Sheer pianism as Joe Armon-Jones delivers big time on Golden Brown

Drawn from an album of piano-led decade-themed treatments in the run-up to Alone Together, Ezra Collective pianist Joe Armon-Jones interprets a classic that you might think was simply too familiar and too utterly uncoverable to even be, let alone …

Published: 12 Mar 2021. Updated: 3 years.

Drawn from an album of piano-led decade-themed treatments in the run-up to Alone Together, Ezra Collective pianist Joe Armon-Jones interprets a classic that you might think was simply too familiar and too utterly uncoverable to even be, let alone work. Well take that drift and you'd be wrong. Armon-Jones, who if you like began as a next generation Andrew McCormack but has more of a get-down insistency to his playing than the mighty McC, certainly delivers. The Stranglers’ 'Golden Brown' (a hit and fixture of oldies radio not to mention down the bohemian bingo) in Armon-Jones' hands has a shimmering mirage-like quality to it that sits alongside the approach of when Robert Glasper does Radiohead's 'Reckoner.' Ashley Henry, Sarah Tandy, Reuben James, Roella Oloro and Charlie Stacey are also on the compilation with Ellington, Monk, Whitney Houston, Snoop Dog and Billie Eilish rattling the jazz cage. Out on 26/03

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Bayou trio to debut

A Norwegian drums-sax-piano trio led by drummer Thomas Strønen (Meadow, Mats Eilertsen Trio) with saxophonist Marthe Lea and the Japan-born pianist Ayumi Tanaka (with Strønen familiar from Time is a Blind Guide's Lucus) debut on the largely …

Published: 12 Mar 2021. Updated: 2 years.

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A Norwegian drums-sax-piano trio led by drummer Thomas Strønen (Meadow, Mats Eilertsen Trio) with saxophonist Marthe Lea and the Japan-born pianist Ayumi Tanaka (with Strønen familiar from Time is a Blind Guide's Lucus) debut on the largely improvised Manfred Eicher-produced Bayou in the spring, a studio album recorded in Lugano. The title track is based on a traditional Norwegian melody. Tracks on the ECM release are: 'Bayou,' 'Pasha,' 'Duryea,' 'Nahla,' 'Varsha,' 'Eyre,' 'Dwyn,' 'Bayou II,' 'Como' and 'Chantara.'