TOM GREEN - With A Clear View Of The Skyline
In recent times it seems there is no shortage of young and gifted musicians pouring out of the music education system, and with many courses now available specialising in jazz, that most intuitive of idioms it must seem daunting for the listener and well as the recently graduated ‘musician’ on how a viable living can be made whilst nurturing your art and creativity.
Luckily for us, many such musician’s seem to leave their studies with a built in ‘can-do’ attitude, and it this spirit that gives momentum to a new generation that are quickly having to be more self reliant than ever in securing gigs, tours and commissions.
Once such musician is trombonist, Tom Green, who has recently released his debut album Skyline on the newly formed Spark! Imprint, with his superb Septet and some wonderful original compositions and arrangements.
“The album is a the culmination of a long process of writing, rehearsing, performing, recording, mixing, mastering, production… it feels really great to finally be able to release it!” explains Green “The Septet has been together for just over two years now, and the other members are definitely not ‘hired hands’ – many of them have been firm friends for years, each one has a really incredible unique voice on their instrument and I definitely write for their individual personalities, rather than for a generic line-up. As we go on tour over the next few months I have some new material we’re working on and it continues to develop and grow as we play the tunes on live gigs –the album is just one snapshot along the way, but it felt right to document these tunes at this time.”
A cursory listen to Skyline gives ample proof that the septet is a cohesive unit that has worked on this music diligently in performance, and further listening will reveal a depth in the compositions that stand up to close scrutiny and reveal more with repeated hearings. Out of eight pieces on the album, seven are from the pen of the leader. “Most of the tunes are inspired by the interaction between natural landscapes and light in some way, like ‘Mirage’ and ‘Arctic Sun’, hence why the title Skyline seemed appropriate for the CD”, says Tom. “’Winter Halo’ is a particular type of optical phenomenon that appears when light from the sun or moon is reflected through the atmosphere, which I experienced a couple of years ago. A couple of the tunes, ‘Peace of Mind’ and ‘Sticks and Stones’, were written at times where I was under a lot of pressure with deadlines and commitments, and I turned to composing as a way of getting myself through those periods. I like to think of myself as an optimist and I hope that comes through in the music!”
Luckily for us, many such musician’s seem to leave their studies with a built in ‘can-do’ attitude, and it this spirit that gives momentum to a new generation that are quickly having to be more self reliant than ever in securing gigs, tours and commissions.
Once such musician is trombonist, Tom Green, who has recently released his debut album Skyline on the newly formed Spark! Imprint, with his superb Septet and some wonderful original compositions and arrangements.
“The album is a the culmination of a long process of writing, rehearsing, performing, recording, mixing, mastering, production… it feels really great to finally be able to release it!” explains Green “The Septet has been together for just over two years now, and the other members are definitely not ‘hired hands’ – many of them have been firm friends for years, each one has a really incredible unique voice on their instrument and I definitely write for their individual personalities, rather than for a generic line-up. As we go on tour over the next few months I have some new material we’re working on and it continues to develop and grow as we play the tunes on live gigs –the album is just one snapshot along the way, but it felt right to document these tunes at this time.”
A cursory listen to Skyline gives ample proof that the septet is a cohesive unit that has worked on this music diligently in performance, and further listening will reveal a depth in the compositions that stand up to close scrutiny and reveal more with repeated hearings. Out of eight pieces on the album, seven are from the pen of the leader. “Most of the tunes are inspired by the interaction between natural landscapes and light in some way, like ‘Mirage’ and ‘Arctic Sun’, hence why the title Skyline seemed appropriate for the CD”, says Tom. “’Winter Halo’ is a particular type of optical phenomenon that appears when light from the sun or moon is reflected through the atmosphere, which I experienced a couple of years ago. A couple of the tunes, ‘Peace of Mind’ and ‘Sticks and Stones’, were written at times where I was under a lot of pressure with deadlines and commitments, and I turned to composing as a way of getting myself through those periods. I like to think of myself as an optimist and I hope that comes through in the music!”
