Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Danny Widdicombe & Trichotomy: Iridescence

10

Danny Widdicombe & Trichotomy: Iridescence

By

View read count
Danny Widdicombe & Trichotomy: Iridescence
Insightful collaboration is at the heart of amazing jazz. Australian group Trichotomy joins with singer-songwriter Danny Widdicombe on Iridescence with conviction and conscientiousness. Jazz infused with roots and folk music makes this release something somewhat rare, featuring a variety of songs, from pure instrumentals to vocal tracks; these two artists achieve an amiable and inspired balance. There is a tender warmth, heartfelt devotion, and retro attitude that propels the ten originals.

From the first track, it might seem like this is a soft-rock album, perhaps by Graham Nash or Neil Young. "Ebb and Flow" enlists steel pedal guitar, reverb, and hazy vocals. It is a late-summer sort of track that might be included in a modern-day cowboy movie (maybe from a film like The Power of the Dog). Though it touches on such stylistic tones, it is not on-the-nose about paying homage to roots and Americana artists.

The title track eases in next and brings in a stronger sense of jazz, a vague Pat Metheny quality. The guitar is smooth but still funky. The summery haze is still there in the backing instrumentals, with especially Sean Foran on keyboards and Luke Moller on strings. The piece goes more psychedelic than country, yet, it still works with what came previously and the compositions that follow. Having an instrumental piece also lets the group display different abilities, not always relying on vocals or lyrics to carry a tune.

Recorded over four days at the iconic MONA art museum in Tasmania, the release is free-flowing without being chaotic. The melodies help ground the music. "Stare into the Sun" settles back into the established country-folk style that rings with echoey waves, while "It'll be OK!" has a funkier atmosphere and a retro attitude, feeling like a tune written by The Eagles or America. Again, it is the thoughtful variety that is the key to the charm of Iridescence. Widdicombe is an astute musician. He not only works well with a team of others, but he also plays and sings his solo material with a clear devotion to the craft.

The way Trichotomy and Widdicombe blur the lines of genre showcases the need for such adventurous artistry in the industry. Occasionally, jazz can be overly post-bop or freestyling (think Al Foster and Fred Hersch respectively). Having a broader sonic palette in regard to a polyphonic style is ideal. Iridescence has a specific sound and a consistent approach. Could it include more instrumental compositions? Sure. Yet Widdicombe excels at his vocal mannerisms; they are warm and pleasant. And many of the songs, like the hypnotic "Shipping News," incorporate jazzier layers. On the whole, it is an exciting and subtly energized release with multiple tracks easily returned to.

Track Listing

Ebb and Flow; Iridescence; Get Out of the City; Stare Into the Sun; It'll Be OK!; Sunshine State of Mind; Black Magic; Hypocrite; Shipping News; It's Your Turn.

Personnel

Trichotomy
band / ensemble / orchestra
Additional Instrumentation

Danny Widdicombe: guitar, vocals, pedal steel guitar,synths; Sean Foran: piano, keyboards; John Parker: drums, percussion; Samuel Vincent; electric bass; Luke Moller: strings.

Album information

Title: Iridescence | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Earshift Music

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.