SNORRE KIRK QUARTET WITH STEPHEN RILEY - Going Up
Stunt Records: STUCD 21032
Stephen Riley (tenor sax) Jan Harbeck (tenor sax) Magnus Hjorth (piano) Anders Fjeldsted (double bass) Snorre Kirk (drums) Recorded by Henrik Holst Hansen in Copenhagen, March 2020
Snorre Kirk is a Norwegian drummer who as a group leader is the custodian and purveyor of the light, swing to bop, Basie inflected jazz that preceded modalism and the absorption of rock influences. The set he offers here is unashamedly retro but consisting entirely of original compositions modelled on mid to up tempo blues riffs with a calypso type tune and a piece entitled `Blues Arabesque` that is a near relation to `Caravan`, just to ring the changes. None exceed six minutes and are delivered with a purposeful concision that says everything necessary but is so perfectly executed that it leaves you wanting more.
Kirk is a straight ahead drummer who eschews polyrhythms for a crisp, uncluttered percussive momentum in precision linked sync with a buoyant, propulsive bass line, providing an ideal foundation for his soloists. Principal amongst these is American tenorist Stephen Riley, who like countless saxophonists who have drawn inspiration from Lester Young plays with a light vibrato avoiding showy histrionics preferring to craft well thought out solos of melodic substance. Another sax player is listed amongst the personnel but it isn’t made clear in the notes on which tracks he actually appears. I detect a tonal difference, a more contemporary sound, on the calypso tune and the solo ululation that prefaces `Blues Arabesque` but the rest sounds like the work of Riley who is given billing on the cover and in the notes as the star soloist.
All in all, this a delightful set of music played with precision and panache by all concerned and we may offer thanks to whatever gods may be that there are still musicians around who are sufficiently interested and competent to play this style of jazz and maintain it as a living tradition.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Stunt Records: STUCD 21032
Stephen Riley (tenor sax) Jan Harbeck (tenor sax) Magnus Hjorth (piano) Anders Fjeldsted (double bass) Snorre Kirk (drums) Recorded by Henrik Holst Hansen in Copenhagen, March 2020
Snorre Kirk is a Norwegian drummer who as a group leader is the custodian and purveyor of the light, swing to bop, Basie inflected jazz that preceded modalism and the absorption of rock influences. The set he offers here is unashamedly retro but consisting entirely of original compositions modelled on mid to up tempo blues riffs with a calypso type tune and a piece entitled `Blues Arabesque` that is a near relation to `Caravan`, just to ring the changes. None exceed six minutes and are delivered with a purposeful concision that says everything necessary but is so perfectly executed that it leaves you wanting more.
Kirk is a straight ahead drummer who eschews polyrhythms for a crisp, uncluttered percussive momentum in precision linked sync with a buoyant, propulsive bass line, providing an ideal foundation for his soloists. Principal amongst these is American tenorist Stephen Riley, who like countless saxophonists who have drawn inspiration from Lester Young plays with a light vibrato avoiding showy histrionics preferring to craft well thought out solos of melodic substance. Another sax player is listed amongst the personnel but it isn’t made clear in the notes on which tracks he actually appears. I detect a tonal difference, a more contemporary sound, on the calypso tune and the solo ululation that prefaces `Blues Arabesque` but the rest sounds like the work of Riley who is given billing on the cover and in the notes as the star soloist.
All in all, this a delightful set of music played with precision and panache by all concerned and we may offer thanks to whatever gods may be that there are still musicians around who are sufficiently interested and competent to play this style of jazz and maintain it as a living tradition.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
