TOM SYSON - Green
Self Release TSYSCD01
Tom Syson (trumpet); Vittorio Mura (tenor saxophone); Ben Lee (electric guitar); David Ferris (piano, fender rhodes); Pete Hutchison (double bass); Jonathan Silk (drums); Laura Kinsella (vocals)
Recorded August 2016
This is a bold and adventurous album from a young trumpeter who certainly knows how to grab a listeners attention from the outset. A cursory glance at the line up may lead one to think that what you are going to hear is an album from a sextet (vocalist, Kinsella appears on only one track) that takes its cue from the hard bop idiom playing some, hopefully imaginative originals over which to improvise. This is perhaps half way true, but the overall effect is quite startlingly different.
Syson is one of the new breed of young musicians who has come from an academic background, having studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire in 2015, and incidentally recruiting most of his colleagues for the sextet from the Conservatoire; but has come out of the process with the technical and theoretical know how to produce compelling music and some young turks with the where with all to bring it all to fruition.
This, as you will now have gathered,is not just a simple blowing session but a series of cleverly worked compositions that are played with imagination and fire with the beginnings of a definite group sound. Yes, they do take inspiration from the later part of the hard bop era but juxtapose this with some further elements garnered from free playing and paradoxically more formal and structured composition. The album swings, as is evident on 'Far From Boundaries New', but is not afraid to incorporate multiple counter melodies that bring a sharp focus to the music.
The set opens boldly with a brief and tumultuous fanfare that gently subsides only to give way to a calm yet unpredictable introduction to 'Bamberg' with its opening statement evolving into a lovely theme stated by trumpet and tenor before David Ferris' patiently worked piano solo. 'Green' is also cleverly paced giving way to controlled and exhilarating trumpet (at a quiet volume) from the leader that is perhaps the highlight of the set.
'Leroy The Tiger' roughs things up a little nicely, and is immediately followed by 'Raindrops' the sole feature with Lauren Kinsella that continues the overall theme of the album by being anything other than conventional, yet with Kinsella's delivery and Syson's composition (he wrote both words and music) has a satisfying sense of form and unity with the rest of the set. So much so that we can only hope that there maybe more to come in this vein in a future project.
'Bluebells' has a lovely ensemble theme, and a wonderful feature for bassist Pete Hutchison that is lifted by some superb comping from the guitar of Ben Lee before he embarks on his own solo ably supported this time by the horns, and it is this blending of of strong compositions, intricate and interesting arrangements and superb ensemble playing that makes this album such a delight.
Syson has earned his jazz stripes playing with the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and has toured extensively in a duo with Berlin-based British pianist Mark Pringle. With this self released debut album, Syson has shown himself a capable leader, and a composer and soloist of note. I for one will be watching his progress with much interest.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
Self Release TSYSCD01
Tom Syson (trumpet); Vittorio Mura (tenor saxophone); Ben Lee (electric guitar); David Ferris (piano, fender rhodes); Pete Hutchison (double bass); Jonathan Silk (drums); Laura Kinsella (vocals)
Recorded August 2016
This is a bold and adventurous album from a young trumpeter who certainly knows how to grab a listeners attention from the outset. A cursory glance at the line up may lead one to think that what you are going to hear is an album from a sextet (vocalist, Kinsella appears on only one track) that takes its cue from the hard bop idiom playing some, hopefully imaginative originals over which to improvise. This is perhaps half way true, but the overall effect is quite startlingly different.
Syson is one of the new breed of young musicians who has come from an academic background, having studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire in 2015, and incidentally recruiting most of his colleagues for the sextet from the Conservatoire; but has come out of the process with the technical and theoretical know how to produce compelling music and some young turks with the where with all to bring it all to fruition.
This, as you will now have gathered,is not just a simple blowing session but a series of cleverly worked compositions that are played with imagination and fire with the beginnings of a definite group sound. Yes, they do take inspiration from the later part of the hard bop era but juxtapose this with some further elements garnered from free playing and paradoxically more formal and structured composition. The album swings, as is evident on 'Far From Boundaries New', but is not afraid to incorporate multiple counter melodies that bring a sharp focus to the music.
The set opens boldly with a brief and tumultuous fanfare that gently subsides only to give way to a calm yet unpredictable introduction to 'Bamberg' with its opening statement evolving into a lovely theme stated by trumpet and tenor before David Ferris' patiently worked piano solo. 'Green' is also cleverly paced giving way to controlled and exhilarating trumpet (at a quiet volume) from the leader that is perhaps the highlight of the set.
'Leroy The Tiger' roughs things up a little nicely, and is immediately followed by 'Raindrops' the sole feature with Lauren Kinsella that continues the overall theme of the album by being anything other than conventional, yet with Kinsella's delivery and Syson's composition (he wrote both words and music) has a satisfying sense of form and unity with the rest of the set. So much so that we can only hope that there maybe more to come in this vein in a future project.
'Bluebells' has a lovely ensemble theme, and a wonderful feature for bassist Pete Hutchison that is lifted by some superb comping from the guitar of Ben Lee before he embarks on his own solo ably supported this time by the horns, and it is this blending of of strong compositions, intricate and interesting arrangements and superb ensemble playing that makes this album such a delight.
Syson has earned his jazz stripes playing with the Birmingham Jazz Orchestra and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, and has toured extensively in a duo with Berlin-based British pianist Mark Pringle. With this self released debut album, Syson has shown himself a capable leader, and a composer and soloist of note. I for one will be watching his progress with much interest.
Reviewed by Nick Lea
