Inspired by Nina Simone

Clever, thought provoking, word play in the titling of Freedom (Rent-a-dog, ****) with (sub)woof(er)tastic tunes standing word-by-word to draw on a remark plus attribution made in an interview of Nina Simone's indicating just what the great Nina …

Published: 15 Apr 2021. Updated: 3 years.

Clever, thought provoking, word play in the titling of Freedom (Rent-a-dog, ****) with (sub)woof(er)tastic tunes standing word-by-word to draw on a remark plus attribution made in an interview of Nina Simone's indicating just what the great Nina meant by ''freedom.'' Slowfox are a startlingly accomplished bass, piano and saxophone trio from Germany that pushes up from, amid considerable tonal splendour, the bass and deeper, rarified, seams of spacebassness. If you are into a bassist like Misha Mullov-Abbado you'll be well chuffed as a starting point to check out Slowfox going, yes, deeper.

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Graham Costello, Impetu ****

All three tracks heard so far from the Darrel Sheinman and Hugh Padgham produced Second Lives are invigorating. But is that enough? That's an easy yes. 'Impetu' the 7th of the 11 tracks (the album itself is not released until 7 May) has drummer …

Published: 15 Apr 2021. Updated: 3 years.

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All three tracks heard so far from the Darrel Sheinman and Hugh Padgham produced Second Lives are invigorating. But is that enough?

That's an easy yes. 'Impetu' the 7th of the 11 tracks (the album itself is not released until 7 May) has drummer Graham Costello opening up the tune. The band then concern themselves with building up to something that remains indiscernible for quite a stretch. It's a big tease.

The recorded bass end of the sound spectrum and the recorded sound quality is first class (Lalo Schifrin-like fundamentally in this detail) and is very beefy and incredibly well recorded for clarity certainly and a certain visceral push to its momentum.

So the build up then resolves itself eventually. It is Liam Shortall on trombone who provides the ecstasy of release. Extremely nicely written by Costello 'Impetu' is definitely worth going the extra mile to seek this one out. Costello has the potential to be a very big name on the wider scene beyond Scotland before too long surely. His drum sound reminds me of Lammas period Mark Fletcher a bit. Just factor in a big dollop of luck to let that happen but what's on Second Lives in its looseness and open feel so far works like a charm.

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