Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Andy Middleton: Nomad's Notebook

Andy Middleton: Nomad's Notebook

By David A. Orthmann
August 1, 2000
Sign in to view read count

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Andy Middleton’s third disc as a leader is a mixed bag of middle-eastern melodies, jazz-rock fusion (played with acoustic instruments), and pieces that fit comfortably in the modern mainstream of jazz. The unifying element in all of this music is the exemplary musicianship of Middleton and his core band of guitarist and pianist Ralph Towner, bassist Dave Holland, the drums of Alan Jones, with percussion and trombone added on some tracks. They find creative ways of playing the wide variety of material, thereby giving the disc a feeling of wholeness.

Middleton’s moody composition, “Loyalsock,” begins with an ethereal guitar introduction by Towner, leaving room for Holland’s comments and Jones’ shifting accents, which imply rather than explicitly state a pulse. Middleton’s ripe tone on tenor becomes somewhat raspy as his solo progresses, and on this and his other turns, he favors a deliberate development of ideas and interaction with the others. “Lothlorien,” named for a mountain in the Canadian Rockies, is a reflective ballad that becomes more insistent without shattering the mood. Middleton’s tenor mixes strength and sensitivity, and Jones offers a thrashing, polyrhythmic solo over a vamp and continues in this vein during the restatement of the theme.

Towner’s “Raffish,” one of three of his compositions on the recording, starts with sinister-sounding insistent guitar chords, which evolve into two bright, funky themes. The band improvises collectively and then Middleton unleashes his most impassioned playing on the disc, racing through the changes without dominating, and leaving space for the commentary of Towner, Holland, and Jones.

Track List:Loyalsock; Kasbah Tadla; Mount Rundle; Raffish; Lothlorien; I’ll Remember August; Lizbet; Songs Of Struggle And Songs Of Love; Simone.

Personnel

Andy Middleton

woodwinds

Andy Middleton

Album information

Title: Nomad's Notebook | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Intuition

< Previous
Premonition

Next >
Producer Don Paul

Comments

About Andy Middleton

Instrument: Woodwinds

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create 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.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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.