Artist: John Warren

Date of Release: 15/02/2010

Catalogue no: FUZ004

Label: Fuzzy Moon

Price: £12

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Track Listing

Appearances by

Gerard Presencer, Gwilym Simcock, Jim Hart, Julian Siegel, Stan Sulzmann

Reviews

19/02/2010 John Fordham, The Guardian

The reputation of the expat Canadian composer John Warren rests mostly on some sumptuous big-band music under his own name in the early 1970s, fine writing for John Surman's larger groups, then influential teaching work in his adopted Yorkshire. Lately, though, he has had a promising resurgence with UK newcomers including Gwilym Simcock, and this set is the sequel to the 2008's Finally Beginning. Dreamlines is an instantly catchy opener, with its whirring, boppish melody over a tango, and Cool School horn counterpoint. Oh, What? is a deliciously wriggling piece of bop ensemble writing, shifting into fast swing for saxist Stan Sulzmann's mix of lightness and gravitas, and Simcock's flawless phrasing at any speed. Gerard Presencer's flugelhorn skims delicately through flute whispers on A Warm Front, the 17-bar blues I Couldn't Wait is a terrific piece of sly grooving, and Thelonious Monk's Eronel is presented as a vintage bop track turning into the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool ensemble sound, with other Monk themes folded cleverly in. Julian Siegel's lightness of touch and melodic originality and Mark Nightingale's vocal-toned muted trombone are the centrepieces of Above the Fourteenth Range. It's good to hear John Warren sauntering back to where he belongs.

13/02/2010 Mike Hobart, Financial Times

The second tranche of composer/arranger John Warren’s sumptuous January 2008 nonet session is a fitting companion piece to his label debut, Finally Beginning. As before, a single Monk tune, here the rarely recorded “Eronel”, is added to a set of Warren originals that have been lovingly re-arranged by the composer. Opening Ellingtonian textures soon yield to edgy tango and free-floating balladry on the opening “Dreamlines”. There are boleros and subtle flutes, swishy brushes and latin riffs, and generous portions of loose-limbed swing. Solos are top drawer, and given added focus by Warren’s bespoke scoring.

04/02/2010 Chris Parker The Vortex Website

Documenting another selection of small-group pieces from the same early - 2008 session that resulted in John Warren's previous Fuzzy Moon release, “Finally Beginning” (also reviewed on this site), this nine-track album shares its predecessor's grace, elegance and poise. Warren's originals range from re-scored versions of previously heard pieces ('Dreamlines', for instance, was originally written for John Surman's Octet; the ballad, 'Warm Front', for Warren's 1980s big band etc.) to hitherto unheard material (the quartet settings, 'Fingerprints',
'Slipstone'), and there is also a visit to Monk's 'Eronel', but whether they're addressing tastefully punchy jazz or a samba originally composed for Andy Sheppard ('Cada Dia'), Warren's band performs impeccably, scrupulously accurate in their ensemble work, tastefully exuberant in their soloing capacity. Trumpeter Martin Shaw (replaced on one track by Gerard Presencer), pianist Gwilym Simcock, reeds players Christian Brewer,
Stan Sulzmann and Julian Siegel, and vibes player Jim Hart, are all deployed skilfully by Warren, and the rhythm section (bassist Phil Donkin, drummer James Maddren) is simply exemplary throughout. All in all, another fine album from a masterful composer writing for a classy band. Like “Finally Beginning”, this comes warmly recommended.