PATRICK NAYLOR - Winter Dream
Available from Bandcamp
Patrick Naylor - guitar; David Beebee - piano; Mila Fell- drums; Jakub Cywinski - duble bass; Julian Costello ( tracks 2 and 6) - soprano sax.
Patrick Naylor is a musician who has received praise from several quarters including Jazzwise, The Evening Standard, All About Jazz and The Daily Telegraph. He has made 4 albums of original compositions in addition to appearing on numerous
CDs by Julian Costello, David Beebee and Viper’s Dream. His compositions have been used for TV programmes, adverts and films. His new release is 'Winter Dream' alongside David Beebee (Gareth Lockrane, Julian Costello) on piano, Mila Fell ( Tim Whitehead , Tony Woods, Mark Murphy's, The Cinematic Orchestra), on drums , Ian East (Balkanatics, Gong, The Steve Hillage Band, Reem Kelani, Dame Evelyn Glennie) on sax and Jakub Cywinski ( Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra) on double bass
with Julian Costello (Julian Costello Quartet) on soprano sax ( tracks 2,6).
Naylor's previous release ' Days of Blue' proved a success, with many positive reviews and an inclusion in The Daily Telegraph’s Best Albums of 2015. 'Winter Dream' was recorded in 2 day sessions shortly before the pandemic at Beeboss Studios.
It features 8 new compositions by Naylor and 1 by Beebee.
'Where are my Glasses?' is, according to Naylor, based around the perennial cry of annoyance at losing one's spectacles and the shifting bars of 3 and 5 make for a suitably irksome time shifting, aptly summing up the frustration felt when searching for lost items. The bass solo from Cywinski relinquishes to a superb solo from Naylor and an extended sax solo which is well developed and has a charm of its own. 'Satori' is dedicated to the memory of Naylor's guitar student Satori Hama. He was writing this when he discovered a bench in her memory in Highgate Woods. Satori means awakening or enlightenment and the track features a lovely off-set rhythmic pattern , with soprano sax from Julian Costello, creating incredibly melodic interludes both lifting and feather-light in touch. The piano lines run gently through the track and lifts into solo sections like an energy rising and falling away but it is the soprano sax which steals this number, the energy and delicacy of the lines working wonders over the steadfast support.
'Winter Dream' is a jazz ballad built with great sax lines from East and right the way through, this gentle, melodic narrative is unchallenging and relaxing, whilst 'Do I Know You?' has a mysterious feel as the atmosphere is built around a set phrase which runs through the track , overlaid with riffs and motifs of sound to create a multi-layered sound. There is a well-developed and worthy guitar solo and an intriguing and beautifully paced drum solo over the top of the guitar. ' Almost Through' is gentle, waltzy and features a great guitar-led section from Naylor.
'Tory Drug Off' is a musical depiction of the bizarre spectacle of Tory leadership candidates vying to outdo each other in admitting to drug taking in 2019. It features a rocky A section, while the polyrhythmic middle section is influenced by Hermeto Pascoal. The whole track is at odds with itself , which probably is explained by the inspiration. The changes in rhythm and the wonderful guitar solo which arises out of the tightly textured musical background make this engaging and the soprano sax of Costello adds more wonder to the track. There is an Eastern influence throughout the number too, with intervalled phrases, particularly in the sax parts, said sax rising to impressive levels towards the final third. A beautiful track.
'Winter Space' is a free improvisation track with guitar and keyboards mixed with live loops. This is a creative, spacey, atmospheric number, the instruments working well to create a reflective and gentle piece. This is followed by 'B for Blues' which is composed by Beebee. A track with overtones of the golden age of jazz - big solos from sax, drums, piano and guitar . This is a wonderful and beautifully evolving track, the layers and changes added as it develops. The rhythmic changes are well placed and add variety and changes to the pace. 'Rugby Street' has a gorgeous bass solo at the beginning and the sax line, when it joins, rises beautifully and adds depth and textural variation. The guitar floats in across the top, adding a further layer whilst the piano, which joins as a rhythm support earlier, not emerges to produce its own melodic part. The sax sings out the prevailing motif and the ensemble take the track to the finish.
