Known mainly in the UK anyway for his contrasting much more prog-jazz work playing with Magnus Öström check 'Craftsman' by Andreas Hourdakis here in relaxed ''modern mainstream'' guitar trio formation (guitar/double bass/drums), a slight ''swinging'' lilt to the detailed and extensive piece, the improvisational arc containing plenty of drama. The piece keeps you guessing. The guitarist's timbral dexterity adds, dare I say, twanging character.
The album itself is to be released on the Swedish Bolero Records label on 23 October. Some listings do not include 'Craftsman' on it (eg one distributor's info), other info (eg Bandcamp) asserts that it is on the album. The track might be that relative rarity, at least for jazz, a single that is not on an album. Otherwise the tracks are 'Aiwass,' 'Midnight,' 'On Matter,' 'Ganymede,' 'The Express' and title track 'Underworld.'
As an individual entity standing back from the detail and going for an overview, 'Craftsman' more than holds its head up high in terms of content because the structure allows for plenty of diversions but does not seem like a number of recondite tangents. Both double bassist Martin Höper and drummer Ola Winkler are very committed and push rather than pull Hourdakis back regardless of the tempo or dynamics. Photo: via Bandcamp.
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