The Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16 8JH | Bookings 020 7254 4097 | Enquiries 020 7993 3643 | Email Info at Vortex

CD reviews

New cd releases

 

Browse CD reviews

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 

Join the Vortex
email list

To receive monthly gig details, news and ticket offers.



RSS feeds

For news, gig and CD reviews and information about the club.

Click on the link below to get the subscribe address
Vortex news

For more informaton about RSS see the
RSS help pages

Frank Harrison Trio

First Light

Basho Records SRCD 15-2

Given the atmospheric Graham Murrell light-study photographs adorning its sleeve, and the understated delicacy of its music, First Light might almost be mistaken for an ECM release; the five Harrison compositions, too, gently insistent, utilising the slowest of tempos to produce gracefully haunting piano-trio music, may remind some listeners of Paul Motian's rubato pieces for that label.

This said, however, the album is clearly a highly personal project, its non-original material (Don Sebesky's luxuriously stately 'You Can't Go Home Again', Cole Porter's perennially intriguing standard 'What is This Thing Called Love', Alex North's tender 'Love Theme from Spartacus' and Eden Ahbez's 'Nature Boy', performed solo) intelligently selected to showcase not only Harrison's luminous yet muscular approach, but also the interactive spontaneity of a surefooted rhythm section: bassist Aidan O'Donnell and drummer Stephen Keogh. Poise, elegance and dynamic control are the trio's watchwords, but there is power in evidence as well, Keogh's drumming in particular crackling with tastefully suppressed energy; overall, though, this is very much Harrison's album, pleasingly homogeneous in mood and approach, and demonstrating just why he is regarded as a rising star in the jazz world.