Out Front

A fine representation of contemporary UK Jazz, Out Front was put together to explore music from Andrew Hill and Booker Little that influenced trumpeter Nick Malcolm. Buried Webs though goes past repertoire, but the general feeling of the seven band-composed originals is still loosely FreeBop. Malcolm, who wrote five of the seven tracks is part of bands with Dee Byrne and John O’Gallagher among others. Alongside him are other top-flight UK improvisers, most of whom also lead their own bands: saxophonists Jason Yarde and Jake McMurchie, bassist Olie Brice and drummer Dave Smith.

What that means is that sounds on the CD move among light and dark, languid and lively, with the reeds often harmonized, especially when they fan out around the poratamento trumpet lines. Both balance the trumpeter’s expositions that often moves among plunger snarls, moderato slurs and gentle flutters. On their own tenor saxophonist saxophonist McMurchie often growls, while alto saxophonist Yarde balances his split tones with repeated slurs. Meanwhile the rhythm section maintains horizontal advances with drum smacks and bass plucks.

“Mycelium” expresses the paradigm at its greatest length, as the jolly horn harmonies give way to first plunger trumpet breaths then alto sax bites until the timbres reorient themselves to slide upwards to triplets (Malcolm) and altissimo runs (Yarde) for a defining ending. On other tracks though, narrative definitions are the result of group work as when the horns reach a crescendo of interconnected tones or are stacked up pyramid style with trumpet on top, alto saxophone below it and tenor saxophones on the bottom, and then reverse. This works particularly well following a cymbal slide and bass thumps on “Carime at Crepuscule” as the exposition moves up and down in increments.

Overall the band manages to attain its stated aim with subtle invention. Now that this phrase has been broadened, tested and accomplished though, perhaps the quintet will take more risks with more dissonant timbres next time out.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. The Roots that Clutch 2. The Preservation of Fire 3. Ever Before After Beyond 4. Carime at Crepuscule 5. Mycelium 6. Song Unlimited (for Andrew Hill 7. Dark Dancing

Personnel: Nick Malcolm (trumpet); Jason Yarde (alto saxophone);Jake McMurchie (tenor saxophone); Olie Brice (bass) and Dave Smith (drums)