One of the many standout aspects of the writing for the Septet is the way in which Green’s orchestration and voicings are used to sound like a much larger outfit, yet also retain the sound of the individual instruments. “I always try and give the tune to each of the front line instruments at various points and there is lots of switching around of the melody between them over all over the tunes on the album, say the trombonist. “Every one of the members of the Septet are amazing band leaders and composers in their own right, so I like to give everyone a time to shine! A very important thing for me is to integrate improvisation into the compositions, to use that as a compositional tool to help tell the story of each tune, rather than it being a ‘necessary’ part of the tune or following any traditional head-solos-head structure. The tunes are often quite structured in terms of the different start and end points of a solo form, but the way the improviser reaches that end point is always up to them. The Septet contains all the core instruments found in a big band, so the range of textures and colours you can get is really exciting, and something I’m definitely still exploring and working on.”
Also impressive is the writing for soprano saxophone. Not merely using the straight horn for colouration within the ensemble, but writing specifically with the range and timbre of the instrument. As Tom explains, “I love the unique sound of the soprano, and using soprano sax instead of alto in some tunes gives it the possibility to become the lead instrument in the four-horn front line, as most of the time writing for alto I use it as an inner voice lower in pitch than the trumpet. It’s quite a brittle and delicate sound but has a very wide range of emotion - the tune ‘Winter Halo’ is a good example which I wrote as a soprano feature – it begins very delicately and softly, but by the middle section of the tune things have built up to a point where I’m requiring the instrument to be played in a much more aggressive way. I like pushing my band members out of their comfort zones when writing for them and hope that it keeps things exciting and fresh!”
Another aspect of keeping the music fresh is the way in which Green allows the music to develop organically without imposing severe restrictions on duration or sticking to a particular mood. This device works especially well in particular on ‘Equilibrium’ that is just under thirteen minutes, but is full of interesting movement. Says Tom, “When I sit down to compose, I like to get the most out of an idea, and that leads to more extended tunes if I feel that the starting material is strong enough. ‘Equilibrium’ started as 8 bars (the initial theme with tenor and trombone), and I investigated the possibilities of modulating it through a lot of different keys, slowing the harmonic movement down and speeding it up again at various points, and really using that 8 bars of material to the fullest extent. I certainly wasn’t planning to sit down and write 13 minutes worth of music! I feel like each piece has to tell a story, and sometimes if it turns out the arc of that story takes a while to unfold, then I’ll end up with a longer tune.”
In amongst the original compositions, is one solitary standard in Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Skylark’. Perhaps an odd choice in a strong set to break the emerging overall shape of the album, but again Tom elaborates “It’s always been one of my favourite standards, with a really interesting harmonic movement especially in the bridge. It has become a bit of a tradition amongst jazz musicians to play it in 7/4. I’ve done quite an in-depth arrangement for the album with some re-harmonisation, but left it recognisable as the standard many people know rather than changing it beyond all recognition. I think it’s important to go back to the roots of what got us into jazz and improvising in the first place, and most us grew up playing standards for years before we started writing original music and forming our own bands.”
It is obvious from Green comments thus far, that composing is an important part of his musical persona, so I ask him how he juggles the two very different disciplines of playing and composing, and if he has a preference? “I see myself very much as 50:50 as a player and composer. I like to think of composing as improvising at glacial speed, with the option to go back and change what you’ve written if you don’t like it! Improvising is an in-the-moment process where you’re continually reacting to other players on the spot, whereas composing is a much more measured process, but they both influence and feed into each other.”
