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Dave Stapleton Quintet
Between the Lines
Edition Records EDN1017
The
Dave Stapleton Quintet – completed by saxophonist Ben Waghorn, trumpeter
Jonny Bruce, bassist Paula Gardiner and drummer Elliot Bennett – have
built up quite a following over the past few years, both via their sparkily
accessible but considered live performances (a number of these at the Vortex)
and their recordings, of which this is the third.
The band's formula is a relatively straightforward one: simple, almost hummably melodic theme statements give rise to a series of gutsy solos in the classic manner; vitality, freshness and infectious pep are the quintet's stock-in-trade, and they eschew unnecessary complexity, meandering introspection and self-indulgence.
This refreshingly unpretentious approach pays substantial dividends here: Stapleton has provided his band with a rich programme of compositions (including tunes such as 'Horn', 'Dry White' and 'Wig Wag' dedicated to, and showcasing, individual bandmembers), and, leading from the front both on electric and acoustic piano, he manages to infuse everything the band plays with muscular power and controlled exuberance.
Gardiner and Bennett are an exemplary rhythm section, and both Bruce and Waghorn (like their leader) make the music fairly fizz with intensity in their solos; all in all, a thoroughly enjoyable album which will appeal to all those who prefer their jazz served straight without too many fancy trimmings.
