Record Reviews
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  | TREVOR WATTS ~ THE LANTERN TREE
JAZZ IS BRITAIN 73 (Barcode: 5060774190791) ~ UK ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2024
This is an archival live album by British Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist, recorded with an ensemble that included saxophonist Marcus CumminsFind albums by this artist, pianist Gabriel KeeneFind albums by this artist, guitarist Geoff SapsfordFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Colin McKenzieFind albums by this artist, drummer Greg LeppardFind albums by this artist and percussionist Ali IaazaneFind albums by this artist. Two additional saxophonists Amy LeakeFind albums by this artist and Rob LeakeFind albums by this artist also take part in the recording. The album presents eleven tracks, all original compositions by Watts.
The music is strongly oriented towards various World Music elements, and offers often a trance-like development, with a collective improvisation by the musicians, based on the basic themes composed by Watts. In many respects this music continues Watts’ fascination with World Music, which is omnipresent on many of his recordings since his early days on the scene, especially his interest in various rhythmic patterns, which is well documented on his recordings with his Moire MusicFind albums by this artist or Drum OrchestraFind albums by this artist ensembles.
Wats has been present on the British Jazz scene since the mid-1960s, originally with the legendary Spontaneous Music EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which marks the origins of British Improvised Music, and still active at the age of eighty-five, is a remarkable life achievement, which deserves love and admiration. Therefore, every recording that documents his creativeness over the years is most welcome.
Overall, this is another piece of British Jazz history, revealed by the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label, which builds up a remarkable volume of music documentation, which would have otherwise probably disappeared into oblivion. It is, as always, most welcome!
| | Updated: 01/02/2025Posted: 01/02/2025 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | TREVOR WATTS / LIAM GENOCKEY ~ THE ART IS IN THE RHYTHM
JAZZ IN BRITAIN 39 (Barcode: 5060774190418) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1989 Released: 2022
I have been following the Artistry of British saxophonist / composer / bandleader Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist for almost six decades now, starting with the early days of SMEFind albums by this artist (Spontaneous Music EnsembleFind albums by this artist) and later AmalgamFind albums by this artist, Moire MusicFind albums by this artist, London Jazz Composers` OrchestraFind albums by this artist and his work with other British and international improvisers, which over the years amasses to a vast recorded legacy, surely one of the most impressive achievements of the British Improvised Music scene and beyond. We are so lucky to have him around with us, still contributing new music continuously, although this album is of a retrospective / archival nature, documenting Watts’ duets with Irish drummer Liam GenockeyFind albums by this artist, who earned his fame on the British Folk-Rock scene, but in fact was active on the British Jazz, Jazz-Rock and Improvised Music scene as well, including his work with Watts as early as 1976, when he became a member of Amalgam.
This archival album presents three improvised pieces, recorded over three decades ago, two of which last almost half an hour and the remaining one half that time, which of course is nothing exceptional in Improvised Music. The recording offers an excellent sound quality and separation (drums on the far left and saxophones on the far right), which allows the listener to enjoy the phenomenal interplay between the two musicians, who converse, exchange ideas and dance around each other in perfect accord.
Improvised Music tends to be mostly a spur of the moment affair, which is a brilliant, but often sadly of very temporary nature. Most improvised concerts do not manage to encapsulate the energy and emotional delivery when transferred to a recording, which a listener would return to repeatedly. This recording manages to break the pattern, and certainly offers enough aesthetic and artistic value, which is worth keeping for posterity and listening to, since it offers a timeless tale of human communication, not only on the musical plane, but also on a perceptional “higher” plane, which is not even possible to be explained verbally and has to be experienced at first hand in order to participate in the event. Of course the Masterly abilities of both these musicians are plainly evident herein, and as the title suggests, it is worth to listen carefully to the rhythmic effect of this music, which of course is present not only in the drum parts.
As usual kudos to the people behind the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label, which keeps all the British Jazz fans around the globe hooked on its excellent output, which never ceases to deliver exactly what we all wish to hear.
