Crosland has formed and polished twelve bright, shiny objects… presented as a lovingly curated box of jewels that once opened lights up the room
Jazz Cat Records: JCCD121
Nic France (drums); Chris Allard (guitar); Steve Waterman (trumpet, flugelhorn); Steve Lodder (piano, Fender Rhodes, Hammond C3 organ); Ben Crosland (bass)
Recorded 2-4 April 2023 at Temple Music Studio, Sutton, UK
‘North York Skies’ is a self-declared “love letter to the North York Moors” with Ben Crosland convening his quintet to celebrate one of his “favourite places on earth”. And from first glance of the stunning cover image you are under no illusion that it could be anything else.
Crosland’s compositions draw inspiration from a deep sense of time and place driven by personal reflections and experiences. Here, he has formed and polished twelve bright, shiny objects that speak of the Moors’ natural beauty, deep-seated heritage, and closely held memories of visiting the area over many years, all presented as a lovingly curated box of jewels that once opened lights up the room.
The tracks are not literal translations of the Moors’ multi-faceted attractions, rather a series of impressionist pieces that convey feelings and emotions instilled by his subjects across a range of styles. And all delivered with a group of very familiar playing partners which captures a relaxed mood and vibe that slips down easily leaving a warm glow. It is a combination that soothes and excites simultaneously.
At the heart of the group are Steve Waterman on trumpet/flugelhorn, Steve Lodder on keys, and Crosland on bass, who have been playing together as a trio since 2004 when they formed Threeway, recording four albums to date. Chris Allard on guitar and Nic France on drums played in Crosland’s Ray Davies Songbook project band, with Allard also appearing on the earlier Quintet release ‘Solway Stories’ (2020).
Locomotive rhythms announce the opener ‘The Optimist’, named after a service on the preserved North York Moors Railway, breathing nostalgia and taking in the sights on a fine summer’s day. The title track ‘North York Skies’, is presented as a relaxed promenade with a top-of-the world vibe where you can literally feel your stresses ebbing away. Lodder’s delicate piano introduction opens ’Howardian Undulations’ before a Latin number emerges full of drive and bounce as the quintet takes off: a piece inspired by the rollercoaster-like road leading to Castle Howard.
On ‘Breathing Space’ we are back on top of the Moors, following a smiling melody where Allard’s laid back guitar is edged with country tones and Waterman’s blowing dances with delight. ’Purple is the Colour’, a reference to the colour of heather that covers the summer Moors, has a free-wheeling vibe that gathers momentum and stays in a happy place. ‘The View From Room Twelve’, which refers to a favourite hotel room, is a quieter, beautifully stated track, full of pastoral imagery and romance, played with a lightness of touch all round.
Three pieces are inspired by ancient monuments, of which there are many on the Moors, and the myths and legends that surround them. ‘Ballad of Lilla Howe’ is worked as a moving elegy with Waterman’s blowing charged with restrained emotion and the whole drenched in blues tones. ‘Fat Betty’ is conceived as a tango filled with lightly brooding delight and drums set to snare. When he wrote ‘Ain Howe Fairwell’, a reference to another ancient monument, Crosland says he imagined “a funeral cortège processing up the moor to the sound of a marching band.” Here it is played as an upbeat funky strut with attitude and concludes the album on a high.
This is an album that continues to work its charms on you with each listen. It is infused with the joy of life and of simply being that is likely to trigger your own memories and personal reflections.
