2010’s Mercury nominated jazz release is finely polished trio fare.
Far from run-of-the-mill in its content, Golden is a more traditional-sounding jazz album than those which have occupied the genre’s obligatory place on the Mercury shortlists of recent years. Led Bib’s nomination last year swaggered in rock-riff crossover appeal, while the gamelan-influenced minimalism of Portico Quartet in 2008 occupied a novel sound-world as unorthodox as, though very different to, that of Basquiat Strings before them. And though, like its immediate predecessors, the Kit Downes Trio will likely end up also-rans come the Mercury ceremony proper, this jazz thoroughbred is nonetheless worthy of its place. And no-one had to buy a hang or hire Seb Rochford or anything.
Downes may be well-known to jazz fans for his more experimental work with Troyka and The Golden Age Of Steam (bands that might arguably be more Mercury-likely), but this acoustic setting (with bassist Calum Gourlay and James Maddren on drums) has produced his finest composing and playing so far recorded. On the Debussy-tinged title-track and the sparsely-textured Madame, his placement of chords, octaves and single notes is masterful in its restraint, while A Dance Took Place showcases the 24-year-old’s ability to execute urgent, harmony-stretching right-hand lines.
Lees de rest van deze review op BBC CD recensies (Engels)
Bron: BBC Music