Rebecca Nash, Redefining Element 78, Whirlwind ***1/2

The plangent sounding trumpet of Nick Malcolm is evident first off on 'Platinum 1'. A very fine passage from pianist Rebecca Nash on 'Ruthenium' is also worth noting particularly for the jousting with drummer Matt Fisher on this studio recording …

Published: 11 Dec 2022. Updated: 16 months.

The plangent sounding trumpet of Nick Malcolm is evident first off on 'Platinum 1'. A very fine passage from pianist Rebecca Nash on 'Ruthenium' is also worth noting particularly for the jousting with drummer Matt Fisher on this studio recording made in April this year. All the tracks have titles that link as names of precious metals. Malcolm is again highly listenable to on 'Osmium' and on 'Rhodium' altoist John O'Gallagher is as usual a scalding and stimulating presence.

Nash's unselfconsciously modernistic writing is excellent and Redefining Element 78 is a highly original work. Other personnel include guitarist Jamie Leeming who plays a significant role in the success of 'Osmium' and bass guitarist Paul Michael who was superb three years ago on Byron Wallen's Portrait: Reflections on Belonging and key here. Nick Walters and Chris Mapp on electronics are also on the record. Redefining Element 78 play the Bath Jazz Weekend on 7 January

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Rebecca Nash, photo: via Whirlwind

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East Axis return

Early-2023 release highlights in prospect include the quartet East Axis and their album No Subject to be released on bass icon Christian McBride's label Brother Mister on 27 January. Avant flavours abound with Maria Schneider Orchestra saxophonist

Published: 11 Dec 2022. Updated: 16 months.

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Early-2023 release highlights in prospect include the quartet East Axis and their album No Subject to be released on bass icon Christian McBride's label Brother Mister on 27 January.

Avant flavours abound with Maria Schneider Orchestra saxophonist Scott Robinson joining the great pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist Kevin Ray and drummer's drummer Gerald Cleaver.

East Axis surfaced last year on the ESP-Disk label on the absorbing Cool With That that saw a largely similar line-up - Allen Lowe was on sax on that occasion.

East Axis - top, left-right: Gerald Cleaver, Scott Robinson, Matthew Shipp, Kevin Ray. Photo: Anna Yatskevich/band Facebook page. No Subject cover, image: from the Brother Mister artwork