Record Reviews

KATE WESTBROOK ~ GRANITE WESTBROOK 003 (Barcode: 5024545826722) ~ UK ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the eagerly anticipated new album by British vocalist / lyricist Kate WestbrookFind albums by this artist, which presents what she calls a soliloquy featuring music composed, as expected, by her husband, pianist / composer Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist. She is supported by a sextet called The Granite BandFind albums by this artist, which in addition to Mike Westbrook also includes saxophonist Roz HardingFind albums by this artist, guitarists Jesse MolinsFind albums by this artist and Matthew NorthFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Billie BottleFind albums by this artist and drummer Coach YorkFind albums by this artist. The title piece comprises of twenty three short tracks, split into three song cycles. The album closes with a short version of an Irving Berlin standard, whistled by Kate, which is a perfect ironic ending to the entire piece. The music is quite unexpected, even to long time Westbrook followers, like yours truly. Although the introductory or epilogue piece in each of the three cycles are presented in the familiar voice / piano format, which the Westbrooks have been using from day one, the rest of the pieces have a strong Rocky character, with dominant electric guitars in the foreground, which goes back stylistically to Westbrook´s Solid Gold CadillacFind albums by this artist days. At first it is a bit "bizarre", but as the album progresses it does make perfect sense after all. Kate Westbrook´s vocals fit perfectly this unusual, Rocky environment. Her theatrical delivery works with the same effectiveness, regardless of the style that the accompanying music follows, which of course is truly astounding. Although Kate never tried to "sing" in the traditional way, her vocals prove to be more universal than those offered by conventional singers. Her throaty voice is still one of the best means of vocal delivery out there. The libretto, which is included in the album´s booklet, is a complex associative / imaginative / metaphoric tale of a granite quarry and its workers, which has a wide spread moral, philosophical and even religious implications, as usual with Kate Westbrook´s works. This intellectual layer is of course an integral part of the entire work, complementing it superbly. The Westbrooks seem to be completely immune to the passing of time and this album, which one would expect to be created by musicians, who are generations younger then the iconic pair, proves that they simply ignore, as they have always done, any stylistic transitory norms, simply doing what they see as appropriate. Although full of Rock and Fusion elements, this music is immediately recognizable as part of the Westbrook legacy, with the same mark of excellence, which accompanies everything they create. Superb stuff!

Updated: 02/08/2018Posted: 02/08/2018

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