JOY ELLIS - Peaceful Place
Oti-O Records Oti-O 007
Joy Ellis (piano); Adam Osmianski (drums); Henrik Jensen (double bass)
Recorded May 2021
Quite a departure for Joy Ellis with this her third album, this time sans vocals and a paired down line up accompanied by just bass and drums. And what a departure! On first hearing this is a revelation, and subsequent hearings just confirm this and more. Both of Ellis' earlier albums featured her on both vocals and piano, playing her own compositions with a larger ensemble that would include horns and guitar but in the trio format we get to hear a different side to the pianist altogether.
With the music predominantly written during the pandemic, the pianist says that she "felt there were no words I could sing to capture the grief and sense of loss that I and other people I know had experienced", and it was this that lefd to an instrumental set that does not simply hang on a sense of loss but also optimism and that indomitable spirit that is part of being human and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Again Joy has featured all original material, and the decision is justified in the quality of the compositions. The opening title track and 'Losing' may focus on the more melancholy and sad times inflicted on so many during the pandemic, but does so with a warmth that assures us that we are not alone. 'Eat, Sleep, Repeat' cleverly reminds us of the monotony that we would have all felt during lockdown when every day felt the same, and the ever present sense of déjà vu hanging in the air.
However, this is not to say that the compositions do not also reflect the positive aspects, and the feeling that all this will end and life will return, however slowly, to some degree of normality. 'Day Of Rest' builds up to this. Rest while you can as this delightful piece builds through its strong pulse and bassline to look to better day ahead. This device is used again on the exceptional 'Cascade' where the bassist provides a foundation for the piano lines to fall like water from Ellis' fingers, all held down by rock solid and emapthetic drumming from Osmianski. And it is this trait that is present throughout that makes the recording so special. A tight knit unit, both bassist and drummer have been a constant throughout Joy's albums, that allows the music to flow. I'm sure in the process of rehearsing and recording the material that the music has taken turns and followed paths that neither the compose or the musicians imagined at the outset.
It is this thrill of discovery in the music that perhaps more than anything shows how far Ellis has travelled musically over the last five years or so; and what an exciting journey there promises to be ahead. Whether Joy makes a return to her role as vocalist or decides to focus on her instrumental prowess; this is a major statement in her development and one that should be widely appreciated.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Oti-O Records Oti-O 007
Joy Ellis (piano); Adam Osmianski (drums); Henrik Jensen (double bass)
Recorded May 2021
Quite a departure for Joy Ellis with this her third album, this time sans vocals and a paired down line up accompanied by just bass and drums. And what a departure! On first hearing this is a revelation, and subsequent hearings just confirm this and more. Both of Ellis' earlier albums featured her on both vocals and piano, playing her own compositions with a larger ensemble that would include horns and guitar but in the trio format we get to hear a different side to the pianist altogether.
With the music predominantly written during the pandemic, the pianist says that she "felt there were no words I could sing to capture the grief and sense of loss that I and other people I know had experienced", and it was this that lefd to an instrumental set that does not simply hang on a sense of loss but also optimism and that indomitable spirit that is part of being human and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Again Joy has featured all original material, and the decision is justified in the quality of the compositions. The opening title track and 'Losing' may focus on the more melancholy and sad times inflicted on so many during the pandemic, but does so with a warmth that assures us that we are not alone. 'Eat, Sleep, Repeat' cleverly reminds us of the monotony that we would have all felt during lockdown when every day felt the same, and the ever present sense of déjà vu hanging in the air.
However, this is not to say that the compositions do not also reflect the positive aspects, and the feeling that all this will end and life will return, however slowly, to some degree of normality. 'Day Of Rest' builds up to this. Rest while you can as this delightful piece builds through its strong pulse and bassline to look to better day ahead. This device is used again on the exceptional 'Cascade' where the bassist provides a foundation for the piano lines to fall like water from Ellis' fingers, all held down by rock solid and emapthetic drumming from Osmianski. And it is this trait that is present throughout that makes the recording so special. A tight knit unit, both bassist and drummer have been a constant throughout Joy's albums, that allows the music to flow. I'm sure in the process of rehearsing and recording the material that the music has taken turns and followed paths that neither the compose or the musicians imagined at the outset.
It is this thrill of discovery in the music that perhaps more than anything shows how far Ellis has travelled musically over the last five years or so; and what an exciting journey there promises to be ahead. Whether Joy makes a return to her role as vocalist or decides to focus on her instrumental prowess; this is a major statement in her development and one that should be widely appreciated.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