Overall, this is another excellent piece of the puzzle, which presents the diverse musical history of the British Jazz, which remains to be a wonderful treasure chest, which sometime seems like a bottomless pit, considering the amount of music it offers time and again.
| | Updated: 26/09/2022Posted: 26/09/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | TREVOR WATTS / MOIRE MUSIC ~ LIVE IN KARLSRUHE
FMR 232 (Barcode: 649849982810) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1989 Released: 2007
Live recording by the Moire MusicFind albums by this artist ensemble, founded by saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist after his previous band, AmalgamFind albums by this artist, disbanded. In contrast to Amalgam, Moire Music is a large ensemble, varying in size around 10 members, and often features a brass section, a string section and an expanded percussion section, including African drums. In contrast to Amalgam´s music, which was based mainly on a small group improvisation, this ensemble performs music which is well structured and arranged, but allows plenty of individual improvisation to take place. It also tends to include many World Music elements, incorporating them into the Jazz framework. This particular lineup of the ensemble includes the esteemed saxophone player Simon PicardFind albums by this artist. The drummer is another ex-Amalgam member Liam GenockeyFind albums by this artist. This material was previously unreleased and is a most welcome addition to this band´s recorded legacy. It goes without saying that the music is brilliant, as anything Watts is associated with, I can hardly imagine a Jazz enthusiast who would remain impartial to these performances, while listening to this music and my warm recommendation is self-explanatory. Great stuff!
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  | TREVOR WATTS / MOIRE MUSIC ~ MOIRE MUSIC
FMR 250 (Barcode: 649849983053) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1985 Released: 2008
Debut album by the Moire MusicFind albums by this artist ensemble, founded by saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist after his previous band, AmalgamFind albums by this artist, disbanded. In contrast to Amalgam, Moire Music is a large ensemble, varying in size around 10 members, and often features a brass section, a string section and an expanded percussion section, including African drums. In contrast to Amalgam´s music, which was based mainly on a small group improvisation, this ensemble performs music which is well structured and arranged, but allows plenty of individual improvisation to take place. It also tends to include many World Music elements, incorporating them into the Jazz framework. This particular lineup of the ensemble includes the legendary saxophonist Lol CoxhillFind albums by this artist and another esteemed saxophone player Simon PicardFind albums by this artist. The drummer is another ex-Amalgam member Liam GenockeyFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live and the original album was released on the independent ArcFind albums on this label label, owned by Watts. Unavailable for many years, this is a long overdue first appearance on CD, which of course is most welcome. It goes without saying that the music is brilliant, as anything Watts is associated with, I can hardly imagine a Jazz enthusiast who would remain impartial to these performances, while listening to this music and my warm recommendation is self-explanatory. Great stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TREVOR WATTS / MOIRE MUSIC ~ WITH ONE VOICE
FMR 108 (Barcode: 649849981523) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1988 Released: 2002
2nd album by the Moire MusicFind albums by this artist ensemble, founded by saxophonist Trevor Watts after his previous band, AmalgamFind albums by this artist, disbanded. In contrast to Amalgam, Moire Music is a large ensemble, varying in size around 10 members, and often features a brass section, a string section and an expanded percussion section, including African drums. In contrast to Amalgam´s music, which was based mainly on a small group improvisation, this ensemble performs music which is well structured and arranged, but allows plenty of individual improvisation to take place. It also tends to include many World Music elements, incorporating them into the Jazz framework. This particular lineup of the ensemble includes the esteemed saxophone player Simon PicardFind albums by this artist. The drummer is another ex-Amalgam member Liam GenockeyFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live and the original album was released on the independent ArcFind albums on this label label, owned by Watts. Unavailable for many years, this is a long overdue first appearance on CD, which of course is most welcome. It goes without saying that the music is brilliant, as anything Watts is associated with, I can hardly imagine a Jazz enthusiast who would remain impartial to these performances, while listening to this music and my warm recommendation is self-explanatory. Great stuff!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | TREVOR WATTS` ORIGINAL DRUM ORCHESTRA ~ THE ART IS IN THE RHYTHM VOLUME 2
JAZZ IN BRITAIN 46 (Barcode: 5060774190531) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 1989 Released: 2023
This is an archival live recording by the veteran British saxophonist / composer / bandleader Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and his Original Drum OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which included violinist Peter KnightFind albums by this artist, bassist Ernest MothleFind albums by this artist, African percussionists Nana TsiboeFind albums by this artist and Kofi AduFind albums by this artist and drummer Liam GenockeyFind albums by this artist. The six lengthy improvised tracks were captured at two gigs, which were part of a tour the group played in 1989. The CD is dedicated to the memory of the two percussionist, who are now departed.
