TORI FREESTONE TRIO - In The Chop House
Whirlwind Records WR46-48
Tori Freestone (tenor sax) Dave Mornington (bass) Tim Giles (drums)
Recorded live in London, September 2012
Tori Freestone, known to many as the joint leader of a quartet that goes by the rather unwieldy name of `Compassionate Dictatorship` makes her leadership debut fronting a stripped down bass ‘n drums unit in a set that exposes her talent to the closest scrutiny. Far from being a tortuously cerebral examination of themes in the manner of jazz aesthetes like Lee Konitz her development of themes possesses an elegiac warmth and lyricism borne of her early exposure to folk music.
This is music of great sensitivity for relaxation and reflection: devoid of histrionics and cheap sonic effects it reaches the parts that egotistical displays of virtuosity fail to connect. The programme offers originals and standards by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Gershwin as well as a twelve minute exploration of that famous Irish air. `My Lagan Love` in which Tori firmly nails her cross genre credentials to the mast.
Bass and drums do nothing to usurp her introspective, folksy musical vision and in the absence of a harmony instrument fill the spaces with subtle accents and underpin her lines of enquiry with propulsive momentum which elevates their jazz potency. This is a perfect example of jazz chamber music that will neither tax or insult the intellect but reward the careful and astute listener with its multiple felicities: the recording captures the intimacy of the setting which I suspect is not the `Chop House` restaurant but a recording studio for there is no applause or venue noises just the unfettered sound of new talent maturing.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Whirlwind Records WR46-48
Tori Freestone (tenor sax) Dave Mornington (bass) Tim Giles (drums)
Recorded live in London, September 2012
Tori Freestone, known to many as the joint leader of a quartet that goes by the rather unwieldy name of `Compassionate Dictatorship` makes her leadership debut fronting a stripped down bass ‘n drums unit in a set that exposes her talent to the closest scrutiny. Far from being a tortuously cerebral examination of themes in the manner of jazz aesthetes like Lee Konitz her development of themes possesses an elegiac warmth and lyricism borne of her early exposure to folk music.
This is music of great sensitivity for relaxation and reflection: devoid of histrionics and cheap sonic effects it reaches the parts that egotistical displays of virtuosity fail to connect. The programme offers originals and standards by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Gershwin as well as a twelve minute exploration of that famous Irish air. `My Lagan Love` in which Tori firmly nails her cross genre credentials to the mast.
Bass and drums do nothing to usurp her introspective, folksy musical vision and in the absence of a harmony instrument fill the spaces with subtle accents and underpin her lines of enquiry with propulsive momentum which elevates their jazz potency. This is a perfect example of jazz chamber music that will neither tax or insult the intellect but reward the careful and astute listener with its multiple felicities: the recording captures the intimacy of the setting which I suspect is not the `Chop House` restaurant but a recording studio for there is no applause or venue noises just the unfettered sound of new talent maturing.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon