SAMUEL EAGLES' SPIRIT - Ask Seek Knock
Whirlwind WR4709
Samuel Eagles - alto sax; Duncan Eagles - tenor sax; Jean Toussaint - tenor sax; Sam Leak - piano; Ralph Wyld - vibraphone; Dave Hamblett - drums
The prolific Eagles brothers continue to blaze a trail through the UK jazz scene - 2017 has already seen the release of Counteraction from Partikel, the band co-led by Duncan which also features the bassist Max Luthert, and now here’s Samuel’s belated follow-up to his wave-making 2014 debut Next Beginning. Duncan lends a brotherly hand on the frontline, and the two saxes complement each other perfectly in terms of tone, texture and phrasing, as shown to good effect on the euphoric rising coda to ‘Changed, Changing Still’, where there seem to be more than two parts - either through double-tracking or very dextrous multi-playing a la Roland Kirk. The writing shows a wide-ranging set of influences drawn from the area where contemporary jazz shades over into acoustic fusion - ‘Hear His Voice’ has a folk-music tinge to it’s opening modal melody before progressing into darker waters; ‘Hope In The Hills’ and 'Ask, Seek Knock' both have evocative rising pentatonic melodies over piano ostinatos that could fit neatly into a Snarky Puppy’s or Christian Scott setlist, though Eagle’s more intimate approach precludes unnecessary bombast.
The title ‘The Twelve’ suggests a Schoenbergian tribute or a celebration of the Apostles but has a tumbling, straight 8 groove and chiming chords that actually approaches a straight jazz-rock feel. Eagles likes writing long, winding melodic lines over open, tonally resolving harmony, with some neat rhythmic tricks thrown in for good measure, and the results are accessible without being trite, and generate an atmosphere of calmly restrained, gently building euphoria, fitting the track titles which seem to suggest a spiritual quest. Leak and Wyld are sympathetic accompanists and outstanding soloists who never overshadow the leader, and the team of Hamblett and Luthert are unerringly precise and flexible - ‘Dreams And Visions’ starts out in free-rhythm but never loses it’s melodic impulse, and generally Eagles’ priority seems to be to engage the listener rather than confound them. Mentor Jean Toussaint lends a heavyweight jazz presence to the latter tune, his hoarse urgent tone over the 6/8 groove tying things back to the US jazz tradition, but overall this is a poised and melodic work that for all the virtuosity of the playing seldom rises over a certain emotional temperature. But the writing is strong, the band are capable of doing great things with the material, and there’s enough really beautiful playing - check out Sam’s solo on ‘SPIRIT’ - to make this a stand-out UK release from this year.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Whirlwind WR4709
Samuel Eagles - alto sax; Duncan Eagles - tenor sax; Jean Toussaint - tenor sax; Sam Leak - piano; Ralph Wyld - vibraphone; Dave Hamblett - drums
The prolific Eagles brothers continue to blaze a trail through the UK jazz scene - 2017 has already seen the release of Counteraction from Partikel, the band co-led by Duncan which also features the bassist Max Luthert, and now here’s Samuel’s belated follow-up to his wave-making 2014 debut Next Beginning. Duncan lends a brotherly hand on the frontline, and the two saxes complement each other perfectly in terms of tone, texture and phrasing, as shown to good effect on the euphoric rising coda to ‘Changed, Changing Still’, where there seem to be more than two parts - either through double-tracking or very dextrous multi-playing a la Roland Kirk. The writing shows a wide-ranging set of influences drawn from the area where contemporary jazz shades over into acoustic fusion - ‘Hear His Voice’ has a folk-music tinge to it’s opening modal melody before progressing into darker waters; ‘Hope In The Hills’ and 'Ask, Seek Knock' both have evocative rising pentatonic melodies over piano ostinatos that could fit neatly into a Snarky Puppy’s or Christian Scott setlist, though Eagle’s more intimate approach precludes unnecessary bombast.
The title ‘The Twelve’ suggests a Schoenbergian tribute or a celebration of the Apostles but has a tumbling, straight 8 groove and chiming chords that actually approaches a straight jazz-rock feel. Eagles likes writing long, winding melodic lines over open, tonally resolving harmony, with some neat rhythmic tricks thrown in for good measure, and the results are accessible without being trite, and generate an atmosphere of calmly restrained, gently building euphoria, fitting the track titles which seem to suggest a spiritual quest. Leak and Wyld are sympathetic accompanists and outstanding soloists who never overshadow the leader, and the team of Hamblett and Luthert are unerringly precise and flexible - ‘Dreams And Visions’ starts out in free-rhythm but never loses it’s melodic impulse, and generally Eagles’ priority seems to be to engage the listener rather than confound them. Mentor Jean Toussaint lends a heavyweight jazz presence to the latter tune, his hoarse urgent tone over the 6/8 groove tying things back to the US jazz tradition, but overall this is a poised and melodic work that for all the virtuosity of the playing seldom rises over a certain emotional temperature. But the writing is strong, the band are capable of doing great things with the material, and there’s enough really beautiful playing - check out Sam’s solo on ‘SPIRIT’ - to make this a stand-out UK release from this year.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
