list.co.uk/music FOLK JAZZ S I N K Ossicles (Self-released) ●●●●●
PIANO JAZZ BILL WELLS & FRIENDS Nursery Rhymes (Karaoke Kalk) ●●●●● Records | MUSIC
s i n k are a group I first came across at the Pipe Factory, an 1887 red-brick building that is one of Glasgow’s overlooked architectural gems. Now an artists’ studio, the Gallowgate building played host to a fine evening of music headlined by the Edinburgh trio. Performing in the gallery space, with candles and lamps to illuminate them, s i n k created a beautifully intimate atmosphere, their warm and playful music warding off the autumnal chill seeping through the brickwork. Formed in Edinburgh five years ago, the trio of Daniil Dumnov on accordion, Tim Vincent-Smith on violin and Matt Wright on saxophones have developed a near telepathic interplay, allowing them to build on pre-composed elements through collective improvisation. Their sound absorbs disparate influences, from Balkan folk and Parisian cabaret to classical minimalism and free jazz. There are certain sonic affinities with Penguin Café Orchestra, as well as contemporary composers like Max Richter and Yann Tiersen, but s i n k have a spontaneity and rough-hewn edge of their own.
Given their music’s cinematic qualities, it comes as no surprise to learn that s i n k have performed live scores for silent movies. ‘Parisian Metro’ conjures images of Left Bank bohemians taking deep, approving draws of their Gauloises cigarettes while Stephane Grappelli plays his Hot Club fiddle. The Hawk & A Hacksaw-esque ‘DownTheStairsAndThroughTheHole’, meanwhile, wouldn’t sound out of place in one of Emir Kusturica’s Serbian capers.
There’s an amusing and compelling concept at the heart of Falkirk jazz composer and indie collaborator Bill Wells’ latest project; in his words, that he wanted to play nursery rhymes without the ‘sugar-coating’ and with the ‘harsh realities’ buried within exposed to the light. In that context it perhaps hasn’t been entirely successful, for much of the music here is gorgeously warm and comforting. It’s also been created with the help of an irresistible roster of collaborators which is more than the equal of any group Wells has put together before.
Yo La Tengo appear frequently throughout, and former Belle & Sebastian chanteuse Isobel Campbell, Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake and country singer and daughter of Mose, Amy Allison, all make a couple of guest appearances. In one of the least likely musical occurrences of the year, Deerhoof’s Satomi Matsuzaki takes the lead on ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’, her voice ringing and quivering like the bells and gently sawed strings playing in the background. Unlikely sonic convergences abound on this record; take, for example, jazz singer Karen Mantler huskily breathing her way through ‘Three Blind Mice’ while Yo La Tengo grind away at a measured surf-blues alongside Wells’ rangy piano in the background, or Blake and Aby Vulliamy roaming in bassy tones over ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’.
It’s predominantly a piano jazz record, and one which reminds us of those colouring-in books for adults in its appropriation of a childhood pursuit for
As its title implies, ‘Jazzing’ is the closest s i n k get to free-improv, with Wright clearly relishing the opportunity to squabble skronkily with his comrades. His full-bodied soprano squawks are well matched by seasick accordion tones and swaying violin. It’s great fun, but it would be good to hear a little more of this wilder approach integrated into the other tunes. Nonetheless, this is an impressive debut from a hugely talented trio. Dive in. (Stewart Smith)
grown-up enjoyment. The sound of these familiar (and perhaps not so familiar, in the case of a number of transatlantic jazz singers whose variety enhances the record greatly) voices singing such unusual choices is undoubtedly a novelty, but there’s some striking music here. Mantler and Vulliamy, in particular, are sublime foils for Wells’ relaxed muse, while Campbell is revealed once more to be a striking, sultry jazz vocalist, particularly on the enveloping ‘Rock a Bye Baby’. (David Pollock)
LIVE RECORDINGS MATT BERRY & THE MAYPOLES Live (Acid Jazz Records) ●●●●● COMPILATION AMY WINEHOUSE: THE COLLECTION The Collection (Island) ●●●●●
Ahead of an upcoming tour with his band the Maypoles, Matt Berry has insisted that ‘if you come to one of our gigs expecting a character or stand-up routine then you could be very disappointed’. It’s a fair enough warning to those Toast of Londoners or members of The IT Crowd set who think that Berry = Funny. Yet on this live collection there are more than a few moments when a wry smile might play all the way across the lower part of your head.
