LINLEY HAMILTON QUINTET - For The Record
Teddy D Records TDCD0002
Linley Hamilton (tp); Derek O’Connor (ts); Cian Boylan (p/o); Mark Egan (bs); Adam Nussbaum (dr)
Recorded May 2019; Engineered by Conor Brady
Recorded in May 2019 over a period of one week, this album represents a lifelong ambition of Linley Hamilton's to work with two of his all-time musical heroes, Adam Nussbaum and Mark Egan, along with his two best friends, Derek O’Connor and Cian Boylan.
Consisting almost entirely of original music, apart from the Lennon/McCartney-penned And I Love Her, this album is dedicated to O'Connor's late and much beloved sister, Maureen.
Effortlessly melodic, the stand-out track is Split, with its ‘Linus and Lucy’-esque piano figure setting the scene and Boylan’s understated Hammond backing while Hamilton’s solo floats and soars, gathering momentum.
Tinkling bluesy piano announces the track Sure Would Baby, which sounds as though it could have an alternate title such as ‘Tomcat Strut’ and also features Hammond as well as piano from Boylan. Once more, the trumpet takes the track’s atmosphere to a heightened level, before dropping back to cool bell-like piano tones on the blues scale.
Egan’s clear and fluid bass serves as a funky fanfare for Seesaw, a groove-inflected number with unison horns playing the main theme, before giving way to an easy melodic trumpet solo, tasteful and light but shaded with substance and depth.
It is obvious this band have much mutual respect as well as, in some cases, a lifelong friendship as this album exudes warmth and joie de vivre – the horns, whether Hamilton and O'Connor are playing in unison or harmony, sound as one instrument while retaining and asserting their individuality during solos. Egan and Nussbaum are locked into the rhythm at all times, supporting the three Irish friends whilst allowing the music to breathe.
The sleeve notes say it all, ending with the dedication “…to the memory of a wonderful radiance, Maureen”. Buy this album, you will feel the radiance.
Reviewed by Martha Freeman
Teddy D Records TDCD0002
Linley Hamilton (tp); Derek O’Connor (ts); Cian Boylan (p/o); Mark Egan (bs); Adam Nussbaum (dr)
Recorded May 2019; Engineered by Conor Brady
Recorded in May 2019 over a period of one week, this album represents a lifelong ambition of Linley Hamilton's to work with two of his all-time musical heroes, Adam Nussbaum and Mark Egan, along with his two best friends, Derek O’Connor and Cian Boylan.
Consisting almost entirely of original music, apart from the Lennon/McCartney-penned And I Love Her, this album is dedicated to O'Connor's late and much beloved sister, Maureen.
Effortlessly melodic, the stand-out track is Split, with its ‘Linus and Lucy’-esque piano figure setting the scene and Boylan’s understated Hammond backing while Hamilton’s solo floats and soars, gathering momentum.
Tinkling bluesy piano announces the track Sure Would Baby, which sounds as though it could have an alternate title such as ‘Tomcat Strut’ and also features Hammond as well as piano from Boylan. Once more, the trumpet takes the track’s atmosphere to a heightened level, before dropping back to cool bell-like piano tones on the blues scale.
Egan’s clear and fluid bass serves as a funky fanfare for Seesaw, a groove-inflected number with unison horns playing the main theme, before giving way to an easy melodic trumpet solo, tasteful and light but shaded with substance and depth.
It is obvious this band have much mutual respect as well as, in some cases, a lifelong friendship as this album exudes warmth and joie de vivre – the horns, whether Hamilton and O'Connor are playing in unison or harmony, sound as one instrument while retaining and asserting their individuality during solos. Egan and Nussbaum are locked into the rhythm at all times, supporting the three Irish friends whilst allowing the music to breathe.
The sleeve notes say it all, ending with the dedication “…to the memory of a wonderful radiance, Maureen”. Buy this album, you will feel the radiance.
Reviewed by Martha Freeman
