LEO RICHARDSON - The Chase
Ubuntu Music UBU0005
Leo Richardson - tenor sax; Rick Simpson - piano; Mark Lewandowski - bass; Ed Richardson - drums
The album cover features a besuited Richardson, a duskily lit shot of the quartet playing at Ronnie’s and a fulsome eulogy from Jean Toussaint by way of liner notes, coupled with a quote from John Coltrane - “You’ve got to look back at old things and see them in a new light”. All of which serves to introduce Richardson as a player who operates firmly within the jazz tradition. Leo’s dad is bassist Jim Richardson, a stalwart of the UK scene; recordings of Jim’s work backing Chet Baker as part of the John Horler trio recently resurfaced on Ubuntu music to universal acclaim. Richardson senior has accumulated a diverse musical biography since the 1970s, including spells with Keith Tippet and funksters Morrissey-Mullen, but on this recording his son’s musical frame of reference is set squarely in the decades before his dad's career had even begun. ‘The Curve’ is a classic Blue Note latin boogie, like an out-take from ‘The Sidewinder’, with the quartet augmented by ace trumpeter Quentin Collins to underline the comparison - ‘Blues For Joe’ is a Silver-esque exploration of the form, ‘Demon E’ is a gospel-tinged minor-key shuffle of the kind that Bobby Timmons used to supply for Art Blakey, and ‘Silver Lining’ completes the set with a boppish head over rhythm changes of the type beloved by the title’s namesake. Uptempo burner ‘The Chase’ and the modal flavoured ‘Mambo’ move things forward into the era of Joe Henderson and the more self-consciously spiritually charged, harmonically adventurous sound of post-Coltane jazz, and the UK’s greatest Trane disciple Alan Skidmore is on hand to lend his undimming commitment and urgency to the closing 10-minute ‘Mr Skid’, complete with thunderous Elvin groove, crashing left-hand chording from Simpson and starkly portentous minor blues theme.
To plough such a well-established furrow and still bring forth a fruitful musical harvest takes a high level of skill and a genuine deep understanding of the music, and fortunately Richardson and his cohort are amply equipped with both. ‘Blues For Joe’ sets out the stall; Lewandowski rises effortlessly to the challenge of keeping the momentum going with an opening bass solo on such an uptempo tune, and the groove he sets up with drummer Ed Richardson is swinging, supple, responsive and strong. Leo’s solo is storming; a powerful, rounded, projecting sound and an immaculately swinging groove recalling such mighty classic-era tenor giants as Rollins and Gordon, with incorporations from the later harmonic explorations of the school of Joe Henderson. The band play up magnificently under Simpson’s equally assured piano solo. ‘Elisha’s Song’ is the sole ballad and allows Richardson to demonstrate both his compositional skill and his control, melodicism and beautifully velvety tone, but elsewhere the dominant mood is one of confident, muscular extroversion. The band sound terrific - it’s really impossible to single out any one of them as man of the match, so balanced is their collective musicality - and the focus and strength of Richardson’s compositions elevate proceedings above the status of the stereotypical quartet blowing session. One is tempted to make comparisons with another great UK tenorist, Tubby Hayes, equally renowned for his technical skill, big, brawny tone and thorough assimilation of the US post-bop language. If Hayes leaves the impression that he never quite seemed to live up to his promise, as though his technical facility outstripped his capacity for a profound artistic vision, Richardson’s good taste, poise and soul make this a thoroughly enjoyable outing that should be even more satisfying when appreciated in a live setting.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Ubuntu Music UBU0005
Leo Richardson - tenor sax; Rick Simpson - piano; Mark Lewandowski - bass; Ed Richardson - drums
The album cover features a besuited Richardson, a duskily lit shot of the quartet playing at Ronnie’s and a fulsome eulogy from Jean Toussaint by way of liner notes, coupled with a quote from John Coltrane - “You’ve got to look back at old things and see them in a new light”. All of which serves to introduce Richardson as a player who operates firmly within the jazz tradition. Leo’s dad is bassist Jim Richardson, a stalwart of the UK scene; recordings of Jim’s work backing Chet Baker as part of the John Horler trio recently resurfaced on Ubuntu music to universal acclaim. Richardson senior has accumulated a diverse musical biography since the 1970s, including spells with Keith Tippet and funksters Morrissey-Mullen, but on this recording his son’s musical frame of reference is set squarely in the decades before his dad's career had even begun. ‘The Curve’ is a classic Blue Note latin boogie, like an out-take from ‘The Sidewinder’, with the quartet augmented by ace trumpeter Quentin Collins to underline the comparison - ‘Blues For Joe’ is a Silver-esque exploration of the form, ‘Demon E’ is a gospel-tinged minor-key shuffle of the kind that Bobby Timmons used to supply for Art Blakey, and ‘Silver Lining’ completes the set with a boppish head over rhythm changes of the type beloved by the title’s namesake. Uptempo burner ‘The Chase’ and the modal flavoured ‘Mambo’ move things forward into the era of Joe Henderson and the more self-consciously spiritually charged, harmonically adventurous sound of post-Coltane jazz, and the UK’s greatest Trane disciple Alan Skidmore is on hand to lend his undimming commitment and urgency to the closing 10-minute ‘Mr Skid’, complete with thunderous Elvin groove, crashing left-hand chording from Simpson and starkly portentous minor blues theme.
To plough such a well-established furrow and still bring forth a fruitful musical harvest takes a high level of skill and a genuine deep understanding of the music, and fortunately Richardson and his cohort are amply equipped with both. ‘Blues For Joe’ sets out the stall; Lewandowski rises effortlessly to the challenge of keeping the momentum going with an opening bass solo on such an uptempo tune, and the groove he sets up with drummer Ed Richardson is swinging, supple, responsive and strong. Leo’s solo is storming; a powerful, rounded, projecting sound and an immaculately swinging groove recalling such mighty classic-era tenor giants as Rollins and Gordon, with incorporations from the later harmonic explorations of the school of Joe Henderson. The band play up magnificently under Simpson’s equally assured piano solo. ‘Elisha’s Song’ is the sole ballad and allows Richardson to demonstrate both his compositional skill and his control, melodicism and beautifully velvety tone, but elsewhere the dominant mood is one of confident, muscular extroversion. The band sound terrific - it’s really impossible to single out any one of them as man of the match, so balanced is their collective musicality - and the focus and strength of Richardson’s compositions elevate proceedings above the status of the stereotypical quartet blowing session. One is tempted to make comparisons with another great UK tenorist, Tubby Hayes, equally renowned for his technical skill, big, brawny tone and thorough assimilation of the US post-bop language. If Hayes leaves the impression that he never quite seemed to live up to his promise, as though his technical facility outstripped his capacity for a profound artistic vision, Richardson’s good taste, poise and soul make this a thoroughly enjoyable outing that should be even more satisfying when appreciated in a live setting.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