How could you not allow yourself a warm chuckle for the sheer audacity portrayed in his group’s funky wah-wah interpretation of the Ronnie Hazlehurst theme tune to BBC’s Sorry! (the 80s sitcom starring Ronnie Corbett)? And meanwhile, hard-bitten aficionados of 90s Britpop may find it more than vaguely amusing that among the Maypoles crew is one Mark Morriss, the former rug- cutting, slight-returning leader of the Bluetones.
One of the few problems with this mainly enjoyable collection is, rather unexpectedly, the voice of Matt Berry. For a man who has forged a healthy career in comedy for himself based on wordy bombast and by curling, spinning and manipulating vowels ’n’ consonants all over the place, his singing is surprisingly, regrettably vanilla. And save for the regular ‘thank you very much’ and odd ‘bless you’, he has zero in-between-tune banter to regale his throng with. Instead, the entertainment value is all down to the rigorous work of a very fine band (including Matty on his ever-reliable Kong synth) as they rattle their
way through a selection of Berry’s psych-folk / quasi-rock opera repertoire. This includes the joyous ‘Take My Hand’ (the Toast of London theme tune), ‘Snuff Box’ (the Snuff Box theme tune) and ‘So Low’ (a rousing pub- stomp from 2009’s Witchazel).
It’s hardly an original criticism, but you can very rarely listen to a live CD without feeling just a little left out. This perfectly serviceable Xerox of what sounds like an exhilarating gig simply leaves his listeners not quite in on the joke. (Brian Donaldson)
Age and perspective reinforce the idea, fashionable among many, that a wealth of talent and success plus tragic, and in many cases fatal, addiction elevates an artist to a position that’s something other than simply a tragedy. Premature death doesn’t improve the quality of their music and it’s still possible to contextualise someone’s work while they’re still alive; but at least this comprehensive eight- disc vinyl collection of Amy Winehouse’s recorded work has the luxury of distance from her death. And, by extension, from the distasteful tabloid feeding frenzy that threatened to overshadow her ability while she was alive. The collection features both albums released during her lifetime, the
posthumous and uncompleted third album Lionness, a live album recorded at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire in 2007, and a rarities disc mostly comprising BBC Sessions and live recordings. Her debut album, 2003’s Frank, isn’t quite a classic, but it still rings with both her huge and undoubted ability as a jazz singer, and the sass which would characterise her biggest hits. Her voice is as lustrous and loungy as that of Frank Sinatra, for whom the record is named, but amid smoky sax ballads like ‘(There is) No Greater Love’, there are musical references to Motown’s moodier days, acid jazz and trip-hop. Regardless of what else has been pieced together from her recordings, of
course, 2006’s Back to Black is what her reputation has been founded upon, from the blend of world-weariness and freedom from care of ‘Rehab’, the sadly down on herself ‘You Know I’m No Good’ and ‘Love is a Losing Game’, and the old-time soul of ‘Me and Mr Jones’. It stands up as testament to why she was loved far beyond headline writer circles. There are curios elsewhere on these discs: more than convincing versions of ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ and ‘The Girl From Ipanema’; her huge hit ‘Valerie’; an energetic live version of ‘Monkey Man’. Yet the sense is that only vinyl completists will be missing what this box has to offer. (David Pollock)
5 Nov 2015–4 Feb 2016 THE LIST 107