Moonlight Saving Time: Meeting At Night

"Clouds" opens this set with a barely audible intake of breath, Emily Wright's dulcet voice, augmented in resplendent harmony by multi-tracking, is instantly indicative of her prodigious ability. The "Englishness" of Wright's vocal delivery is also obvious on the title track (with words by Victorian poet Robert Browning), where at times she channels that doyenne of British jazz, Norma Winstone. It's here too that Nick Malcolm turns in a fluid trumpet solo and guest saxophonist Jason Yarde contributes an alto solo of confident dexterity.

The sombre, brief and wordless "'Trio" segues subtly into "Silence is Here," the catchiness of the piano and voice led melody, emphasised by a repeated modulation from major to minor, with the elegance of the song embellished by Malcolm's trumpet solo.

If there was any question as to the geographical provenance of this band, this is purposefully confounded by the gorgeous poetry of "Sea View" with words taken from John Masefield's famous poem "Sea Fever" and music by British composer John Ireland. Additionally, the folk-like quality of this track characterises Wright's pursuance of a noble tradition of pellucid British singers in much the same jazz-folk mold as Judy Dyble, who graced Fairport Convention's first eponymous album and Jacqui McShee of the now legendary Pentangle.

The haunting melody of "Desire for Nothing Known" utilises multi-tracked vocals, producing a choir-like effect and the track's disconcertingly abrupt ending midway through a cavalcade of notes leaves the listener thirsting for more. Plangent solo trumpet heralds the opening to Nick Malcolm's "Views," an instrumental by any other name, with a stellar contribution from Jason Yarde and Wright's wordless ethereal vocals again redolent of Winstone's technique.

The instrumentally sparse interpretation of Calvin Harris' anthemic hit "I'm not alone" juxtaposes with Wright's perfectly limpid voice and Malcolm's doleful trumpet. "From my Window" starts almost imperceptibly, but builds inexorably with a haunting arrangement, whilst the uplifting "Arthur's Dance" ends this session with guest Dan Moore on Hammond organ providing a subtle Dylanesque backing.

A mixture of emotional acumen and compositional finesse sums up this really excellent debut album which pays huge dividends over repeated plays. Emily Wright, who co-wrote four of the tracks, is without doubt a major talent. Very highly recommended.

Footnote: Blossom Dearie recorded the song "Moonlight Saving Time" (composed by Harry Richman and Irving Kahal) in 1958 for her album Once Upon A Summertime, released the following year, but that breezy number is miles away from this band's poignantly reflective repertoire.

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