JAMES KITCHMAN - First Quartet
Ubuntu Music UB0097
James Kitchman (guitar); Bruno Heinen (piano); Tom McCredie (double bass); Shaney Forbes (drums)
Recorded 4 May 2021
First Quartet is a startling and startingly fresh and confident leader debut from guitarist, James Kitchman. Assembling a fine band of likeminded travellers the music takes on many guises. The music is at once shifting, yet moves around on an axis that keeps the quartet grounded, and all the compositions sit comfortably with a uniformity of concept and overall sound of the group foremost in Kitchman's mind.
The variety heard in the music is hardly surprising given the guitarist's own diversity in playing in genres that include contemporary folk, ambient electronica, chamber music, jazz and improvisation. With a multi genre grounding and utilising an expansive tonal palette for both the quartet and his guitar sound influence are not easily discernible although has expressed much admiration for the work of Jim Hall, and there are distinct echoes of John Scofield on 'Once For R.A.' This composition has a great groove and vibe producing a wonderful solo from the guitarist. Keen to get in on the act, pianist Bruno Heinen also turns in a neat offering his lines spinning out a sharp and lucid solo. To counter the frenetic pace of 'One for R.A.', Kitchman brings forth a ballad in 'Bees', a lovely relaxed feeling prevails and Kitchman's lyrical guitar outlines the melody before Heinen's sparse and unusual solo ensuring the piece never quite pans out as one might expect.
Kitchman makes the most of the almost ponderous bassline of 'I Control The Weather' with some rock infused guitar lines that are free of cliché, and that delivers yet another fine solo. After an ambient introduction, 'The Melt' settles into another composition that takes the alternate route to the one that might be anticipated. Hints of an initial groove at the outset soon dissipate into something completely different and the interplay between Heinen and the guitarist again presents a constant and stimulating dialogue.
Melody and lyrical solos, as well as the ambient electronics and texture, play a hugely important role to the success of the album as evidenced in the lovely closing number, 'First Day'. 'Connoisseur Of Clouds' is another of those dreamy pieces that catch the ear and retain the attention. Once again, the interplay between the quartet is a joy and the dialogue that goes back and for Kitchman and Heinen is once again completely engaging. Full of deft little touches in both accompaniment and arrangement this is a wonderfully thought out and conceived composition, and in fact a trait throughout an album that is never short of a surprise or two.
First Quartet is an album that is full of twists and turns, melodic and rhythmic surprises and little details that reveal themselves with careful and repeated listening. A superb debut, and it will be interesting to hear where Kitchman takes his music next.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Ubuntu Music UB0097
James Kitchman (guitar); Bruno Heinen (piano); Tom McCredie (double bass); Shaney Forbes (drums)
Recorded 4 May 2021
First Quartet is a startling and startingly fresh and confident leader debut from guitarist, James Kitchman. Assembling a fine band of likeminded travellers the music takes on many guises. The music is at once shifting, yet moves around on an axis that keeps the quartet grounded, and all the compositions sit comfortably with a uniformity of concept and overall sound of the group foremost in Kitchman's mind.
The variety heard in the music is hardly surprising given the guitarist's own diversity in playing in genres that include contemporary folk, ambient electronica, chamber music, jazz and improvisation. With a multi genre grounding and utilising an expansive tonal palette for both the quartet and his guitar sound influence are not easily discernible although has expressed much admiration for the work of Jim Hall, and there are distinct echoes of John Scofield on 'Once For R.A.' This composition has a great groove and vibe producing a wonderful solo from the guitarist. Keen to get in on the act, pianist Bruno Heinen also turns in a neat offering his lines spinning out a sharp and lucid solo. To counter the frenetic pace of 'One for R.A.', Kitchman brings forth a ballad in 'Bees', a lovely relaxed feeling prevails and Kitchman's lyrical guitar outlines the melody before Heinen's sparse and unusual solo ensuring the piece never quite pans out as one might expect.
Kitchman makes the most of the almost ponderous bassline of 'I Control The Weather' with some rock infused guitar lines that are free of cliché, and that delivers yet another fine solo. After an ambient introduction, 'The Melt' settles into another composition that takes the alternate route to the one that might be anticipated. Hints of an initial groove at the outset soon dissipate into something completely different and the interplay between Heinen and the guitarist again presents a constant and stimulating dialogue.
Melody and lyrical solos, as well as the ambient electronics and texture, play a hugely important role to the success of the album as evidenced in the lovely closing number, 'First Day'. 'Connoisseur Of Clouds' is another of those dreamy pieces that catch the ear and retain the attention. Once again, the interplay between the quartet is a joy and the dialogue that goes back and for Kitchman and Heinen is once again completely engaging. Full of deft little touches in both accompaniment and arrangement this is a wonderfully thought out and conceived composition, and in fact a trait throughout an album that is never short of a surprise or two.
First Quartet is an album that is full of twists and turns, melodic and rhythmic surprises and little details that reveal themselves with careful and repeated listening. A superb debut, and it will be interesting to hear where Kitchman takes his music next.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
