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DVDfever.co.uk – Matthew Halsall: Colour Yes CD reviewElly Roberts reviews
Gondwana Records
- Released: October 2009
- Rating: 10/10+
- Vote and comment on this album:View Comments
A kind of relaxed. The new Miles Davis.
Manchester-based trumpeter Matthew Halsall is a rising star on the burgeoning UK jazz scene.
Like all the great trumpeters he has the knack of maintaining a gorgeous and melodically expressive tone which should appeal to purists and casual listeners.
Using session men Nat Birchall on sax, pianist Adam Fairhall, bassist Gavin Barras, rotational drummers Gaz Hughes and Marek Dorcik, along with Rachael Gladwin on harp, Halsalls lengthy compositions ranging from over five to a whopping thirteen minutes, have an air of refined and stylish improvisation about them, though theyre probably not.Not wishing to demean this fabulous music, but if was to go to a trendy wine bar / restaurant, this is the sort of album Id expect, or demand, to hear. Its not in any way muzak, but quality of the highest order.
The track fluidity is virtually seamless as they embrace the transcendental spiritual jazz tradition of the past a la John and Alice Coltrane and say American saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders in their rightful places, but keeping a sharp eye (or maybe ear in this case) on the present day tastes.
These six brand new compositions take in the smooth stylings of opener and title track Colour Yes with shades of urban jazz tantalisingly scattered with dazzling solos on a bed of laidback grooves to the dance feature of Mudita.
On expansive and sensual Together, the band deliver a smooth and dreamy ambience. Pace isnt the agenda here, its atmosphere. Brush shuffles can be heard in the distance and harp shrills pop up now and again along with subliminal bass plucks, but its Birchalls sublime sax lead that steals the show despite Halsalls classy solos. Later, a chill-heavy Ive Been Here Before has a similar relaxed ambient template with Halsall giving one of best performances via a melancholic-tinged mood-set and lazy piano workouts.Steady Ive Found Joy, one of the shortest pieces at five minutes plus, is dressed by Halsalls joyous trumpeting and sparking, if understated, ivory tinkling by Adam Fairhall, bringing back memories of Miles Davis at his reflective best.
Halsall has made his mark once with a highly acclaimed Sending My Love. Now he goes a step further consolidating himself as one of the UKs high-rollers.
The verdict Fab-U-Lous.
Weblinks:matthewhalsall.com /gondwanarecords.com /myspace.com/matthewhalsall(Gigs, Video & Audio streams)
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Colour Yes
2. Together
3. Ive Found Joy
4. Mudita
5. Ive Been Here Before
6. Me And YouView the discussion thread.blog comments powered by Disqus= 0) {query += ‘url’ + i + ‘=’ + encodeURIComponent(links[i].href) + ‘&’;}}document.write(”);})();//]]]]>]]>
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.