Alex Hitchcock: Dream Band: Live in London

This is a bold expedition into the heart of progressive jazz, rendered across a vast canvas of three enthralling nights at the Vortex Jazz Club in London. This three-CD collection is not just a mere album, but a grand, audacious gathering of talents which blurs the line between a larger ensemble setup and a more intimate, modern band experience.

Hitchcock's nifty approach to ensemble creation is at the core of this live recording. Rather than sticking to a single line-up, Hitchcock orchestrates a rotating cast of musicians, assembling three distinct sextets from the crème de la crème of the UK jazz scene. This decision results in a rich mosaic of sounds and styles, a dynamic showcase of the diversity and depth of talent in London's jazz milieu. Each group brings its own flavor to the stage, yet under Hitchcock's direction, they amalgamate into a coherent whole which is both diverse and unified.

The sonic clarity of the album is commendable, capturing the live energy and the nuanced interplay between musicians with exceptional fidelity. Credit goes to the skilled engineering work of Sonny Johns, who manages to encapsulate the vibrancy of a live performance within the confines of a recording. Through their reactions and applause, the audience's involvement adds a layer of authenticity and immediacy, making the listener feel as if they are right there in the club.

Hitchcock's compositions serve as fertile ground for each musician's creativity to flourish. The inclusion of a diverse array of instruments and the strategic pairing of musicians—such as the distinct chemistry between Hitchcock and his trumpeters, and the imaginative guitar and vibraphone contributions—create moments of novelty and beauty.

On "Verglas," Liselotte Östblom's dreamy wordless vocals set the stage for Rob Luft's ethereal guitar lines acutely developed into single note accents and marked by the slight use of distortion and poignant use of volume control to paint a picture atop Jamie Murray's peppery drumming. This piece spirals into an uplifting ballad, including the leader's brazen tenor sax attack.

"Red (Intro)" features opening statements by the venerable pianist Kit Downes who dishes out a lush extended solo, venturing into an up- tempo vamp which segues into the gleeful and buoyant "Red." Here, the band propagates harmonious choruses, abetted by vibraphonist Lewis Wright's dizzying patterns, as the soloists delve into hard-hitting improvisation amid continuous interactions, nicely contrasted by a few Eastern modalities.

The decision to mix tracks from each band across the CDs, rather than segregating them, encourages a holistic appreciation of the music, deterring direct comparisons and instead inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the entire album. During "Rio," Murray launches the proceedings with an intense groove, followed by the hornists' off-centered primary theme, leading to a piece loaded with multi-hued and vibrant mini-motifs, escalated by the saxophonist and trumpeter's blitzing trade-offs and contrapuntal maneuvers.

With this project, Hitchcock captures the vibrancy of the London jazz scene and pushes its boundaries, offering listeners a rich, expansive view of what jazz can be. This album is a compelling invitation to experience the thrill of live jazz, witness the birth of new musical dialogues, and revel in the sheer joy of creative collaboration.

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