HARRY VETRO - Northern Ranger
T Sound: TSND 002
Lina Allemano: trumpet; Harrison Argatoff: saxophone; Dan Pitt: guitar; Noah Franche-Nolan: piano; Andrew Downing: bass; Harry Vetro: drums; Jacob Thompson: piano; Phil Albert: bass; Ian McGimpsey: guitar; Jessica Deutsch: violin; Aline Homzy: violin; Anna Atkinson: viola; Andrew Downing: cello.
Recorded January, April and May 2018 by Nick Bonin, Leon Taheney, Harry Vetro and Andrew Doidge at Revolution recording, Union Sound and 187 Studios
The inspiration for the tunes in this set came from the journey that 23 year old drummer Vetro, from Hamilton, Canada, (and graduate of the University of Toronto) took from the coast to coast of Canada in 2017 when the country celebrated its 150th year of confederation. The tone palette used in the compositions builds melodic jazz with a collection of musical styles that Vetro encountered on his trip. This allows his to develop his curiosity for Indigenous music, so that the sites that he visits do not necessarily form a straight line coast-to-coast, but weave across the country. Some of the tunes, like the theme that the violin introduces to ‘Buffalo Jump’ (track 2) also have a folksy air to them. Other tunes are short piano pieces, offering, in a small stretch of time, neatly formed nocturnes (‘Gondola to Blackcomb’, track 4) that segue into variations on their themes (‘Blackcomb’, track 5). Two tunes ‘Northern Ranger’ and ‘Shakat Tun’ (which means ‘summer hunting trails’ in the Soutern Tutchone language) are split into three sections. ‘Shakat Tun’ comprises two sections of around 1 minute, and one a little over 7 minutes. I particularly liked the way that 'Kat' (track 9), builds on a gently dissonant 'Country' guitar over the swelling rumble and crash of Vetro's drum kit. ‘Northern Ranger’ has a sub 2 minute piece (which features field recording made on the ‘Northern Ranger’ boat to Labrador) and then two pieces of around 5 (which features scratchy recording of strummed banjo) to 6 minutes. These provide a focal point to the collection, not only in the titles’ reflection of the musical expedition but also it terms of the different themes. However, I wasn’t sure why they needed to be split and interleaved with the other tunes – I’m sure there is a logic to this decision, but they work just as well as small ‘suites’ (one of the benefits of CD technology is that the listener can select which order to hear the songs).
The compositions allow Vetro space to play some very elegant drum patterns, and his interplay with the pianists and guitarists, as well as his use of string arrangements, suggests a musician who has a clear vision for his composing and presents a very accomplished set of tunes. The trumpet and sax playing are both top-notch and sympathetically interpret the tunes.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
T Sound: TSND 002
Lina Allemano: trumpet; Harrison Argatoff: saxophone; Dan Pitt: guitar; Noah Franche-Nolan: piano; Andrew Downing: bass; Harry Vetro: drums; Jacob Thompson: piano; Phil Albert: bass; Ian McGimpsey: guitar; Jessica Deutsch: violin; Aline Homzy: violin; Anna Atkinson: viola; Andrew Downing: cello.
Recorded January, April and May 2018 by Nick Bonin, Leon Taheney, Harry Vetro and Andrew Doidge at Revolution recording, Union Sound and 187 Studios
The inspiration for the tunes in this set came from the journey that 23 year old drummer Vetro, from Hamilton, Canada, (and graduate of the University of Toronto) took from the coast to coast of Canada in 2017 when the country celebrated its 150th year of confederation. The tone palette used in the compositions builds melodic jazz with a collection of musical styles that Vetro encountered on his trip. This allows his to develop his curiosity for Indigenous music, so that the sites that he visits do not necessarily form a straight line coast-to-coast, but weave across the country. Some of the tunes, like the theme that the violin introduces to ‘Buffalo Jump’ (track 2) also have a folksy air to them. Other tunes are short piano pieces, offering, in a small stretch of time, neatly formed nocturnes (‘Gondola to Blackcomb’, track 4) that segue into variations on their themes (‘Blackcomb’, track 5). Two tunes ‘Northern Ranger’ and ‘Shakat Tun’ (which means ‘summer hunting trails’ in the Soutern Tutchone language) are split into three sections. ‘Shakat Tun’ comprises two sections of around 1 minute, and one a little over 7 minutes. I particularly liked the way that 'Kat' (track 9), builds on a gently dissonant 'Country' guitar over the swelling rumble and crash of Vetro's drum kit. ‘Northern Ranger’ has a sub 2 minute piece (which features field recording made on the ‘Northern Ranger’ boat to Labrador) and then two pieces of around 5 (which features scratchy recording of strummed banjo) to 6 minutes. These provide a focal point to the collection, not only in the titles’ reflection of the musical expedition but also it terms of the different themes. However, I wasn’t sure why they needed to be split and interleaved with the other tunes – I’m sure there is a logic to this decision, but they work just as well as small ‘suites’ (one of the benefits of CD technology is that the listener can select which order to hear the songs).
The compositions allow Vetro space to play some very elegant drum patterns, and his interplay with the pianists and guitarists, as well as his use of string arrangements, suggests a musician who has a clear vision for his composing and presents a very accomplished set of tunes. The trumpet and sax playing are both top-notch and sympathetically interpret the tunes.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
