IMOGEN RYALL & JULIAN NICHOLAS - Take Five No: 60
Can you tel us about your new album, One January Morning by the ANÖNA TRIO?
Julian Nicholas: This arose very naturally out of our long associations with each other. Mark and I have always worked on projects together since 1989. Imo and I for some 10 years. My band and Mark's 'Cloggz' incorporate all three of us, and within those ensembles we've encountered the possibilities of a broad range of material that works in a trio setting. The trio first formed to perform with a Steinway in a vaulted church acoustic - this brought the three voices into focus, sonically. On the album, we extend our experimentation to include a little post-production - but again, this is typical of 'Cloggz' and mine and Mark's work from 'Mountain People' to 'Heavy Plant Crossing'.
Imogen Ryall: The new album is really the result of a gig we did as a Trio a couple of years ago and quite a few people came up to us after it who all said the same thing: “you should record this!” So we did! The pieces we chose to record say a lot about our collective taste in music and that each of us is driven in part by our emotional connection with the music we like to play.
Julian Nicholas: This arose very naturally out of our long associations with each other. Mark and I have always worked on projects together since 1989. Imo and I for some 10 years. My band and Mark's 'Cloggz' incorporate all three of us, and within those ensembles we've encountered the possibilities of a broad range of material that works in a trio setting. The trio first formed to perform with a Steinway in a vaulted church acoustic - this brought the three voices into focus, sonically. On the album, we extend our experimentation to include a little post-production - but again, this is typical of 'Cloggz' and mine and Mark's work from 'Mountain People' to 'Heavy Plant Crossing'.
Imogen Ryall: The new album is really the result of a gig we did as a Trio a couple of years ago and quite a few people came up to us after it who all said the same thing: “you should record this!” So we did! The pieces we chose to record say a lot about our collective taste in music and that each of us is driven in part by our emotional connection with the music we like to play.
What other projects are you currently involved in?
JN: I play in 'Brotherhood Of Breath' when it has gigs, many local pick-up bands here on the South Coast, an organ outfit called 'Drawtones' (10 Aug Pizza Express Dean St. with guest, Dennis Rollins). I'm currently recording with composer/ pianist David Beebee, eking out my inner Jan Gabarek. I've also been commissioned by East Sussex Music Service to produce a 'culture-shifting' guide to improvisation for use by 1-2-1 peripatetic teachers and their students in schools.
IR: I’m very happy to be part of Julian Nicholas’ band, and of course, the mighty Cloggz!
What are you currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
JN: George Benson 'The Cooker'/ John Coltrane "Lost Album'/ Bheki Mseleku 'Solo - Live in Bath' - last actual purchase: Gil Scott-Heron's 'I'm New Here'.
IR: Claire Martin’s new album, ‘Believin’ It’ on Linn Records for which I wrote some lyrics to Andy Bey’s vocal scat on the title track. I also contributed lyrics to an album Claire recorded last year entitled ‘Bumpin’ - a Celebration of Wes Montgomery with Jim Mullen for Danish label, ‘Stunt’.
JN: I play in 'Brotherhood Of Breath' when it has gigs, many local pick-up bands here on the South Coast, an organ outfit called 'Drawtones' (10 Aug Pizza Express Dean St. with guest, Dennis Rollins). I'm currently recording with composer/ pianist David Beebee, eking out my inner Jan Gabarek. I've also been commissioned by East Sussex Music Service to produce a 'culture-shifting' guide to improvisation for use by 1-2-1 peripatetic teachers and their students in schools.
IR: I’m very happy to be part of Julian Nicholas’ band, and of course, the mighty Cloggz!
What are you currently listening to and what was the last CD or download you bought?
JN: George Benson 'The Cooker'/ John Coltrane "Lost Album'/ Bheki Mseleku 'Solo - Live in Bath' - last actual purchase: Gil Scott-Heron's 'I'm New Here'.
IR: Claire Martin’s new album, ‘Believin’ It’ on Linn Records for which I wrote some lyrics to Andy Bey’s vocal scat on the title track. I also contributed lyrics to an album Claire recorded last year entitled ‘Bumpin’ - a Celebration of Wes Montgomery with Jim Mullen for Danish label, ‘Stunt’.
Click on the album cover to read our review
What is your all time favourite album and why?
JN: Haha! Not a fair question. Right now: 'The Alternative Rollins' RCA, because of his version of 'Django' and a 20-minute 'Now's The Time' with Ron Carter, Roy McCurdy and Herbie Hancock in 1964.
IR: Ooh that’s a hard one!! Joni Mitchell’s ‘Mingus’ album is probably top of a long list of favourites... It ticks a whole lotta boxes for me!
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
IR: I’m always interested in what singers like Christine Tobin, Norma Winstone and Emilia Martenson are doing and I also can’t get enough of Andy Bey at the moment!
One January Morning by Anöna Trio is available
from the Jazz Views Shop
JN: Haha! Not a fair question. Right now: 'The Alternative Rollins' RCA, because of his version of 'Django' and a 20-minute 'Now's The Time' with Ron Carter, Roy McCurdy and Herbie Hancock in 1964.
IR: Ooh that’s a hard one!! Joni Mitchell’s ‘Mingus’ album is probably top of a long list of favourites... It ticks a whole lotta boxes for me!
Who has caught your attention recently that we should be listening out for?
IR: I’m always interested in what singers like Christine Tobin, Norma Winstone and Emilia Martenson are doing and I also can’t get enough of Andy Bey at the moment!
One January Morning by Anöna Trio is available
from the Jazz Views Shop
