TOM GREEN SEPTET – Skyline
Spark! SPARK001
Tom Green (trombone); Sam Miles (tenor saxophone); Matthew Herd (alto & soprano saxophones); James Davison (trumpet & flugelhorn); Sam James (piano); Misha Mullov-Abbado (bass); Scott Chapman (drums)
Recorded 19-21 April 2014
This is an extraordinarily accomplished and confident set from trombonist, Tom Green, featuring a young septet that not only promise much but also deliver in abundance. What impresses most is not Green’s ability as a trombone player, although that alone would mark him out from the crowd, but his abilities as a composer and arranger.
Skyline features no less than seven original compositions from Green, and one solitary standard in Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Skylark’, and whilst this is superbly rearranged for the septet clearly showing the young arranger’s influences, one cannot help thinking that he might have squeezed in another original to make it a full house.
Citing influences such as Gil Evans, Maria Schneider and Vince Mendoza, Green’s arrangement s have strong contemporary feel yet do not shy away from the tradition. His writing for the four horns is fresh and invigorating, whilst his composing for the soprano saxophone is particularly effective on ‘Arctic Sun’ and my choice cut from the album, ‘Winter Halo’.
The writing has an assurance and confidence that belies Green’s years, and he is not afraid to allow the pieces to develop organically. Each piece takes as long as it takes, and what is impressive is how compact and lean the final results are, with no excesses or superfluous gestures in to be heard. The longest track on the album, ‘Equilibrium’, clock in at just under thirteen minutes and is packed with movement and innate logic that never loses sight of what started life as an eight bar theme for tenor and trombone.
If I have dwelt at length on the strength of the compositions, we should not forget musicians that bring the charts to life. The playing of all is concerned is first rate with strong solos from all concerned, and a disciplined approach to the written music that still allows for the individual voices to shine through. That said it is fitting that the album closes in fine fashion with a septet blow out that is full of fun on ‘DIY’ harking back to the roots of the music in New Orleans and the blues.
This is must hear album for anyone interested in the art of the composer/arranger, and fine ensemble playing, and I cannot recommend this album highly enough.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Spark! SPARK001
Tom Green (trombone); Sam Miles (tenor saxophone); Matthew Herd (alto & soprano saxophones); James Davison (trumpet & flugelhorn); Sam James (piano); Misha Mullov-Abbado (bass); Scott Chapman (drums)
Recorded 19-21 April 2014
This is an extraordinarily accomplished and confident set from trombonist, Tom Green, featuring a young septet that not only promise much but also deliver in abundance. What impresses most is not Green’s ability as a trombone player, although that alone would mark him out from the crowd, but his abilities as a composer and arranger.
Skyline features no less than seven original compositions from Green, and one solitary standard in Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Skylark’, and whilst this is superbly rearranged for the septet clearly showing the young arranger’s influences, one cannot help thinking that he might have squeezed in another original to make it a full house.
Citing influences such as Gil Evans, Maria Schneider and Vince Mendoza, Green’s arrangement s have strong contemporary feel yet do not shy away from the tradition. His writing for the four horns is fresh and invigorating, whilst his composing for the soprano saxophone is particularly effective on ‘Arctic Sun’ and my choice cut from the album, ‘Winter Halo’.
The writing has an assurance and confidence that belies Green’s years, and he is not afraid to allow the pieces to develop organically. Each piece takes as long as it takes, and what is impressive is how compact and lean the final results are, with no excesses or superfluous gestures in to be heard. The longest track on the album, ‘Equilibrium’, clock in at just under thirteen minutes and is packed with movement and innate logic that never loses sight of what started life as an eight bar theme for tenor and trombone.
If I have dwelt at length on the strength of the compositions, we should not forget musicians that bring the charts to life. The playing of all is concerned is first rate with strong solos from all concerned, and a disciplined approach to the written music that still allows for the individual voices to shine through. That said it is fitting that the album closes in fine fashion with a septet blow out that is full of fun on ‘DIY’ harking back to the roots of the music in New Orleans and the blues.
This is must hear album for anyone interested in the art of the composer/arranger, and fine ensemble playing, and I cannot recommend this album highly enough.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
