winter 2015 the trombonist
reviews volume ii - septura Reviewed by Rupert Whitehead
chamber music played by a group of the highest order; no refund required. Septura’s next album focuses on music by the Russian composers Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Scriabin. It is released on November 30th 2015.
symbiosis dennis rollins’ velocity trio Reviewed by Matthew Jones
ews i v e r
Stanley with a fiery organ solo. It is not only Rollins’ skill at flying around the instrument on show in this album however. His soft, beautiful tone is shown at its best in Bette Midler’s The Rose which, simply put, is stunning! This is a fantastic album and would be a welcome addition to anybody’s collection.
incoming riot jazz Reviewed by Ross Learmonth
Septura’s second release sees the group focus on the music of Baroque opera, with works from the composers Rameau, Blow, Purcell and Handel. Once again Septura’s playing is exquisite and their music-making exceptional. The album includes four suites, each taken from from an opera (or semi-opera). The arrangements are first-rate and perfectly capture the drama of the music. This is especially effective in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis: A Mournful Masque. The Purcell offers a contrast to the darkness of the Blow. It was written as incidental music to a farce called The Curious Impertinent and is noticeably lighter in style, especially in the dances which follow the Overture. The album is book-ended by two longer suites, opening majestically with selections from Rameau’s Dardanus, and ending with music from Rinaldo by Handel. The arias in this suite are played with adroitness and artistry by Matthew Gee, Alan Thomas and Huw Morgan. In the liner notes, Matthew Knight mentions the Baroque tradition of playing “first music” and “second music” as tasters for an audience before the performance of the opera. If the audience didn’t like what they heard they were entitled to a full refund. From the very first bars of this album it is evident that this is 30
Symbiosis is the latest release by Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio, featuring Dennis Rollins on trombone, Pedro Segundo on Kit and Percussion and Ross Stanley on Hammond Organ. Rollins, one of Britain’s favourite and most skilled funk trombonists, launched the trio in 2011 and this is their second album. The album features a fantastic mixture of tracks, ranging from the lyrical and expressive originals by the band to covers such as Pink Floyd’s Money, alongside many tracks that just make you want to get up and dance! Rollins writes, “Here, we’ve tried to represent the state of utopia we experience every time we have the pleasure of performing together. It’s always serious, but fun” and I feel the album perfectly encapsulates this feeling. The title track “Symbiosis” is an incredibly playful, riffy track showing off Rollins’ incredibly light-footed acrobatics before unleashing Ross
Riot Jazz Brass Band are a quasiNew Orleans style ensemble formed in Manchester in 2008. In their own words they “navigate a minefield of original peace-lovin’ aggro jazz, hiphop samples, funked-up favourites and re-interpreted dubstep, drum’n’bass and dancefloor bangers that never fail to send limbs flying!” and it is hard to disagree with them based on their second album Incoming. The album begins as it means to go on with a heavy groove which instantly gets the feet tapping. Riot Jazz have achieved an excellent, tight ensemble throughout the album and we are frequently treated to outstanding solos. As a listener, you are gripped from the very beginning and there is very little let up as the album proceeds with each track bringing its own energy, making you want to listen on!