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Andy Sheppard

The Birds MP3 album

www.andysheppard.co.uk

Available from Andy Sheppard's website as an MP3 album (the software enables you to play the music on your computer, import it into iTunes and load it on to any MP3 player, not to mention printing out cover artwork, desktop backgrounds and posters), these seven tracks take birdsong as their inspiration.

Sheppard commenting: 'I have always been a great admirer of Olivier Messiaen and the obvious tie-in with Charlie "Yardbird" Parker seemed a natural avenue to explore.'

The 'tie-in' refers to the final track, 'Bent Ornithology', which sets a brief statement of the theme of the Benny Harris/Charlie Parker bop anthem against a slurpy beat, but the rest of the album is archetypal Sheppard, setting his characteristically pure-toned, dancing soprano and breathy, powerful tenor against both sonic tapestries of birdsong and the odd keyboard, acoustic guitar and tabla contribution.

Some tracks ('Golden Oriole', 'Bird Elements') are relatively loose, overtly unstructured yet internally coherent (like birdsong itself); another ('DC') reproduces a dawn-chorus-like effect employing both tenor and soprano; and there are more basically rhythmic pieces ('Float', 'So Slow Blackbird', 'Seyak the Butcher Bird') that exploit Sheppard's celebrated ear for a catchy but deceptively subtle tune set to an infectious beat.

Bright, intense, unequivocally enjoyable and affecting music from one of the UK's most distinctive and original jazz figures.

 

 

www.andysheppard.co.uk