'Serving Suggestion' is a most welcome addition to the
all-to-few real jazz trombone albums around at
the
moment... Chris has really created a band sound with his stalwart team of Brian Edwards(tenor), Jim Hart(vibes), Larry Bartley(bass)
and Nick Smalley(drums).
The new album contains
five Lowe originals, fresh and forward looking yet firmly connected to the jazz tradition: hints of Monk and Ellington and
at times the Dave Holland Quintet, check out 'One more thing!' with a great drum
workout from Smalley leading into a Hollandesque angular riff. I particularly liked the lively opener
'Run, Don't Walk' with some excellent solos round the band... The final
track 'Bring out the Bandwiches!' is imaginatively arranged and has an especially outstanding solo from Bartley showing what
a highly articulate player he is. Other delights include a lovely Brazilian piece 'Ponti io'featuring some wonderful free-flowing
blowing from Lowe and Edwards. There are also a couple of imaginative re-workings: Coleman Hawkins' Queer Notions (tremendous
vibes solo from Hart plus some full-bodied tenor from Edwards) and the Ellington classic 'Mood Indigo' particularly notable
for Lowe's magnificent plunger mute playing (it has always seemed a great shame to me that the
venerable tradition of plunger trombone has rather demised in contemporary jazz - although for further
listening, check out Malcolm Earle Smith's Vox City 5 Things are looking up and also Paul Taylor's Trombone Poetry).
Serving
Suggestion is available from Jazzcds.co.uk or directly from Chris (see contacts section).
