JAZZ reviews
Phil Robson Alec Dankworth Michael Occhipinti
Six Strings & Spanish Accents The Sicilian
The Beat
Basho
Jazz Project
Babel
SRCD212
True North
BVD2876
JC
TND516
SH JC
Enamoured of Spanish music and language
With a clever punning title that refers both to
since childhood, bassist/composer Alec
Right from the opening swirls of The Almond
Robson’s guitar and the line up of six stringed
Dankworth has embarked on a new phase of
Sorters, a traditional Sicilian song augmented by
instruments and a drum kit, there’s clear
his impressive career with a band that fuses jazz
strings and samples and sung in Sicily’s Middle
evidence of a sharp mind at work. Robson is
with un acento español.
Eastern-sounding dialect, this isn’t your average
a blisteringly good guitarist and proves also to
A host of top players – saxophonist Julian
fusion project. Tracing one’s family heritage
be a composer of note, and with the Basquiat
Arguelles, guitarist Phil Robson, violinist Chris
through music has become commonplace for
Strings (two are present here) having opened
Garrick, French bagpiper Jean-Pierre Rasle and
musicians of African descent; here the Canadian
the door, the string-quartet-does-jazz works
Barcelona-based drummer Marc Miralta – assist
jazz guitarist/composer Michael Occhipinti
exceedingly well. Robson bubbles and fizzes
the British jazz scion in reinventing the likes
explores his Sicilian roots through the lens of
on top, with Peter Herbert’s inventive bass and
of Corea, Gillespie and Metheny; on Rodrigo’s
modern jazz, aided by his bass-playing brother
the solid, occasionally skittering drums giving
Concierto De Aranjuz they take up where Miles
Roberto and assorted talents on everything
excellent foundation.
left off.
from accordion to trumpet.
With singer Christine Tobin draping velvet
Folk songs and originals in flamenco rhythms
Using the 1950s field recordings of famed
smooth tones over Hold You and using her
are played with an easy camaraderie that belies
ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax as a template
voice as an instrument on Wishing Well,
the complex nature of the pieces. Dankworth’s
(think traditional music performed by sulphur
reminiscent of 70’s Brit-jazz experimentation,
arrangements are as agile as his bass playing,
miners, tuna fishermen, folk entertainers),
the ideas keep flowing. Songbird inspired by
while Arguelle’s tenor sax improvisations lend
Occhipinti reinvents and rearranges in ways
Malian music has the required urgent exoticism.
proceedings a clean, ECM sort of feel.
both innovative and respectful. Flashes of
The McLaughlin-esque, fuzz squall adds the electric guitar punctuate Vitti ‘Na Crozza, a song
drama to Louisiana, a post Katrina elegy. There Younger sister Emily Dankworth lends her cool, about a skull that speaks; the jaunty, horn-heavy
are moments of real beauty and also those of pure vocals to two tracks; the great Cleo Laine Nnuena is led by cane flute and imbued with
real daring-do here, not coffee-table-easy by any turns up on Dreams Of Castilla, singing of a reggae beat. The music of Sicily – ancient,
means, but supremely good. soaring birds, silent grief, and love. eclectic, proudly multi-cultural - lives on.
“Jazz of the exploratory and definitely non- www.alecdankworth.com
www.michaelocchipinti.com
boring kind”
Mojo
The Chris John Heavens
McGregor Septet

Big City Calling
Azymuth
Up to Earth
Jazzizit
Butterfly
Fledgling JITCD0848
FLED3069
Far Out Recordings JC
FARO134CD SN
This one’s a real gem: a labour of love from
SN
It is fascinating to speculate what impact this a man with an astounding soul voice and
unreleased album, recorded in 1969, might a genuine feel for jazz. Inspired by Duke
These days the mention of “fusion” is enough
have had in the context of British jazz at the Ellington’s devotional Mass The Sacred Concert,
to induce sucking-lemon expressions among
time. This joyous celebration of free jazz John Heavens puts his all into this sparkling
die-hard jazz fans who are quick to claim it’s not
and South African Township Jazz combines debut, creating nine original compositions
even jazz. But one should be cautious about
musicians such as Dudu Puckwana on sax, – co-written with the jazz composer/arranger
throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Mangezi Feza on trumpet and Louis Moholo Andrea Vicari, here on piano – that tell their
Azymuth are a fusion band alright – a trio in fact
on drums with John Surman on baritone, Evan own unique story.
– but it’s a fusion of jazz, funk and samba, or as
Parker on tenor and either Barrie Phillips or
the band like to call it, samba doido meaning
Danny Thompson on bass, all presided over by
The opening track, Monday On Freedom
“crazy samba.”
Chris McGregor on piano.
Street, takes soul-destroying 9-5 jobs to task, a
message rapper Jahaziel underscores with some
Here they are augmented by guitar, percussion
It is truly a meeting of giants, who combine with powerful freestyling; Transatlantic Love Affair
and strings and the results are impressive.
seamless ease to produce an album of huge soars with the help of soprano sax and gospel-
One of the most exciting bands in their native
historical significance in the story of British jazz. tinged backing vocals. With their toe-tapping
Brazil, this album is a tour-de-force of light,
Here is luminous music, seemingly pushing in grooves and clever arrangements, all tracks
free-flowing compositions full of jazzy motifs
several directions at once, yet incredibly centred feel Brit-funk fresh; Heavens’ voice, which he
and dancing rhythms. From the classic samba
in its adventurous spirit. The saxophone trio ‘discovered’ at church, is subtle, clear, beautifully
of Catitu to Triagem, full of classic South
were incredibly powerful, yet united in their intoned (he’s been trained by world-class
American melodies and harmonies, there’s
purpose, such as their playing on Midnight vocalists, and it shows). Accordion and tabla
some sparkling musicianship on display until
Aloe and the title track, with Moholo’s pulsating add an extra dimension, especially on the two
finally the carnival ends with a gentle mood of
drumming mediating the ebb and flow of this instrumental tracks. A stylistically diverse album,
melancholy on Meu Doce Amigo. It’s an album
exciting music. then, that rewards repeated listening.
guaranteed to bring a bit of sunshine into a wet,
“This was a world-class free band… A volcanic
soggy British autumn.
“Funky, witty and diverse… an impressive affair”
force on the British scene”
Ian Shaw - Voclist of the year 2007,
“Dance music played by human beings
The Guardian
BBC Jazz Awards
rather than computers”
Sunday Times
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