Alyn Cosker: Onta

Ayr is a coastal town situated in the southwest of Scotland. It is enjoyed by tourists for its scenic beach and as the location of the birthplace of the national poet Robert Burns. It also serves as the inspiration for Onta, the third album from drummer Alyn Cosker, who makes this his love letter to the town of his birth.

Buddy Rich fan Cosker is often found with The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. In his solo career, he has backed artists of the calibre of John Scofield, Arild Andersen and Randy Brecker. His versatility, together with his musical interests, which extend beyond jazz, has seen him play with folk/rock band Capercailie and alternative genre-bending bands such as Hue & Cry and Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan. He is joined by his like-minded key collaborators Tom Gibbs on Fender Rhodes and bassist Ewen Vernal, together with a host of guests.

The title track, which opens the album, is enhanced by Rachel Lightbody, who provides wordless vocals and Miro Herak's vibraphone as the track ebbs and flows, forming an atmospheric soundscape. Paul Towndrow joins for "Lullapalew," his chromatic whistle soaring above the stop-start fusion groove laid down by the core band. Cosker's Scottish roots come more apparent in "And You," as Matthew Kilner's sax reveals a folk-like melody before Gibbs steadily builds his improvisation. This evolves into a recital of part of Robert Burns' poem Man Was Made To Mourn over a repeating Rhodes motif.

The guest musicians continue to make key contributions: Juliette Lemoine's cello is a feature of the gentle soundscape of "Cassillis" alongside Vernal's eloquent electric bass. Cosker drives a swirling groove as "Downtown AYR" opens with a folk dance melody from Shetland fiddle player Jenna Reid-Sandilands before morphing into Towndrow's saxophone solo. Building on a tight platform of Lightbody's wordless vocals, loops, rhythmic drive and effects, Chad McCullough's distinctive trumpet style offers another aspect of Cosker's compositional imagination in "Fool's Full Heart."

The album reaches a stirring conclusion with "Làrach do Thacaidean," featuring guest contributions from guitarist Davie Dunsmuir, bassist James Lindsay and renowned singer Karen Matheson OBE. Widely known as the voice of Celtic folk group Capercaillie, Matheson performs a traditional Scottish vocal style known as puirt à beul, originally used to accompany dancing in the absence of instruments. She delivers the rapid-fire Gaelic lyrics with remarkable clarity, her voice weaving effortlessly through Cosker's hand drumming before the track moves into Dunsmuir's rock guitar solo.

Cosker's continually inventive drumming and ever-evolving motion show why he is so highly sought after. His paean to Ayr offers a broad and intriguing palette of musical styles blending fusion, folk, rock and jazz into a captivating whole. This is a daring album where seemingly incompatible styles make for ideal partners. He, his band and guests effortlessly merge genres and influences, never lingering too long in one place before inviting the listener to something new, offering surprises and much to admire.

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