Freely improvised pieces that encompass a lifetime of music making and that flow with a logic and lyricism that have an exuberance and zest for life, and seem to flow effortlessly from the keys. The opening 'Andalucian Affair' is a stunning way to begin an album, the melody swirling and whirling, an exuberant take on life in all its glory, and is at times reminiscent of Chick Corea's ebullient delivery. This is immediately followed by 'Celtic Roots', initially a more subdued yet equally lyrical offering that very quickly gives way to Eale's fertile imagination as the music and drama of the piece unfold.
The more gentle side of the pianist's playing can be heard on the beautiful 'The Children Of Nagasaki', and story that is allowed to develop at its own pace and with a lyricism that at time borders on sorrow yet is always heartfelt. Cleverly, Eales is able to indicate at the ethnic music of the Orient without every expressing it explicitly, and in his extensive travels around the globe performs a similar musical illusion on the colourful 'Mumbai Memory'. A love of jazz is never far away with a swinging and grooving original, 'Blues At The Moon', and his reverence to the great songwriters is given an acknowledgement in a lovely reading of Rodgers and Hart's 'Little Girl Blue'.
As well as music, Eales has a longstanding interest in the spoken word, and has chosen to feature three original poems set to music and read by Ray Roughler Jones. With prose as bold as his music, you cannot help but being swept away by the flamboyance of 'Mardi Gras', or the sheer power of 'Biscay Dipper' while the playful pianism of 'Swirling' that dance around Jones' reading of the text, accompanied by some impassioned flute courtesy of Andy Findon.
After decades of playing Eales' wonderment of, and exploration of the piano, continues to to produce music that is all encompassing yet never strays far from his beloved Welsh heritage.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
33Extreme021
Geoff Eales (piano, samples on 'Swirling'); Andy Findon (flute on 'Swirling'); Ray Roughler Jones (poetry reading on 'Mardi Gras', 'Biscay Dipper' and 'Swirling')
Recorded 27th February, 2021
Welsh pianist Geoff Eales has been making some highly inventive and consistently excellent albums for more that two decades. Having spent his early musical career as pianist for the BBC Big Band in the seventies and early eighties, followed by a stint as a studio musician. Turning his back on the session work in 1999, Eales set out to pursue his love of jazz and improvisation and with a steady stream of trio and solo piano albums, the pianist set out his stall as an exciting and original improviser. Whether playing standards, original compositions or freely improvising, Eales always has something of interest to say. His dynamic approach to music making and passion for the music shines through in everything he does, and it is fair to say that no one will get caught napping when listening to him play.
Recorded and released in 2021 to coincide with Eales 70th birthday celebrations, Memoir shows no signs that the pianist is slowing down. In fact, if anything, Eales working schedule seems busier than ever. With projects as diverse as his multi-media musical drama, "Spirit of the Mine", an ongoing story about the rise and fall of the Welsh coal mining industry. If anything, his playing is still on an upwards spiral indicating that perhaps even at three score years and ten he has still not peaked.
The music on Memoir has the pianist's personal stamp all over it. Finely wrought compositions that draw the listener into his world. Freely improvised pieces that encompass a lifetime of music making and that flow with a logic and lyricism that have an exuberance and zest for life, and seem to flow effortlessly from the keys. The opening 'Andalucian Affair' is a stunning way to begin an album, the melody swirling and whirling, an exuberant take on life in all its glory, and is at times reminiscent of Chick Corea's ebullient delivery. This is immediately followed by 'Celtic Roots', initially a more subdued yet equally lyrical offering that very quickly gives way to Eale's fertile imagination as the music and drama of the piece unfold.
The more gentle side of the pianist's playing can be heard on the beautiful 'The Children Of Nagasaki', and story that is allowed to develop at its own pace and with a lyricism that at time borders on sorrow yet is always heartfelt. Cleverly, Eales is able to indicate at the ethnic music of the Orient without every expressing it explicitly, and in his extensive travels around the globe performs a similar musical illusion on the colourful 'Mumbai Memory'. A love of jazz is never far away with a swinging and grooving original, 'Blues At The Moon', and his reverence to the great songwriters is given an acknowledgement in a lovely reading of Rodgers and Hart's 'Little Girl Blue'.
As well as music, Eales has a longstanding interest in the spoken word, and has chosen to feature three original poems set to music and read by Ray Roughler Jones. With prose as bold as his music, you cannot help but being swept away by the flamboyance of 'Mardi Gras', or the sheer power of 'Biscay Dipper' while the playful pianism of 'Swirling' that dance around Jones' reading of the text, accompanied by some impassioned flute courtesy of Andy Findon.
After decades of playing Eales' wonderment of, and exploration of the piano, continues to to produce music that is all encompassing yet never strays far from his beloved Welsh heritage.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
