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Jon Lloyd Quartet – Earth Songs
(Ubuntu Music UBU 0162. Album assessment by Jon Turney)
Ask round, and also you’ll seemingly hear that jazz lacks attraction as a result of you’ll be able to’t observe the tune, there are far too many notes, and everybody – even the bassist and drummer – takes interminable solos. And even in the event you love all that, you could have albums the place you’ll be able to perceive how somebody unsympathetic doesn’t really feel invited in to the music.
Thankfully, such wariness neglects the truth that jazz is all-embracing, and right here’s a near-perfect instance of a recording that’s intently focussed on the qualities some assume are missing. It presents straightforwardly memorable tunes: caressed, by no means bullied with method. Every contributes to a temper of affected person exploration as beguiling as it’s stunning.
Saxophonist and composer Jon Lloyd speaks of his growing curiosity in a “European” sound and, not too long ago, the ECM aesthetic. The misleading simplicity that typically presents may result in unsatisfying leads to the mistaken arms, however right here evokes a set which channels deep feeling with appreciable energy.
There’s technical prowess aplenty available. The brand new quartet sees Lloyd renewing his partnership with one among our best pianists, John Regulation. Just like the saxophonist – who performed within the Nineteen Eighties with the likes of Evan Parker and John Butcher and had a quartet within the ‘90s with Regulation, Mark Sanders and Paul Rogers – Regulation explored free music extensively earlier than returning to an emphasis on extra typical expression. His expertise, ranging over a recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations and a latest duo with Lloyd enjoying renaissance music in addition to quite a few teams of his personal, means he can now play something. Right here, he shares with Lloyd a high quality as soon as recognized within the saxophonist’s enjoying by Brian Morton and Richard Cook dinner, “commanding the sound with affected person authority”.
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Their mutual sympathy is clear from the opener, Al’Afiyah, the place a single repeated piano notice units the tempo for Nick Pini and Alex Goodyear on bass and drums earlier than the Lloyd declares the theme, and Regulation launches a richly embroidered solo that provides option to easier sax phrases rising out of the nourishing prompts of the rhythm part. There follows Breaking the Waves, the longest minimize, the place Lloyd’s enjoying once more has a barely Nordic flavour (extra Tore Brunborg than Garbarek). Right here, as on a lot of the album, Goodyear is a mannequin of subtlety, doing simply sufficient on brushes to maintain issues ticking alongside properly. Regulation’s classically-informed contact once more presents a great foil for the chief’s ruminations, and one other pellucid solo.
And so the CD unfolds, with properly judged variations in sound and tempo. Lloyd’s agile soprano comes into the combo on a number of tracks, the place he tends towards extra complicated strains and nearer dialogue with the piano. Nick Pini grounds the sound with good time and tone, and does supply a few temporary solos. There are moments approaching nearer to ferocity. Desert Tune has a clamorous piano tour and a duet for tenor sax and drums that may have anybody settling again for a gentler pay attention again on the sting of their seat. The Journey is a perky collective improvisation that takes on a robust flavour of Andy Sheppard’s later quartets and trios.
However the total temper hews nearer to stately tempos and a slowly unrolling carpet of music, not a sound torrent. The nearer, The Heron, is appropriately pastoral and has maybe the slowest beat depend of all. However that signifies no lack of vitality: enjoying at these drifting tempos requires a confidence within the idea of the group and their sound that shines via all the album. I’ve heard the quartet stay a few occasions now, and the identical is true of their gigs. It’ll be a pleasure to catch them once more after they go on the street to advertise this tremendous recording.
Jon Turney writes about jazz, and different issues, from Bristol. jonturney.wordpress.com / Bsky social
Jon Lloyd’s quartet launches Earth Songs stay on the 606 Membership on 27 February. Launch date is 16 February
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