Description
Clark Tracey Quintet
Personnel:
- Chris Maddock – Saxophones
- Henry Armburg Jennings – Trumpet
- Harry Bolt – Piano
- Daniel Casimir – Bass
- Clark Tracey – Drums
Tracks:
- Lawra
- Ojos De Rojo
- A Pint Of Bitter
- Elvin’s Hug
- What’s New?
- Rim Clicker
- Suddenly Last Tuesday
Recorded February, 2014
Reviews:
“This quintet is one of the liveliest and most creative groups of young musicians that Clark Tracey has led. The album nonetheless puts the drums in the forefront, opening with a forceful account of Tony williams’ “Lawra”, introduced by Clark’s toms and snare, and later including Clark’s own tribute to another great percuussionist in his composition “Elvin’s Hug”.The onomatopoeic “Rim Clicker” – another Clark composition – is self-explanatory. The personnel includes several alumni of Birmingham Conservatoire, where Clark has taught for some time, and the result is a shared sense of purpose, but also conveying the feeling that these are musicians with a point to prove.Saxophonist Maddock has, as Jazzwise readers will know, won a Yamaha Jazz Scholarship, not to mention the Mike Gibbs/BBC Big Band Award for composition and arranging. He extends his solo skills here on Clark Terry’s “A Pint Of Bitter”, a gentle bluesy rambling number. On piano, Harry Bolt, back from leading the band on the Queen Mary 2, also makes his mark, notably on Cedar Walton’s composition “Ojos De Rojo”, where he nods in the composer’s direction but remains his own man. Daniel Casimir’s basslines lock on to the drums, and add to the tight feel of the rhythm section. The outstanding soloist however is Henry Armburg Jennings, who is as at home on a poised flugelhorn ballad as he is playing more fiery trumpet excursions. His playing on “What’s New” is the highlight of a very accomplished disc. The record has brought off that rare double – enticing a listener to want to hear the band live, and providing a perfect memento of how it sounds to those who have experienced it in concert.”
Jazzwise
