MARK ROSE - Leading Us A Merry Dance
Double bassist, Mark Rose, has been a constant presence on the UK jazz seen for the last two decades but somehow our paths have never crossed. That is until a copy of his debut album with his new quartet arrived for review.
The album, A Merry Dance, was an instant hit and one that has has constantly returned to my CD player for another listen since initially reviewing the album in our March review pages. It was therefore a real pleasure to be able to talk to Mark about the album, his quartet and the other projects finds himself working on.
"I've always liked titles with double entendre and maybe a slight ambiguity", Mark says of A Merry Dance. "Whilst having an eye out for a relevant album title last year, it was a phrase in reference to the country being led on a Merry Dance in relation to what I feel is the tragedy of Brexit that resonated with me. Also being the title of many beginner pieces for children, A Merry Dance seemed fitting somehow."
Quite rightly so, the bassist is justifiably proud of the album, and the range and scope of the compositions. as he explains "The music covers about 10 years of influences and many of the compositions have been played in various line-ups and have evolved into these versions as a result. Others are more spontaneous, none more so than the opening tittle track which was I scribbled down and presented to the band on the morning of the recording session! It was originally a guitar study I wrote based, coincidently, on a Mike Outram online chord voicing lesson (inversions of the Dominant 7 #11 chord for those into that sort of thing) on his Electric Campfire site. I am a studious guitar player too and Mike's website is a fantastic resource. The study piece easily translated into the version here after a flash of inspiration as I was setting up the mics! Until that moment I had a sense there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Now it's one of my favourites and we'll open it out during gigs.
"We also have a couple of covers on the album. The two arrangements, 'Bamba' and Handel's 'Hornpipe' have been gigged a lot in various line-ups. It's been nice to open sets with each of them as they have such beautifully simple harmony and melody and get everyone into a less-is-more improvisation frame of mind. Seckou Keita's 'Bamba' stopped me in my tracks when I heard him and Catrin Finch perform it at Union Chapel a few years back. I instantly transcribed the melody and Seckou's brilliant bass lines. The Handel is much more disguised with the tempo and bar lengths altered to shift the focus. There is so much music to mine and draw from, especially when you come at a piece from a new angle. It's limitless really."
The album, A Merry Dance, was an instant hit and one that has has constantly returned to my CD player for another listen since initially reviewing the album in our March review pages. It was therefore a real pleasure to be able to talk to Mark about the album, his quartet and the other projects finds himself working on.
"I've always liked titles with double entendre and maybe a slight ambiguity", Mark says of A Merry Dance. "Whilst having an eye out for a relevant album title last year, it was a phrase in reference to the country being led on a Merry Dance in relation to what I feel is the tragedy of Brexit that resonated with me. Also being the title of many beginner pieces for children, A Merry Dance seemed fitting somehow."
Quite rightly so, the bassist is justifiably proud of the album, and the range and scope of the compositions. as he explains "The music covers about 10 years of influences and many of the compositions have been played in various line-ups and have evolved into these versions as a result. Others are more spontaneous, none more so than the opening tittle track which was I scribbled down and presented to the band on the morning of the recording session! It was originally a guitar study I wrote based, coincidently, on a Mike Outram online chord voicing lesson (inversions of the Dominant 7 #11 chord for those into that sort of thing) on his Electric Campfire site. I am a studious guitar player too and Mike's website is a fantastic resource. The study piece easily translated into the version here after a flash of inspiration as I was setting up the mics! Until that moment I had a sense there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Now it's one of my favourites and we'll open it out during gigs.
"We also have a couple of covers on the album. The two arrangements, 'Bamba' and Handel's 'Hornpipe' have been gigged a lot in various line-ups. It's been nice to open sets with each of them as they have such beautifully simple harmony and melody and get everyone into a less-is-more improvisation frame of mind. Seckou Keita's 'Bamba' stopped me in my tracks when I heard him and Catrin Finch perform it at Union Chapel a few years back. I instantly transcribed the melody and Seckou's brilliant bass lines. The Handel is much more disguised with the tempo and bar lengths altered to shift the focus. There is so much music to mine and draw from, especially when you come at a piece from a new angle. It's limitless really."
One of the joys of A Merry Dance is the overall group sound. Each musician brings their own personality to the table, and the result is greater than the sum of its parts with the four musicians bringing the compositions to life. I was therefore a little surprised when Mark says that "As for this Quartet, we've played just 3 or 4 times collectively playing these and other arrangements. Some of the older pieces have had life in other groups with Chris Nickolls, Vasilis Xenopoulos, Pete Billington, Graeme Flowers and Tommy Emmerton. I've always had new charts on the go ready to bring along when the occasion calls for it, but for me the opportunity doesn't happen often. I guess this album was a chance to bring together what I thought were my most representative and coherent compositions reflecting what I've been into musically over the years."
So how did the band meet and come together? "Mike Outram was one of the first totally knock-out musician's I met in London when I went for 3 or 4 guitar lessons with him courtesy of The London College of Music where I studied music in 1999/2000. Why I didn't attend more of his brilliant lessons I don't know. I certainly needed them! I took up the double bass around the same time having drifted between Classical guitar, Composition and Music Tech departments. I'm always grateful and humble that I get to play with Mike fairly regularly these days. He always inspires.
