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Plum Lane

The Matt Wates Sextet

Audio-b ABCD 5019

 

 


  1. Guy’s Song
  2. The Seer
  3. Santini Time
  4. For All That Will Be, Yes
  5. Blues for Hammurabi
  6. Stockholm Syndrome
  7. Talk the Talk
  8. View From the Bridge
  9. Little Lightning
  10. Finding Rock Pools
  11. The Peacocks
  12. Plum Lane
  13. Plum Lane

Matt Wates - Alto & Flute
Martin Shaw - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Steve Kaldestad - Tenor
Leon Greening - Piano
Malcolm Creese - Bass
Steve Brown - Drums
Recorded - Spring 2006.

Eleven of the twelve tunes on this album were composed by Matt Wates, the exception being The Peacocks, which is a Jimmy Rowles composition.

I have to confess to being a great fan of Matt Wates, his writing for small bands is so musical, identifiable and well thought out. I am convinced that jazz would enjoy a greater popularity with the public, if there were more groups like his around. The playing by every member of the group is exciting and stimulating, but there is nothing ugly about it.

Every member of the sextet is featured and each makes it obvious why he has been selected for Matt’s band. Martin Shaw is a fine ensemble player and an equally good jazz soloist, as far as I am aware he has appeared on . Matt’s CD’s and I can think of no one better. Matt himself and Steve Kaldestad are also excellent soloists, assuming that Steve is a member of the younger set, it is terrific to hear someone who is not doing John Coltrane impressions and trying to fit a million notes into each tune. Steve has obviously taken input from many of his predecessors and come up with a style of his own. Matt has also absorbed many inputs and devolved a style which is reminiscent of Paul Desmond, but not imitative.

The rhythm section is a joy throughout, Leon, Malcolm and Steve are world-class, it would be difficult to better them. Steve I know is in demand on both sides of the Atlantic and if there were any justice in the world, the whole band would be!
Many congratulations to Matt Wates for another fine album.
Did I hear someone play Soprano at some point or did my ears deceive me?

Don Mather

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