Also impressive is the writing for soprano saxophone. Not merely using the straight horn for colouration within the ensemble, but writing specifically with the range and timbre of the instrument. As Tom explains, “I love the unique sound of the soprano, and using soprano sax instead of alto in some tunes gives it the possibility to become the lead instrument in the four-horn front line, as most of the time writing for alto I use it as an inner voice lower in pitch than the trumpet. It’s quite a brittle and delicate sound but has a very wide range of emotion - the tune ‘Winter Halo’ is a good example which I wrote as a soprano feature – it begins very delicately and softly, but by the middle section of the tune things have built up to a point where I’m requiring the instrument to be played in a much more aggressive way. I like pushing my band members out of their comfort zones when writing for them and hope that it keeps things exciting and fresh!”
Another aspect of keeping the music fresh is the way in which Green allows the music to develop organically without imposing severe restrictions on duration or sticking to a particular mood. This device works especially well in particular on ‘Equilibrium’ that is just under thirteen minutes, but is full of interesting movement. Says Tom, “When I sit down to compose, I like to get the most out of an idea, and that leads to more extended tunes if I feel that the starting material is strong enough. ‘Equilibrium’ started as 8 bars (the initial theme with tenor and trombone), and I investigated the possibilities of modulating it through a lot of different keys, slowing the harmonic movement down and speeding it up again at various points, and really using that 8 bars of material to the fullest extent. I certainly wasn’t planning to sit down and write 13 minutes worth of music! I feel like each piece has to tell a story, and sometimes if it turns out the arc of that story takes a while to unfold, then I’ll end up with a longer tune.”
In amongst the original compositions, is one solitary standard in Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Skylark’. Perhaps an odd choice in a strong set to break the emerging overall shape of the album, but again Tom elaborates “It’s always been one of my favourite standards, with a really interesting harmonic movement especially in the bridge. It has become a bit of a tradition amongst jazz musicians to play it in 7/4. I’ve done quite an in-depth arrangement for the album with some re-harmonisation, but left it recognisable as the standard many people know rather than changing it beyond all recognition. I think it’s important to go back to the roots of what got us into jazz and improvising in the first place, and most us grew up playing standards for years before we started writing original music and forming our own bands.”
It is obvious from Green comments thus far, that composing is an important part of his musical persona, so I ask him how he juggles the two very different disciplines of playing and composing, and if he has a preference? “I see myself very much as 50:50 as a player and composer. I like to think of composing as improvising at glacial speed, with the option to go back and change what you’ve written if you don’t like it! Improvising is an in-the-moment process where you’re continually reacting to other players on the spot, whereas composing is a much more measured process, but they both influence and feed into each other.”
And as he’s mentioned the topic of influences, is it fair to assume he has dual influences as both an instrumentalist and a composer? “Definitely,” replies Tom. “Composing-wise my biggest influences are big band writers, such as Maria Schneider, Vince Mendoza and Gil Evans. As a trombonist, big bands are bread and butter, and I grew up playing and listening to Basie, Ellington, Thad Jones, so that’s very much in my system when I’m writing for the Septet. I also listen to a lot of folk music, from Irish and Gaelic folk to Joni Mitchell (her two orchestral albums are amazing), to bands like Kan who are putting their own spin on modern folk music, and I think that has an influence on the importance of a strong melody in my writing. I’ve also recently been enjoying Tigran Hamasyan’s recent albums, especially his use of polyrhythms. As a trombonist I love Urbie Green for his beautiful sound, and more modern players such as Marshall Gilkes who are pushing the trombone to its limits technically. And of course some of my teachers Mark Nightingale, Gordon Campbell and Mark Bassey have been incredibly important in shaping my sound and influences.”
So how did he get into pIaying and composing, and why jazz? “I played the violin from a young age, and took up piano later followed by trombone. It was really my piano teacher who got me interested in jazz – he is a great jazz fan and started getting it into my system early, probably without me even noticing! Then I met some other like-minded young musicians as a teenager who were also interested in jazz, started going to jam sessions and practicing properly, and the rest is history. Composing is a relatively newer thing for me and I’m indebted to Pete Churchill at the Royal Academy of Music who really totally changed my perceptions of writing and composing while I was studying for my MA degree.”
