There's a strong case to be made for Ant Law crowned the most exciting jazz guitarist on the UK scene at the moment and he is as impressive a side player or co-leader as he is a leader. He just about stole the show recently in Juncture, actually he did, and with Emma Rawicz last year live when there was a big choice of other ridiculously accomplished players around him his sound rose to the top time and time again harmonically. Alex Hitchcock is as melodic as they come - if you dig the sound of Iain Ballamy then step his way although Hitchcock has a very different kind of poeticism in his head. For more on that listen to the excellent Dream Band. Hitching their wagon to a modernish approach the pair expose each other to a love-in of melodic possibilities and pathways of logical extension without the jarring sense of too many sweet centres blended in as they swerve from the woodily textural feeling baked into 'Don't Take Too Long' to the highly loquacious sweep of 'Outliers'. Guests (there are too many) include an array of big names including vibist Joel Ross, Shai Maestro, Jeff Ballard and saxist Tim Garland. But forget the distraction of well-deserved reputation. If at the time of recording everyone had been in the same room at the same time this would have been a very different record if it even had been possible to make it which is doubtful so thanks be to the wonders of tech more than quibble about the process and the subjectivity of what distance no matter how shrunk does to recordings although it is a thing. The clear navigation of sax and guitar is what you need to concentrate on most. Who wouldn't be moved by 'Chrysalis' it's true.
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