A great album and an engaging listen.
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
Available from Bandcamp
Patrick Naylor - guitar; David Beebee - piano; Mila Fell- drums; Jakub Cywinski - duble bass; Julian Costello ( tracks 2 and 6) - soprano sax.
Patrick Naylor is a musician who has received praise from several quarters including Jazzwise, The Evening Standard, All About Jazz and The Daily Telegraph. He has made 4 albums of original compositions in addition to appearing on numerous
CDs by Julian Costello, David Beebee and Viper’s Dream. His compositions have been used for TV programmes, adverts and films. His new release is 'Winter Dream' alongside David Beebee (Gareth Lockrane, Julian Costello) on piano, Mila Fell ( Tim Whitehead , Tony Woods, Mark Murphy's, The Cinematic Orchestra), on drums , Ian East (Balkanatics, Gong, The Steve Hillage Band, Reem Kelani, Dame Evelyn Glennie) on sax and Jakub Cywinski ( Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra) on double bass
with Julian Costello (Julian Costello Quartet) on soprano sax ( tracks 2,6).
Naylor's previous release ' Days of Blue' proved a success, with many positive reviews and an inclusion in The Daily Telegraph’s Best Albums of 2015. 'Winter Dream' was recorded in 2 day sessions shortly before the pandemic at Beeboss Studios.
It features 8 new compositions by Naylor and 1 by Beebee.
'Where are my Glasses?' is, according to Naylor, based around the perennial cry of annoyance at losing one's spectacles and the shifting bars of 3 and 5 make for a suitably irksome time shifting, aptly summing up the frustration felt when searching for lost items. The bass solo from Cywinski relinquishes to a superb solo from Naylor and an extended sax solo which is well developed and has a charm of its own. 'Satori' is dedicated to the memory of Naylor's guitar student Satori Hama. He was writing this when he discovered a bench in her memory in Highgate Woods. Satori means awakening or enlightenment and the track features a lovely off-set rhythmic pattern , with soprano sax from Julian Costello, creating incredibly melodic interludes both lifting and feather-light in touch. The piano lines run gently through the track and lifts into solo sections like an energy rising and falling away but it is the soprano sax which steals this number, the energy and delicacy of the lines working wonders over the steadfast support.
'Winter Dream' is a jazz ballad built with great sax lines from East and right the way through, this gentle, melodic narrative is unchallenging and relaxing, whilst 'Do I Know You?' has a mysterious feel as the atmosphere is built around a set phrase which runs through the track , overlaid with riffs and motifs of sound to create a multi-layered sound. There is a well-developed and worthy guitar solo and an intriguing and beautifully paced drum solo over the top of the guitar. ' Almost Through' is gentle, waltzy and features a great guitar-led section from Naylor.
'Tory Drug Off' is a musical depiction of the bizarre spectacle of Tory leadership candidates vying to outdo each other in admitting to drug taking in 2019. It features a rocky A section, while the polyrhythmic middle section is influenced by Hermeto Pascoal. The whole track is at odds with itself , which probably is explained by the inspiration. The changes in rhythm and the wonderful guitar solo which arises out of the tightly textured musical background make this engaging and the soprano sax of Costello adds more wonder to the track. There is an Eastern influence throughout the number too, with intervalled phrases, particularly in the sax parts, said sax rising to impressive levels towards the final third. A beautiful track.
'Winter Space' is a free improvisation track with guitar and keyboards mixed with live loops. This is a creative, spacey, atmospheric number, the instruments working well to create a reflective and gentle piece. This is followed by 'B for Blues' which is composed by Beebee. A track with overtones of the golden age of jazz - big solos from sax, drums, piano and guitar . This is a wonderful and beautifully evolving track, the layers and changes added as it develops. The rhythmic changes are well placed and add variety and changes to the pace. 'Rugby Street' has a gorgeous bass solo at the beginning and the sax line, when it joins, rises beautifully and adds depth and textural variation. The guitar floats in across the top, adding a further layer whilst the piano, which joins as a rhythm support earlier, not emerges to produce its own melodic part. The sax sings out the prevailing motif and the ensemble take the track to the finish.
A great album and an engaging listen.
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
