…a fine album, and a promising start for Smith a composer and arranger for large ensemble.

Fey Moose Records FMR001 (available on double LP, CD & digitally)

Tom Smith (alto & soprano saxophones, composer); Graeme Blevins (alto saxophone, flute, clarinet); Sam Glaser (alto saxophone); Alex Garnett, Paul Booth (tenor saxophone); Jessamy Holder (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Tom Walsh, George Hogg, Freddie Gavita, James Davison, Alistair Martin (trumpet, flugelhorn); Trevor Mires, Olli Martin, Dan Higham (trombone); Yusuf  Narçin  (bass trombone); Will Barry (piano); Jamie McCredie (guitar); Luke Tomlinson (drums); Conor Chaplin (double bass, electric bass); Liam Dunachie (Hammond organ)

With the altoist making quite a name for himself on the London and UK jazz scene, it is a bold move to present a big band of original compositions at this stage of the game, but this is a gamble that has paid off big style.

As one can assume from the fact that the vinyl edition is a double LP this is a long album totally some seventy minutes of music. I think it fair to say that there is not a dull moment to be found, and the music is a myriad of colours and textures that as Smith himself says “This band has all of my favourite people in it and I think it sounds like London – music everywhere and something new around every street corner!”

With the nine compositions that make up this invigorating set Smith has indeed looked to capture the vibrancy and vitality of the capital city in which he lives. In doing so he has not shied away from the less than perfect elements of London life and has resisted the temptation to present the city in rose tinted glasses; indeed, it is these elements that that bring a finely wrought tension within the more familiar big band soundscape.

Fine examples of this technique of introducing tension, as if rudely disrupting proceedings, can be heard in the almost conventional big band arrangement of ‘Speedboat In Trouble’ before turbulent waters are encountered with Trevor Mires trombone solo. ‘We’re Being Watched’ is an increasingly troubling reality, and the altoist portrays this in a bombast of sound in the opening measures in which Luke Tomlinson’s drums increase the rhythmic tension alongside Jamie McCredie’s wailing electric guitar. Settling in to a tight funky groove, the horns settle things down before Smith’s writing again piles on the tension. This tension is aggravated further by a beautifully constructed solo from McCredie before handing the baton to tenorist Paul Booth.

This is immediately followed by an atmospheric and brooding ballad in ‘Atlas’ that brings a stark relief after the intensity of the previous track, and features a lovely solo from Freddie Gavita as well as the leader on alto. The writing here is quite exceptional, as it is throughout the album, and ‘Somewhere Far From Here’ is deliciously scored before once again upping the ante and generating a little more heat.

The music features fine solos from the leader dotted throughout the compositions, and fine contributions from within the big band, but the overriding feeling is that this is Smith’s gig and the sweep of the music from big band swing to (‘Aplomb’ and ‘Saviour Suzanne’) to more contemporary leanings.

All in all this is a fine album, and a promising start for Smith a composer and arranger for large ensemble.