THE CASIMIR CONNECTION - Cause And Effect
Ciconia Records 1910CD
Diane McLoughlin (saxophones, piano); Pawel Grudzień (piano, violin); Kit Massey (violin); Tim Fairhill (double bass)
If this had been the last review I had written in 2019 as opposed to the first in 2020 then Cause And Effect would certainly have been in my top ten albums of the year. A stunning album that deserves to be widely heard, and lauded not just for the outstanding playing of all concerned, but also the beautiful compositions by Diane McLoughlin that mark this album out as something very special indeed.
McLouglin is noted as leader of the seventeen piece Giant Steppes ensemble, but my encounters with her exceptional saxophone playing have come courtesy of the Alison Rayner's ARQ, in which the saxophonist has been a longstanding member and contributed to the group's sonic identity as well as with her solos. The Casimir Connection though reveals a very different aspect of McLoughlin's musical personality. The groups name is in reference to the Casimir effect, a mysterious force in quantum physics that draws elements together, and this is very much what the saxophonist does with her compositions on Cause And Effect, and does so very cleverly.
Drawing influences from both the classical and jazz traditions, McLoughlin has successfully managed to balance composition and improvisation with masterful arrangements that allow the music to flow. Nothing is over arranged and yet by equal measures improvisation is not allowed to dominate either. Simply put it is the music that occupies the space, often defining a mood or memories that permit the listener to get lost in the music. This feeling of contentment and stillness is beautifully captured on the wonderfully serene 'Contemplation', and also 'Lost In Colour' inspired by the paintings by David Hockney.
Within the scope and concept of the music, McLoughlin also traverses not just the familiar, but also delves into secrets unearthed within her family history with 'The Secret Irishman', and 'A Day In A Polish Village' in tribute to her mother who was a casualty of war and the physical and mental damage that can be inflicted by such conflicts.This East European connection is also explored further in 'Nadya', and dedicated to Nadya Karadjova who sparked a love in the saxophonist for Bulgarian folk music. McLoughlin also explores her own roots and heritage with 'Up On The Moors' that takes a musical foray across the Yorkshire moors, eliciting a sense of wonder in the beauty that can be found in a bleak and inhospitable landscape. In doing so she expands the tonal palette of the ensemble incorporating dissonance and turbulence within the music.
For the majority of the music presented Diane has written for soprano saxophone. The straight horn occupies a similar range to the violin which she also writes so well for, and permits a delicious tension between strings and reed that can work together in unison or playing counter melodies against each other. However, once again wishing to mix things up and ensure that nothing ever becomes too settled, she brings out the alto for 'The Storm Inside' conjuring up a whirlwind that blows as wild as violin and arco double bass in a mesmerising performance.
What is so enthralling about this set is how the saxophonist has brought together so many seemingly disparate ideas and feelings and melded them together in a music that sounds completely natural, and after all is that not how it should be? This is music that should be listened to and enjoyed, lost in the moment, and one should not try and unravel the music into its component parts but accept that this is how it should be irrespective of genre or geographical location. In summary, an album that transcends boundaries and preconceptions, and as such an essential purchase for 2020.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Ciconia Records 1910CD
Diane McLoughlin (saxophones, piano); Pawel Grudzień (piano, violin); Kit Massey (violin); Tim Fairhill (double bass)
If this had been the last review I had written in 2019 as opposed to the first in 2020 then Cause And Effect would certainly have been in my top ten albums of the year. A stunning album that deserves to be widely heard, and lauded not just for the outstanding playing of all concerned, but also the beautiful compositions by Diane McLoughlin that mark this album out as something very special indeed.
McLouglin is noted as leader of the seventeen piece Giant Steppes ensemble, but my encounters with her exceptional saxophone playing have come courtesy of the Alison Rayner's ARQ, in which the saxophonist has been a longstanding member and contributed to the group's sonic identity as well as with her solos. The Casimir Connection though reveals a very different aspect of McLoughlin's musical personality. The groups name is in reference to the Casimir effect, a mysterious force in quantum physics that draws elements together, and this is very much what the saxophonist does with her compositions on Cause And Effect, and does so very cleverly.
Drawing influences from both the classical and jazz traditions, McLoughlin has successfully managed to balance composition and improvisation with masterful arrangements that allow the music to flow. Nothing is over arranged and yet by equal measures improvisation is not allowed to dominate either. Simply put it is the music that occupies the space, often defining a mood or memories that permit the listener to get lost in the music. This feeling of contentment and stillness is beautifully captured on the wonderfully serene 'Contemplation', and also 'Lost In Colour' inspired by the paintings by David Hockney.
Within the scope and concept of the music, McLoughlin also traverses not just the familiar, but also delves into secrets unearthed within her family history with 'The Secret Irishman', and 'A Day In A Polish Village' in tribute to her mother who was a casualty of war and the physical and mental damage that can be inflicted by such conflicts.This East European connection is also explored further in 'Nadya', and dedicated to Nadya Karadjova who sparked a love in the saxophonist for Bulgarian folk music. McLoughlin also explores her own roots and heritage with 'Up On The Moors' that takes a musical foray across the Yorkshire moors, eliciting a sense of wonder in the beauty that can be found in a bleak and inhospitable landscape. In doing so she expands the tonal palette of the ensemble incorporating dissonance and turbulence within the music.
For the majority of the music presented Diane has written for soprano saxophone. The straight horn occupies a similar range to the violin which she also writes so well for, and permits a delicious tension between strings and reed that can work together in unison or playing counter melodies against each other. However, once again wishing to mix things up and ensure that nothing ever becomes too settled, she brings out the alto for 'The Storm Inside' conjuring up a whirlwind that blows as wild as violin and arco double bass in a mesmerising performance.
What is so enthralling about this set is how the saxophonist has brought together so many seemingly disparate ideas and feelings and melded them together in a music that sounds completely natural, and after all is that not how it should be? This is music that should be listened to and enjoyed, lost in the moment, and one should not try and unravel the music into its component parts but accept that this is how it should be irrespective of genre or geographical location. In summary, an album that transcends boundaries and preconceptions, and as such an essential purchase for 2020.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