Tom Law is a massively accomplished saxophone player in Classical and Jazz, and it's through the many Jazz function gigs that we have played together that I've got to know him. Tom's musicality is eminence and he can move through the gears effortlessly and really push and stretch the music when he wants to. I thought, if he plays like that on a polite function then imagine where he can go! Drummer, Andy Ball has been the most recent addition to the group as we have come to play together at a brilliant monthly Ealing jazz night over the last two years. Andy is definitely what people call a musical drummer and his touch, sound and time is up there with the best to my ears. Andy's contribution and the sounds he brought along through an assortment of mallets, brushes, mutes and shakers really helped me find a coherent sound and thread through the fairly contrasting tracks on the album."
So how did the band meet and come together? "Mike Outram was one of the first totally knock-out musician's I met in London when I went for 3 or 4 guitar lessons with him courtesy of The London College of Music where I studied music in 1999/2000. Why I didn't attend more of his brilliant lessons I don't know. I certainly needed them! I took up the double bass around the same time having drifted between Classical guitar, Composition and Music Tech departments. I'm always grateful and humble that I get to play with Mike fairly regularly these days. He always inspires.
Tom Law is a massively accomplished saxophone player in Classical and Jazz, and it's through the many Jazz function gigs that we have played together that I've got to know him. Tom's musicality is eminence and he can move through the gears effortlessly and really push and stretch the music when he wants to. I thought, if he plays like that on a polite function then imagine where he can go! Drummer, Andy Ball has been the most recent addition to the group as we have come to play together at a brilliant monthly Ealing jazz night over the last two years. Andy is definitely what people call a musical drummer and his touch, sound and time is up there with the best to my ears. Andy's contribution and the sounds he brought along through an assortment of mallets, brushes, mutes and shakers really helped me find a coherent sound and thread through the fairly contrasting tracks on the album."
Click on the album cover to read our review
Pondering on his own role within the quartet, and in discussing his own influences Mark says candidly "I can worry sometimes that I'm not a very bass-player-focused bass player. I work hard at it all the time and never stop seeking out records and new music but I admit my knowledge of the Jazz greats is not up to par. Having said that, my first jazz album was a bargain-bin discovery compilation of Charles Mingus, the type made up of often lo-fi out-takes that presumably get sold off cheap. I loved it and still treasure it. Reading the vast track listing now I see I was unwittingly absorbing many of the Standards I play today, although still in awe of Mingus's wild flair and virtuosity. Having not been exposed to Jazz much until I came to London I have always felt as much influenced by the bassists I've seen in the flesh. The London scene has too many to mention and it's amazing, terrifying and inspiring in equal measure. Playing-wise and compositionally, I love bassists John Patitucci and Avishai Cohen as I'm sure many musicians do too. Being lucky enough to make music, of some form or another, each day means influences comes from many places."
As welll as his own quartet, Mark also keeps busy playing and working with other groups. "Recently I've stood in on a couple of gigs with The Tony Woods Project. That was a bit of a dream come true for me", he enthuses. "I've always been a fan and it was a pleasure and an education learning his wonderful compositions and playing with the group. I work regularly at the moment with the London Dance Orchestra on a couple of residencies playing a great set of classic dance era Swing tunes and new arrangements, all for dancers that keep us on our toes. It's always a really swinging band and it keeps me in check as an ever-aspiring swingin' bass player.
Until his recent sad, sudden death, I was playing and recording with Geoff Castle's trio and hopefully the album we have just finished with the brilliant Emiliano Caroselli, will be released soon. Geoff was always very supportive and kind to me when I was staring out and I always had to be on top of my game to play in his group.
A very limited few will know about my electronic band Toy Rokit with Bill Mudge and Chris Nickolls which is still a musical project I return to regularly in various forms. Nothing is written down or pre-planned and we improvise the whole thing. It's all in the editing really. There is new stuff sat on the computer ready to go soon. I run a small project studio and it's a chance to use electric bass and pretty much all the gear and gadgets at the same time. The home studio of mine 'Rokit Studios', that I recorded and mixed the album in, is increasing the focus of my time. It's always growing and improving and it's beginning to attract various recording sessions which are always great to be part of. Those Music Tech courses came in handy after all!"
As welll as his own quartet, Mark also keeps busy playing and working with other groups. "Recently I've stood in on a couple of gigs with The Tony Woods Project. That was a bit of a dream come true for me", he enthuses. "I've always been a fan and it was a pleasure and an education learning his wonderful compositions and playing with the group. I work regularly at the moment with the London Dance Orchestra on a couple of residencies playing a great set of classic dance era Swing tunes and new arrangements, all for dancers that keep us on our toes. It's always a really swinging band and it keeps me in check as an ever-aspiring swingin' bass player.
Until his recent sad, sudden death, I was playing and recording with Geoff Castle's trio and hopefully the album we have just finished with the brilliant Emiliano Caroselli, will be released soon. Geoff was always very supportive and kind to me when I was staring out and I always had to be on top of my game to play in his group.
A very limited few will know about my electronic band Toy Rokit with Bill Mudge and Chris Nickolls which is still a musical project I return to regularly in various forms. Nothing is written down or pre-planned and we improvise the whole thing. It's all in the editing really. There is new stuff sat on the computer ready to go soon. I run a small project studio and it's a chance to use electric bass and pretty much all the gear and gadgets at the same time. The home studio of mine 'Rokit Studios', that I recorded and mixed the album in, is increasing the focus of my time. It's always growing and improving and it's beginning to attract various recording sessions which are always great to be part of. Those Music Tech courses came in handy after all!"
For more information, and to purchase A Merry Dance by Mark Rose Quartet
visit Mark's bandcamp page.
visit Mark's bandcamp page.
