TOM OLLENDORF - A Song For You
Fresh Sound New Talent
Tom Ollendorf - guitar; Conor Chaplin - bass; Marc Michel -drums
Ollendorf won a Yamaha scholarship in 2015 and has proceeded to build himself a reputation as one of the most comprehensively accomplished young musicians emerging onto the UK scene. His careful, flawlessly articulated, understatedly melodic approach has earned comparisons with Gilad Hekselman, and Hekselman graciously acknowledges the similarity with an endorsement for this set of recordings. Jorge Rossy’s Fresh Sound New Talent label has been an incubator for some of the most exciting jazz voices of the last two decades and this record sits well alongside the recent release by Sam Braysher, displaying a similar level of un-showy virtuosity and strongly developed musical personality. All the compositions are originals by Ollendorf, apart from a wonderfully delicate reading of the evergreen ballad ‘Autumn In New York’, and his abilities as a composer of memorable themes is clearly in evidence. The title track sets the scene: a subtly complex rhythm track from Chaplin and Michel buoys Ollendorf’s clear-toned guitar in an almost folklorically sunny melody that rests on some sophisticated harmonic changes. Chaplin takes the album’s first solo and demonstrates what a phenomenal musician he is, conjuring a memorable phrase out of every harmonic turn with a high-register accuracy that would make Eddie Gomez sit up and take notice. ‘Not In These Days’ and ‘Spring’ develop this quietly introspective mood, with Marc Michel’s super-sensitive drumming maintaining the perfect balance between creativity and supportiveness. ‘Aare’ invites the inevitable Metheny comparions with its dancing straight eight feel and pastoral melodicism, while giving Michel a chance to stretch out on a A set of three solo etudes contribute to the studious impression. This is a consistently paced, accessible record with some superb playing from all three contributors: the sunny, gently upbeat mood conceals some seriously accomplished musicianship at work.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Fresh Sound New Talent
Tom Ollendorf - guitar; Conor Chaplin - bass; Marc Michel -drums
Ollendorf won a Yamaha scholarship in 2015 and has proceeded to build himself a reputation as one of the most comprehensively accomplished young musicians emerging onto the UK scene. His careful, flawlessly articulated, understatedly melodic approach has earned comparisons with Gilad Hekselman, and Hekselman graciously acknowledges the similarity with an endorsement for this set of recordings. Jorge Rossy’s Fresh Sound New Talent label has been an incubator for some of the most exciting jazz voices of the last two decades and this record sits well alongside the recent release by Sam Braysher, displaying a similar level of un-showy virtuosity and strongly developed musical personality. All the compositions are originals by Ollendorf, apart from a wonderfully delicate reading of the evergreen ballad ‘Autumn In New York’, and his abilities as a composer of memorable themes is clearly in evidence. The title track sets the scene: a subtly complex rhythm track from Chaplin and Michel buoys Ollendorf’s clear-toned guitar in an almost folklorically sunny melody that rests on some sophisticated harmonic changes. Chaplin takes the album’s first solo and demonstrates what a phenomenal musician he is, conjuring a memorable phrase out of every harmonic turn with a high-register accuracy that would make Eddie Gomez sit up and take notice. ‘Not In These Days’ and ‘Spring’ develop this quietly introspective mood, with Marc Michel’s super-sensitive drumming maintaining the perfect balance between creativity and supportiveness. ‘Aare’ invites the inevitable Metheny comparions with its dancing straight eight feel and pastoral melodicism, while giving Michel a chance to stretch out on a A set of three solo etudes contribute to the studious impression. This is a consistently paced, accessible record with some superb playing from all three contributors: the sunny, gently upbeat mood conceals some seriously accomplished musicianship at work.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