The music is all improvised, but differs significantly from what is usually conceived as European Free Jazz / Improvised Music due to the presence of the African Music elements, which have a prevailing rhythmic presence. With the saxophone and violin being the only melodic contributors to the music, the percussive elements dominate the proceedings, offering a wide range of pulsations, which keep changing as the pieces develop. It is possibly one of the most vivid examples of African Music within the British Improvised Music idiom, and of course it does continue Watts’ fascination with such musical elements, as present in his ensembles Moire MusicFind albums by this artist and Drum OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which were active during the 1980s and 1990s.
Watts’ improvisations are of course as fascinating as always, obviously highly inspired by the powerful rhythmic elements present herein, and he often exposes his lyrical / melodic persona, which is able to weave beautiful gentle tunes as well.
The music is very well recorded and offers a truly hypnotic ride, which thanks to the extensive duration of the tunes, often close and even over the half an hour mark, absorbs the listener completely for the duration. The more inquisitive listeners might delight in the interplay between the two percussionists and the drummer, who build a trans-continental Euro-African rhythmic understanding and co-existence.
As usual, thanks to the Jazz In BritainFind albums on this label label for releasing this archival material, for the excellent booklet and photographs and as usual for keeping this Cultural Heritage alive.
Overall, this is again a great addition to the British Jazz legacy, which keeps growing steadily and closing the gaps that time created, for those of us who are always thirsty to hear music, which should not be forgotten. Keep up this splendid job my Friends! And Trevor – may you keep playing for many years to come!
| | Updated: 23/07/2023Posted: 23/07/2023 | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | TREVOR WATTS & VERYAN WESTON ~ AT AD LIBITUM
FOR TUNE 0057 (Barcode: 5902768701593) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015
This is a live recording by the British duo comprising of saxophonist Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and pianist Veryan WestonFind albums by this artist, captured during the 2013 edition of Warsaw´s Ad Libitum festival. The album presents five pieces of improvised music, credited to both members of the duo, one of which lasts for over twenty minutes.
Watts can be considered as one of the Godfathers of the Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene in Britain and his pivotal and groundbreaking recordings with the Spontaneous Music EnsembleFind albums by this artist, AmalgamFind albums by this artist, London Jazz Composers` OrchestraFind albums by this artist, Moire MusicFind albums by this artist and other ensembles constitute a most significant part of the modern British Jazz legacy. Weston, who is perhaps less prominent outside a closed circle of "insiders", has also an impressive legacy and his activities over the years are worth being discovered. Their performances as a duo are always a thrill and sound youthful and contemporary, as if time stood completely still for them.
The music herein is a perfect example of what Improvised Music is all about; the intimate duo format allows both musicians to exchange musical ideas on the fly, probing and responding almost instantly, which often sounds as if the duo was in fact one mind occupying two persons. Playing together for quite a while allows these two Masters to approach their music without any inhibitions or barriers, simply communicating on a telepathic level, and the resulting music sounds perfectly coherent and natural.
I have followed Watts every step since the 1960s, attending numerous gigs he played all over Europe and of course listening to all the albums he released over time. There are very few Jazz artists that can match his consistent excellence and his everlasting drive to move forward with his musical ideas. This duo suits his characteristics perfectly and Weston proves a worthy and inspiring partner. Together they create heavenly music!
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