Record Reviews

NEIL ARDLEY ~ KALEIDOSCOPE OF RAINBOWS LIVE `75 JAZZ IN BRITAIN 21 (Barcode: 5060774190142) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2021 This is an archival album by British keyboardist / composer / bandleader Neil ArdleyFind albums by this artist, which presents a live recording of his orchestral piece entitled “Kaleidoscope Of RainbowsFind albums with this title”, originally commissioned by the London Borough of Camden and supported by the Arts Council of Great Britain (those were the days!), premiered at the legendary Roundhouse in October of 1974 by a Jazz Big Band / Orchestra. The version performed here, one year later, is somewhat revised and expanded, recorded, with Ardley conducting of course, by a smaller and much tighter group of Top British Jazz musicians at the time, all of which took part in the studio recording of the seminal “Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows” album, which was recorded a few months later in 1976 and released the same year. The lineup includes the members of NucleusFind albums by this artist led by trumpeter Ian CarrFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Bob BertlesFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Geoff CastleFind albums by this artist, guitarist Ken ShawFind albums by this artist, bassist Roger SuttonFind albums by this artist and drummer Roger SellersFind albums by this artist. Additionally, the collective lineup adds saxophonists Brian SmithFind albums by this artist, Tony CoeFind albums by this artist and Barbara ThompsonFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Dave MacRaeFind albums by this artist, cellist Paul BuckmasterFind albums by this artist and percussionist Trevor TomkinsFind albums by this artist. The lineup that recorded the studio album also included guests: saxophonist Stan SulzmannFind albums by this artist and keyboardist John TaylorFind albums by this artist, who are not present here. The 2CD album presents sixteen tracks, timing at 103 minutes, which have been later combined and condensed into nine tracks, timing about half of that time, as released on the studio album. Therefore, this album, which presents the full extent of Ardley’s vision for his work, is extremely important and the fact that it is available here for the first time is truly a momentous occasion and a milestone of British Jazz history. “Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows” is the last part of a triptych of orchestral works by Ardley, which also includes the earlier “The Greek VariationsFind albums with this title” and “A Symphony Of AmaranthsFind albums with this title”. All three pieces are based on a concept of taking a limited musical element and expanding it into a large framework. Ardley would create one more orchestral piece a couple of years later (1978), called “Harmony Of The SpheresFind albums with this title”, before he embraced a career as author and composer of choral music. The music follows the pattern of earlier Ardley’s works, amalgamating Jazz with World Music elements and heavily influenced by the minimal music concepts of repetition and slowly developing / cyclic repetition, all brilliantly put together and masterly executed by all the participants. Although structurally the music is not Jazz per se, the soloing, improvising and phrasing are indeed very Jazzy (not surprisingly), and with the expanded format of the piece, are more prominently featured here that on the more disciplined studio version. Ardley, together with Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist and Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist constitute the triumvirate of the British Jazz orchestral composers / bandleaders, who offered a completely revised alternative to American Big Band Jazz, taking it into entirely new musical spheres, artistic heights and European aesthetic values, which still reverberate in contemporary music. As usual praise goes to the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label for unearthing this music and releasing it on CD. Please keep up the good work, as nobody else has the stamina, energy and passion to do it and these reissues are way too good to remain hidden in the vaults.

Updated: 03/07/2021Posted: 03/07/2021

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