As our conversation once again returns to the release of Skyline, the subject of marketing and labels inevitably crops up, with Green choosing the path of setting up his own imprint. “When I was looking to release the CD I felt like there were no labels who would give emerging artists the care and attention they need at the start of their careers. Many labels are much more interested in their established artists as that is where the money is. Through a number of discussions with the co-founder of Spark, the great drummer and composer JJ Wheeler, who’s been a friend for quite a few years now, we realised we wanted to provide a platform to get younger musicians heard and noticed, providing them the right amount of support, and this is the major aim for the label – to showcase new and exciting music by younger artists in a way that’s sustainable for their future careers. We’re putting together a plan to release some more music in the very near future, by other musicians as well as more of our own music.
“As well as the Septet, I’m a member of the Misha Mullov-Abbado quintet, who are recording their debut album for release in Autumn this year. I’ve also just released a CD with the Brass Funkeys, based on a New Orleans marching band of trumpets, trombones, sax, drums and sousaphone – we play originals by all the band members as well as covers of better known songs. Myself and some other young musicians in London have recently set up a new collective big band, the Patchwork Jazz Orchestra, playing all original music by members of the band, which premiered at the London Jazz Festival last year. We want to develop that group further, and we have a concert in Italy this summer as well as some potential London dates and recording plans later in the year. I’m also involved in many other projects from salsa and Dixieland bands to progressive rock… the list is endless!”
And moving forward, how do you see your music developing? “I don’t know what will come next – I’m looking forward to playing the material in live performances with the Septet over the course of our 18 tour dates - after that, who knows!”
So how did he get into pIaying and composing, and why jazz? “I played the violin from a young age, and took up piano later followed by trombone. It was really my piano teacher who got me interested in jazz – he is a great jazz fan and started getting it into my system early, probably without me even noticing! Then I met some other like-minded young musicians as a teenager who were also interested in jazz, started going to jam sessions and practicing properly, and the rest is history. Composing is a relatively newer thing for me and I’m indebted to Pete Churchill at the Royal Academy of Music who really totally changed my perceptions of writing and composing while I was studying for my MA degree.”
As our conversation once again returns to the release of Skyline, the subject of marketing and labels inevitably crops up, with Green choosing the path of setting up his own imprint. “When I was looking to release the CD I felt like there were no labels who would give emerging artists the care and attention they need at the start of their careers. Many labels are much more interested in their established artists as that is where the money is. Through a number of discussions with the co-founder of Spark, the great drummer and composer JJ Wheeler, who’s been a friend for quite a few years now, we realised we wanted to provide a platform to get younger musicians heard and noticed, providing them the right amount of support, and this is the major aim for the label – to showcase new and exciting music by younger artists in a way that’s sustainable for their future careers. We’re putting together a plan to release some more music in the very near future, by other musicians as well as more of our own music.
“As well as the Septet, I’m a member of the Misha Mullov-Abbado quintet, who are recording their debut album for release in Autumn this year. I’ve also just released a CD with the Brass Funkeys, based on a New Orleans marching band of trumpets, trombones, sax, drums and sousaphone – we play originals by all the band members as well as covers of better known songs. Myself and some other young musicians in London have recently set up a new collective big band, the Patchwork Jazz Orchestra, playing all original music by members of the band, which premiered at the London Jazz Festival last year. We want to develop that group further, and we have a concert in Italy this summer as well as some potential London dates and recording plans later in the year. I’m also involved in many other projects from salsa and Dixieland bands to progressive rock… the list is endless!”
And moving forward, how do you see your music developing? “I don’t know what will come next – I’m looking forward to playing the material in live performances with the Septet over the course of our 18 tour dates - after that, who knows!”
For more information visit www.tomgreenmusic.com & www.sparklabel.com
Click on the album cover to read our review of Skyline by the Tom Green Septet
