“Enjoying with QOW Trio has reinvigorated my enjoying and musical profession,” says veteran drummer Spike Wells. The multi-generational group’s second album, ’The Maintain Up’ is launched on Ubuntu Music on 26 January, adopted by a sequence of dwell dates. Interviews/ function by Phil Johnson.

Typically if you take heed to jazz on document all you need to hear is, properly, jazz. Overlook the excessive idea or crossover this and that. We’re speaking spirited improvisation and thrilling interaction on nice tunes, with the music bouncing out of the audio system to make you are feeling as if you’re truly there in the meanwhile of creation. Suppose Sonny Rollins’ ‘Reside on the Village Vanguard’ LPs, quickly to get a re-release as a part of Blue Notice’s eighty fifth anniversary. Or nearer to dwelling however by no means a duplicate, new album ’The Maintain Up’ by the estimable QOW Trio (it’s pronounced “Cow”) of tenor saxophonist Riley Stone-Lonergan, double bassist Eddie Myer and drummer extraordinaire Spike Wells.

’The Maintain Up’ is a veritable ram raid of in-your-face jazz, with powerful tenor Stone-Lonergan completely tearing his manner by means of a wonderfully chosen and delivered assortment of tunes. 4 of his authentic compositions are joined by very ingenious variations of Monk’s ‘Vivid Mississippi’, Ellington and Strayhorn’s ’The Starcrossed Lovers’, Massive John Patton’s ‘Alongside Got here John’ and Lee Morgan’s ‘Our Man Higgins’, plus Lonergan’s Ayler-esque association of a Stephen Foster tune. Recorded at London’s Fish Manufacturing unit in 2023 following a run of dates in Eire, it sounds as dwell and direct as you possibly can want for, with Wells’ swinging trip cymbal ringing like a bell.

“The band arrange collectively, with no headphones or separation, permitting the music to breathe organically and the interaction to develop in actual time”, says Eddie Myer of the recording session. It’s the Brighton-based band’s second launch following a self-titled debut in 2020. “We really feel we’ve progressed in cohesion and been capable of deal with music in a good wider vary of kinds. Riley’s authentic compositions have made an enormous contribution”, says Spike Wells. “Enjoying with QOW Trio is exclusive as a result of all of us have such completely different style and approaches within the music however share the same mantra in the case of truly making it”, provides Riley Stone-Lonergan. “Eddie and Spike have open ears and open hearts and it’s a pleasure to play with them each night time.”

The story of the band is each bit as fascinating as their album. The three members characterize three completely different jazz generations, the sum of their collective abilities higher than the already spectacular components. As you might need realised by now, Michael ‘Spike’ Wells – who can be 78 subsequent week – is an genuine legend. He was 22 when Tubby Hayes selected him as his drummer, and he performed with him till his demise in 1973. Later, he was a part of the Ronnie Scott’s home band and backed Stan Getz and Roland Kirk, amongst many others. Though he continued to play music, Wells additionally turned a solicitor and later an Anglican deacon and priest.

“Enjoying with Spike takes you proper up near the wellspring of contemporary jazz”, says Myer. “Somebody who noticed Monk and Blakey as a boy, studied with Philly Joe Jones as a younger man, and developed his artwork by enjoying within the firm of the legends of the music from Tubby Hayes to Kenny Wheeler to Bobby Wellins. His enjoying is so free and fearless, telepathically responsive, fully musical, and he’s the embodiment of swing. He actually owns the area however is rarely afraid to push previous the boundaries.”

Myer, whose double bass function is essential in holding down the free and fiery contributions of Stone-Lonergan and Wells, but who swings as laborious as Charlie Haden with Ornette Coleman, is a widely known determine on the Brighton scene. In addition to enjoying along with his personal quintet, and the band Turin Brakes, he runs the organisation New Era Jazz, serving to younger jazz musicians develop their careers. Riley Stone-Lonergan, who’s by far the youngest of the trio, started enjoying professionally in Eire at sixteen. Arriving within the UK to check at Leeds School of Music, he was the star pupil of his yr, successful a number of prizes and turning into a Yamaha Jazz Scholar. Now, in addition to QOW Trio, he performs with the free-jazz venture Household Band, and co-leads the Tarel-Lonergan Quartet with French pianist Fabrice Tarel.

“It’s a novel mixture of gamers within the free-est of codecs” says Myer. “And Riley is a whole musician, a grasp technician on his instrument who by no means lets method intrude with sincerity or soul or self expression. He’s bought the historical past of jazz at his fingertips however all the pieces he performs sounds fully recent and sincere.” Stone-Lonergan can also be an especially delicate participant who could be tender in addition to powerful, His association of Stephen Foster’s ‘Exhausting Instances Come Once more No Extra’, which closes the album, is as lovely, and as delicate, a efficiency as you might be more likely to hear all yr.

However the final phrase ought to go to Spike Wells. “Enjoying with QOW Trio has reinvigorated my enjoying and musical profession in my late seventies”, he says. “It’s a very pleased accident that the trio includes folks from three generations. It’s a freer and extra inventive expertise than I’ve had for a very long time. Riley and Eddie have made an previous man very pleased. Or, as Ronnie Scott used to say, “You’ve made a cheerful man very previous.”

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TOUR DATES

3/2/24 – Brighton, The Verdict
5/2/24 – Stroud, The Prince Albert
6/2/24 – Leeds, Sela Bar
7/2/24 – Sheffield, The Lescar
8/2/23 – Leicester Jazz
9/2/23 – London, The Vortex (album launch)
12/2/23 – Cheltenham Jazz
14/4/24 – Dublin, 5 Lamps Competition
3/5/24 – Derry Jazz Competition

LINK: The Maintain-Up is on Ubuntu Music – launch date 26 January