JAMES HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA - Lost Tapes
New Jazz Records
James Hamilton (composer) large orchestra with five reeds, four trumpets, four trombones & rhythm section, g, p, b, d.
This five- track collection comes from a search Hamilton made of his files following a recent album release. Four tracks were recorded at All Hallows Church in Leeds and the fourth piece, live, ‘somewhere, sometime between July 2014 and November 2018,’ Hamilton explains. The orchestra is a well- balanced outfit playing jazz compositions that follow a pattern of slow, lyrical playing and build up to shouting brass and reeds with rockish rhythm. Only Sleep begins and ends with quiet, gentle melodies and has a full blast of brass in the centre. The playing is crisp and bright all through and there are snappy solos on soprano, trumpet and trombone interspersed although no soloists are identified.
Arriving in a small slipcase this disc plays for just twenty- nine and a half minutes. It can be bought for just £2.10 from the composer’s website ‘plus, whatever you want to pay for the music.’ The 2-10 covers cost of manufacture and postage. You can buy direct from Hamilton’s website or it is available also as a stream. Quality Big band jazz but a bit light on playing time.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
New Jazz Records
James Hamilton (composer) large orchestra with five reeds, four trumpets, four trombones & rhythm section, g, p, b, d.
This five- track collection comes from a search Hamilton made of his files following a recent album release. Four tracks were recorded at All Hallows Church in Leeds and the fourth piece, live, ‘somewhere, sometime between July 2014 and November 2018,’ Hamilton explains. The orchestra is a well- balanced outfit playing jazz compositions that follow a pattern of slow, lyrical playing and build up to shouting brass and reeds with rockish rhythm. Only Sleep begins and ends with quiet, gentle melodies and has a full blast of brass in the centre. The playing is crisp and bright all through and there are snappy solos on soprano, trumpet and trombone interspersed although no soloists are identified.
Arriving in a small slipcase this disc plays for just twenty- nine and a half minutes. It can be bought for just £2.10 from the composer’s website ‘plus, whatever you want to pay for the music.’ The 2-10 covers cost of manufacture and postage. You can buy direct from Hamilton’s website or it is available also as a stream. Quality Big band jazz but a bit light on playing time.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
