JIM RATTIGAN - When
Three Worlds Records - TWR0005
Jim Rattigan - french horn; Nikki Iles - piano; Michael Janisch - bass; James Maddren - drums
The Tear Quartet: Julian Tear - cello; Alison Gordon - violin; Nic Barr - viola; Nic Cooper - cello
Jim Rattigan in one of a select group of musicians who can lay claim to the title ‘pioneer of the jazz French horn’, as well as being a key player with all the London symphony orchestras. He’s released two highly critically acclaimed albums of Gil Evans-ish big band jazz with his Pavilion project, and returns here with a an equally ambitious but far more intimate set of recordings. Neatly bridging the worlds of jazz and classical, the album features music for two simultaneous quartets: a french-horn fronted jazz one with a superb line up of supporting players, and a string one with an unusual cello-heavy line-up. All the compositions are by Rattigan and have the flavour of classic modern/mainstream jazz repertoire pieces: Rattigan’s horn is far nimbler and more expressive than the bebop experiments of his predecessor Julius Watkins, sounding a bit like a more clearly articulated trombone, and his contributions are judiciously paced to leave Iles to provide the lead voice on tracks like the bluesy, insouciantly swinging ‘It’s Not Quite The Same’ or the reflective ‘Patrick’s Song’. Her piano playing is a lesson in poise, phrasing, and effortlessly stylish economy, and the team of Janisch and Maddren are the model of tasteful, supportive restraint. The string section are superbly well integrated throughout - Rattigan’s writing for the quartet is warmly romantic with echoes of Ravel and classic Hollywood (in the best sense): tunes like ‘Now And Then’ allow the strings to set the mood before the jazz team join them so seamlessly that the change of texture never jars. A far cry from some of the mismatched efforts of the Third Stream movement, this is a beautifully realised fusion that bridges the genres by finding common ground in mood and dynamic: resolutely determined to charm rather than challenge the listener and succeeding on all counts.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Three Worlds Records - TWR0005
Jim Rattigan - french horn; Nikki Iles - piano; Michael Janisch - bass; James Maddren - drums
The Tear Quartet: Julian Tear - cello; Alison Gordon - violin; Nic Barr - viola; Nic Cooper - cello
Jim Rattigan in one of a select group of musicians who can lay claim to the title ‘pioneer of the jazz French horn’, as well as being a key player with all the London symphony orchestras. He’s released two highly critically acclaimed albums of Gil Evans-ish big band jazz with his Pavilion project, and returns here with a an equally ambitious but far more intimate set of recordings. Neatly bridging the worlds of jazz and classical, the album features music for two simultaneous quartets: a french-horn fronted jazz one with a superb line up of supporting players, and a string one with an unusual cello-heavy line-up. All the compositions are by Rattigan and have the flavour of classic modern/mainstream jazz repertoire pieces: Rattigan’s horn is far nimbler and more expressive than the bebop experiments of his predecessor Julius Watkins, sounding a bit like a more clearly articulated trombone, and his contributions are judiciously paced to leave Iles to provide the lead voice on tracks like the bluesy, insouciantly swinging ‘It’s Not Quite The Same’ or the reflective ‘Patrick’s Song’. Her piano playing is a lesson in poise, phrasing, and effortlessly stylish economy, and the team of Janisch and Maddren are the model of tasteful, supportive restraint. The string section are superbly well integrated throughout - Rattigan’s writing for the quartet is warmly romantic with echoes of Ravel and classic Hollywood (in the best sense): tunes like ‘Now And Then’ allow the strings to set the mood before the jazz team join them so seamlessly that the change of texture never jars. A far cry from some of the mismatched efforts of the Third Stream movement, this is a beautifully realised fusion that bridges the genres by finding common ground in mood and dynamic: resolutely determined to charm rather than challenge the listener and succeeding on all counts.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
