Paul Booth - 44 (Forty Four) April 15, 2022 Ubuntu Music

Following on from my album ‘Trilateral’, recorded when I was 33 years old, 11 years later I thought ‘why not carry on with a theme’. My good friend Andrew Bain (also one of the drummers on this album) suggested recording a double quartet album, with both quartets playing at the same time. I began the challenge of trying to write for such a line-up. Although I have written for large ensembles before, writing for two bass players and two drummers was another story. I did some research, looking for inspiration, and found some good records. However, there aren’t too many albums out there with two bass players. I decided to use the electric and occasionally the upright as another ‘horn’ in some sections and then swapping roles in others, occasionally letting them play together. With the fine artistry of Flo and Dave, there never seems to be a moment where they are in each other’s way. In my opinion, it’s simply clean and classy. The same can be said for the two drummers who seamlessly worked together as if they had been doing it their whole lives. I just let them get on with it and they figured out how to make each piece work in a matter of minutes.

Ross and Oli provided beautiful colours throughout the album, with blinding solos while always complementing one another and the whole band in their accompanying roles. In choosing the musicians who appear on this album, I wanted to have a combination of some of my long-standing friends/collaborators and some of the younger musicians from the UK jazz scene who have really impressed me. This brings us to Alexandra, the youngest from this ensemble, who played so exquisitely with a maturity way beyond her years. I’m extremely proud of this whole ensemble and the music we created in one afternoon and ‘live’ in one room. 

1. Blues In The Square

2. Four Candles

3. Tale Of Tetra

4. Quad Rant

5. 4 Her

6. Summer Of 44

7. Quartal Quarantine

8. Four

Paul Booth - tenor/soprano saxophones

Alexandra Ridout - trumpet/flugelhorn

Ross Stanley - piano/Hammond B3 Organ/Wurlitzer electric piano

Oliver Mason -guitars

Flo Moore - electric bass

Dave Whitford - upright bass

Shane Forbes - drums

Andrew Bain - drums

Recorded at Challow Park Studios on the 2nd August 2021 by Will Biggs & James Towler

Mixed by James Towler at Wincraft Studios

Mastered by John Webber at Air Studios

Artwork by OG Media

Photography by Monika S. Jakubowska

Produced by Paul Booth

Executive Producer - Martin Hummel

PRE-ORDER

Andrew Bain - Embodied Hope (WHIRLWIND RECORDINGS 2017)

New routes in musical exploration are at the heart of drummer Andrew Bain’s episodic suite, Embodied Hope – a project with pianist George Colligan, saxophonist Jon Irabagon and bassist Michael Janisch. An influential percussionist and educator based in Birmingham, England (and a first-call sideman both in the UK and the States), Bain’s own research has led him to study a concept which seeks to link improvisation with the increasingly topical issues of human rights, community and social transformation. Taking jazz as a metaphor for positive change in the world, and based on seven aspects – listening, surprise, accompaniment, practice, responsibility, trust and, ultimately, hope – this work is defined both by its distinct flexibility of expression and the quartet’s ongoing appraisal of what it progressively achieves. 

Andrew Bain explains that, rather than counting himself as a composer, he’s a writer of music for improvisers: “Like all good music written with improvisation in mind, Embodied Hope starts with an idea and a vibe, as well as melodies, chord sequences, solo sections and as many boundaries as I want to provide. But apart from that, it’s all in flux and very much up to the band, even in terms of suite order, solo order, etc. I trust these guys with where they take things – an experimental journey evolving on the road, night after night”.

The approach is melodic and full of singable melodies originally conceived at the piano. Each movement is developed from a different perspective, with Bain’s intricate though powerful percussion subtly directing group improvisation; so rather than a stated theme and variations, there’s individual symbolism in each piece. ‘Surprise’ begins with a drum spotlight (so a surprise in itself), and then the solos from three written cues start to arrive – not in a traditional way, but by interrupting each other, challenging more conventional song formats. The free, opening section of ‘Listening’ sounds largely improvised, yet isn’t, because it grows out of ten specific lines of melody written in a similar key center (albeit with no set tempo); and the drummer reveals that ‘Accompaniment’ was originally intended as the ballad, a moment of solace: “But as we rehearsed, it became this classic Coltrane rumble-and-tumble, elevating it with some kind of higher energy. So, importantly, I realised that together we had decided this was something different, and it became the opener to the suite.” 

Recorded on the twelfth day of a two-week tour of workshops, masterclasses and performances, the session presented its own challenge – after all, how is it possible for improvisers to decide on the definitive version of a constantly evolving work? But it’s precisely that captured moment in time from which the sparks of originality fly, whether through Jon Irabagon’s rapid sax invention in feverishly-swinging ‘Practise’, George Colligan’s typically artful Steely Dan quote in the solid groove of ‘Responsibility’ or a theme-tune-like amiability woven into ‘Trust’. 

Echoing the album title, driving, anthemic ‘Hope’ synopsizes what has become important to the band in this process – how they have made it relevant to themselves through their social interaction; how the concept has literally been embodied as they have memorized the music; and the positivity arising from what they fashion and develop together. “The best music that I play is with musicians I really trust”, says Bain. “Not that it’s cosy and we all know what we’re going to do, but that we’re comfortable to push each other, over and over, with every performance. When you’re in that space, there are so many things the music could be… and that’s as good as it gets”.

“His own [Bain's] playing is a revelation as he combines power with detail and precision in a bright, busy, colourful and imaginative display behind the kit.” 

★★★★ The Jazz Mann 

"Bain is always a vital driver behind the kit, ever engaged and urging his fellow players on.​.. and as a composer brings a strong melodic sense to his tunes.​" 

London Jazz​ 

"Funky piano, paint-stripping tenor from Irabagon, sound bass (as ever) from Janisch and amazing drumming from Andrew Bain" 

Bebop Spoken Here 

“Uplifting solos and mature musical dialogue from these top notch, virtuoso musicians.” 

Jazzma (HU)

1. Accompaniment 06:05

2. Hope 12:12 video

3. Practice 06:43

4. Responsibility 06:54

5. Surprise 06:01

6. Listening 09:27

7. Trust 11:01

8. Hope (Reprise) 01:37

Andrew Bain - drums

George Colligan - piano

Jon Irabagon - tenor saxophone

Michael Janisch - double bass

Recorded 11, November 2016 (Wincraft Studios, England)

Engineer - James Towler

Mixed by Alex Bonney

Mastered by Peter Beckman (Technology Works Mastering)

Artwork by Diana Mackie

Graphic Design by Elaine Crouch

Produced by Andrew Bain

Executive Producer - Michael Janisch