KIT DOWNES — Quiet Tiger (review)

KIT DOWNES — Quiet Tiger album cover Album · 2011 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
snobb
Kit Downes is known on British jazz (and rock)scene for some years, mostly as collaborator but by his prog project Troyka as well.

Kit Downes Trio is his jazz project,existing from 2005. Their debut album was released in 2009 and was one of the 12 albums shortlisted for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize. Quiet Tiger is trio's second release.

British jazz scene (differently from prog rock one)isn't world leading even if has long tradition and some world class jazz musicians. It's great to see that during last years some new talented bands took it by storm. First of all I am speaking about great Led Bib (another Mercury Prize winner).

Kit Downes Trio came not for revolution, but mostly for developing of best jazz tradition, partially American piano-based trios.Second band's album is very eclectic (for good and bad). It's great that almost every composition is different, but album in whole sound a bit unfocused, more like collection of unrelated songs. I expect main reason is band just searching their musical face testing different directions - from heavily Jarrett-influenced post-bop pieces to almost ambient ECM-like slow liquid songs to some flirting with nu jazz aesthetics.

Musicians are competent technically and in general all the album sounds enjoying. Some moments are even great, but there are a bit too much fillers and still all album sounds as collection of some successful tunes and some a bit faceless ones.

Interesting and promising message from younger British jazzmen generation, hope their best works are still ahead.
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