Artist: Julian Nicholas

Date of Release: 01/02/2002

Catalogue no: SR20010102

Label: Symbol

Price: £12

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Track Listing

Julian Nicholas (ss, ts, b-cl)
Emil Viklicky (p)
Robert Balzar (b)
Dave Wickins (d)

Emil remarked only the other day how "food of love" remains his favourite amongst his own recordings. Our mutual pride in this album is testament to a rare delight - that one's own music can still sound good several years later. Melanthrich (1995), the Lotos (1997) and now the UK independent Symbol (2001), have all demonstrated great faith in supporting this album and I am delighted on behalf of the musicians that Symbol has made this recording available for the first time to listeners in the UK.

I am sure that we owe the lasting sound of the recording to the relaxed and musical atmosphere that prevailed on the two days we spent in the ex-Russian broadcasting studios in Prague. On subsequent tours of the Czech Republic and at the Riverside (Hammersmith) with Petr Dvorsky on bass in Dec 1998, we have consistently experienced an underlying emotional honesty in this set of material. We share a common European experience of Jazz music and we are long-term friends.

Two material adjustments have been made to this album as it stood upon its release. Firstly, the inclusion of a short, wholly-improvised piece I've titled "The Meeting" and also the replacement of the first take with the second take of the short frenetic "The Chase" re-titled "Cut to...". The track order is really just another attempt at what can never be solved... And I would also mention that "A thousand Ships" - originally conceived with my daughters' mother, Helen, in mind - is here dedicated to Bobby Wellins, a true friend and inspiration. Finally I would like to thank (on behalf of David and myself) our perfect friend, Emil, and his wife Mila, who have offered us hospitality and generosity at every step of the way. Julian Nicholas, August, 2001.

Reviews

23/12/2001 Chris Parker

Originally released on the Czech label Melantrich in 1995, with its tracks in a different order, Food Of Love is reportedly Emil Viklicky's favourite recording, and it is not difficult to see why. In addition to the limpid elegance and tender lyricism of the Czech pianist's playing, it also features the warm, intense tenor and the pure, surefooted soprano of one of the UK's most underrated saxophonists, Julian Nicholas, propelled by a discreet yet vigorous rhythm section. Viklicky and Nicholas share the compositional duties, providing this consistently responsive band with an intelligently varied set of absorbing originals, ranging from brightly skipping themes to plaintive, contemplative pieces, the mix occasionally leavened by a burst of free improvisation ("The Meeting"). Viklicky is a superb accompanist, particularly skilled in the subtle art of spontaneous interplay with a soloist ("An Aspen Leaf", for example, contains some delightful interaction between piano and soprano saxophone) and an eloquent but carefully restrained improviser. Nicholas has an affectingly human, breathy yet confident tenor and an agile soprano sound ­ not to mention an intriguingly multi-textured approach to bass clarinet ­ and his overall approach, beguilingly persuasive rather than hectoring, is perfectly suited to Viklicky's understated grace throughout. If this album's welcome UK release encourages Viklicky to visit the UK again (he played a beautiful concert at Hammersmith's Riverside Studios in December 1997), or brings Nicholas to the attention of a wider audience in his home country, it will have done no more than its makers deserve.