JOSEPHINE DAVIES - Satori: How Can We Wake?
Whirlwind Recordings: WR4764
Josephine Davies: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; James Maddren: drums; Dave Whitford: bass
Recorded live 20th January 2020 at the Oxford Tavern and 21st January at the Total Refreshment Centre by Alex Bonney
The track titles, the Enso symbol and Gwendoline Coates’ poem inside the CD cover, emphasise the importance of Buddhist precepts to Davies’ compositions on this CD. Having said that, each piece works beautifully as a well-balanced contemporary jazz tune. Of course, this is not mutually exclusive and the balance of each piece might well reflect an inner peace and stability from the beliefs that inform them. Apart from tracks 4 and 5, the CD is a set of tunes recorded live. Not having seen Davies perform live yet (although from this recording she is definitely high on the list of people to look out for once the current stasis breaks), I get the impression that she is quite a mobile player, swaying in and out of the microphone, as the sounds on the CD has a rise and fall to them over and above the dynamics of her playing. This is not a complaint as it gives the recording a sense of ‘liveness’ (as does the slightly hollow ‘knock’ of the bass drum) and makes the music even more compelling. The organisation of the tunes follow a path from ‘Ananda’ (track 1), as a state of supreme happiness or bliss, through ‘Duhkha’ (track 3), as grief or pervasive dissatisfaction, to ‘Nirodha’ (track 5), the possibility of liberation, ‘Mudita’ (track 6), joy, ‘Daya’ (track 7), compassion and ‘Klesha’ (track 9), affliction and back to ‘Ananda’ (track 10), as a circle of life. Interspersed with these are 3 ‘sutra’, lessons or scripture, to define rules or guides for living – each of which is a solo piece played by drums (‘Sutra 1’), bass (‘Sutra 2’) and saxophone (‘Sutra 3’), implying that each player has the opportunity to convey their truth in the context of the pieces. What is so exciting about this sparkling set is the way in which the trio work so well together and how, eschewing a chordal instrument like a piano or guitar, they are able to create such vast and sweeping landscapes in their playing. Davies' taut sax playing blends perfectly with Maddren’s relaxed but ever-moving drum patterns, with Whitford’s bass creating stirring interventions between them. This is definitely a recording that I am going to be listening to for years to come and I can guarantee that each listen will reveal new gems and insights.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Whirlwind Recordings: WR4764
Josephine Davies: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; James Maddren: drums; Dave Whitford: bass
Recorded live 20th January 2020 at the Oxford Tavern and 21st January at the Total Refreshment Centre by Alex Bonney
The track titles, the Enso symbol and Gwendoline Coates’ poem inside the CD cover, emphasise the importance of Buddhist precepts to Davies’ compositions on this CD. Having said that, each piece works beautifully as a well-balanced contemporary jazz tune. Of course, this is not mutually exclusive and the balance of each piece might well reflect an inner peace and stability from the beliefs that inform them. Apart from tracks 4 and 5, the CD is a set of tunes recorded live. Not having seen Davies perform live yet (although from this recording she is definitely high on the list of people to look out for once the current stasis breaks), I get the impression that she is quite a mobile player, swaying in and out of the microphone, as the sounds on the CD has a rise and fall to them over and above the dynamics of her playing. This is not a complaint as it gives the recording a sense of ‘liveness’ (as does the slightly hollow ‘knock’ of the bass drum) and makes the music even more compelling. The organisation of the tunes follow a path from ‘Ananda’ (track 1), as a state of supreme happiness or bliss, through ‘Duhkha’ (track 3), as grief or pervasive dissatisfaction, to ‘Nirodha’ (track 5), the possibility of liberation, ‘Mudita’ (track 6), joy, ‘Daya’ (track 7), compassion and ‘Klesha’ (track 9), affliction and back to ‘Ananda’ (track 10), as a circle of life. Interspersed with these are 3 ‘sutra’, lessons or scripture, to define rules or guides for living – each of which is a solo piece played by drums (‘Sutra 1’), bass (‘Sutra 2’) and saxophone (‘Sutra 3’), implying that each player has the opportunity to convey their truth in the context of the pieces. What is so exciting about this sparkling set is the way in which the trio work so well together and how, eschewing a chordal instrument like a piano or guitar, they are able to create such vast and sweeping landscapes in their playing. Davies' taut sax playing blends perfectly with Maddren’s relaxed but ever-moving drum patterns, with Whitford’s bass creating stirring interventions between them. This is definitely a recording that I am going to be listening to for years to come and I can guarantee that each listen will reveal new gems and insights.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
