Artist: Time Zone

Date of Release: 01/04/2004

Catalogue no: 33Jazz098

Label: 33 Jazz

Price: £9

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Track Listing

Appearances by

Carlos Lopez-Real, Loz Speyer

Loz Speyer - trumpet/flugelhorn
Martin Hathaway - alt sax/bass clarinet
Richard Bolton - guitar
Phil Donkin - double bass
Simon Pearson - drums
plus*
Carlos Lopez Real - alto/soprano sax

all compositions by Loz Speyer except
Bill's Brand New Bag by Richard Bolton
Skippy by Thelonious Monk

recorded July, mixed Sept. and mastered Dec. 2003
by Dick Hammett at Red Gables recording studio

Reviews

01/04/2004 Kevin Le Gendre, Echoes

"The slow moving nature of the Cuban clock is one of several salient sources of inspiration for the articulate, probing sound of Speyer¹s quintet. Another is the biting swing of Thelonious Monk... ...there is an intriguingly saturnine quality in both the leader¹s compositions and the band¹s execution, a sense of hard-edged modernity that has a side-winding thrust reminiscent of Dave Holland's ensemble at times. Speyer¹s playing also catches the ear due to its buoyant drive, astute use of space and incisive way with a phrase that intermittently evokes Hispanic players and avant-garde heroes such as Lester Bowie. Time Zone is an impressive, mature debut by an ensemble led by a trumpeter/composer who has absorbed the essence of Cuban music and distilled it quite cunningly into an improvisatory context with no compromise to either culture. The result is gritty, graceful sounds with a dark-light intensity".

01/04/2004 Chris Parker, JARS magazine

"There is an engaging air of informality about much of Speyer's varied, carefully written material, and it is addressed with irresistible panache by an enthusiastic band, so that the sudden mood and tempo changes that characterise some pieces seem wholly uncontrived... The band's rapport is what really impresses, though: the album [Loz Speyer's TIME ZONE] is imbued with the relaxed but musicianly feel that marks the best small-group music, and both the ensemble work and the soloing are simply first-rate"