Go and catch him live if you get the chance, and do treat yourself to this fine album.
Special guest review by Nigel Price
33 Jazz
James Chadwick – Guitar; Henrik Jensen – Double Bass; Mark Whitlam – Drums
I’ll Remember April / Inside Out / Lola / Calon Lân / Beetroot to me / Moments /The Days of Wine and Roses / Night And Day / No Politics
Space is the place it seems in James Chadwick’s world, and that is a deceptively hard thing to pull off.
Jazz musicians would all like to think they have the ability to rise to the challenge of ‘not pulling the trigger’, and instead play for the common, unified goal of creating a dialogue that concentrates on texture and feel. However, in reality, there’s more often than not a rush of blood to the head, and before you know it the spell has been broken.
Not so here.
With Welsh wizard James Chadwick on guitar, the legendary Henrik Jensen on double bass and the ever empathetic Mark Whitlam on drums, there’s a thread of unhurried, intelligent, intrigue running through this entire splendid album from start to finish, whilst always maintaining a slightly angular beauty.
James will opt for a well placed cluster of interesting intervals rather than a cluttered flurry of notes. He’s not afraid to leave big chunks of space too, and this in itself dictates the pace and mood of this record.
If I ask myself honestly, what other guitar led albums convey the same mood over their entirety then I’d come up with a very short list. Maybe ‘Kenny Burrell’s ‘Midnight Blue’ or Joe Pass’s ‘Intercontinental’, but bebop/post bop this ain’t.
James’ music has instead much more in common with John Abercrombie, Mick Goodrick, later period Jim Hall and possibly even Marc Ribot. Forgive me if I’m too far off the mark there!
To my mind, the message comes across more clearly through the trio’s treatment of the standards James has chosen here, such as ‘The days of wine and roses’ and ‘I’ll remember April’, only because a listener will perhaps have a reference point, and will therefore have an increased awareness of the group’s departure from the norm into pastures new.
The trio play together as a unit so well, with quiet intensity, mutuality and a shared perspective. That’s a rare bird these days.
If I had to pick a favourite, I’d say I was grabbed most by ‘Calon Lân’, an evocative reworking of a Welsh hymn that’s perhaps around 150 years old. The message I get from this is of pride in James’ homeland, and this gives the idea that there’s a deep geographical identity within the music. Of course, this tune has been adopted by Welsh rugby union fans, and although James is big enough in stature to be a prop for the Dragons I’m pretty sure that’s not the reference here!
James is very active on the live scene. As well as playing with this great trio he’s also recently been spotted playing around the UK with US guitar legend and kindred spirit John Stowell.
Go and catch him live if you get the chance, and do treat yourself to this fine album.
