Recording of the Week,Folk Devils - AuB

The musicianship across the album is top-notch, as is the writing ability of each composition. Each track sets out with a sense of purpose, whether highlighting a musician or linked to a theme. Høiby’s lively and dancing bass is captured on “Cavort”, jumping from side to side as the tenors above glide with a resolute melody. On the opposite end of the spectrum “Shinagawa” combines the acoustic with electronic spurts of Guerin’s clean synth stream across the subdued saxes. The music gradually evolves, moving from sombre to upbeat through solos that are pushed by the attentive drumming of Marc Michel.   

A soul-searching bass solo brings in Barford’s composition “One for Elis”, a tribute to Brazilian singer Elis Regina. The composer's own solo twists effortlessly throughout, almost as if he’s singing through his horn, reaching the altissimo register with ease. “Folk Devils”, with a simplistic and stripped-back opening, sets a relaxed atmosphere until the tenors explode into a ferocious section of low and higher registers, dropping into a Hitchcock solo that steadily bubbles into an intense climax. The non-chordal aspect of the solo section emphasises the phenomenal work of Jasper Høby, continually locking in with Michel on drums and pushing the soloist into new realms. 

“Ecotone” provides a polite waltz and a soloistic venture for Høiby, demonstrating his powerhouse playing on the instrument. We’re transported to a dystopian feel with “Vital Signs” where the melody is straight-talking; added effects to the saxes are minimal but coupled with Argirò’s soundscape, it really augments the uneasy mood projected. A boisterous trading of tenors follows, where the tones of each saxophonist are rich with warmth yet keep an edge in their timbre. Finishing a well-structured and rounded album is “Dotts Blues”, a fun and quirky melody that facilitates a back and forth dialogue between the two tenors, each proclaiming their own voice via a myriad of rhythmic and melodic content. 

Hitchcock and Barford deliver refreshing performances with their musical interplay revealing a deep mutual inspiration. As an ensemble they produce an abundance of creativity and ingenuity from the intricate compositions, building a clear and accessible bridge for the listener to revel in. The added electronics are subtly dotted across the tracks, even with these added flourishes the saxophones remain the narrative core, engaging in a dynamic, ever-evolving dialogue with each other that pushes contemporary jazz. The jazz timeline already has numerous two-tenor collaborations: Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis and Johnny Griffin, to John Coltrane and Hank Mobley to name a few, Folk Devils undoubtedly still swings as well as those preceding, but in a new post-bop unfettered way.

Dan Spirrett

from  www.prestomusic.com