Andrew Woolf: Song Unsung

Although London-based tenor saxophonist Andrew Woolf has been releasing records since 2012, Song Unsung is the first he has issued under his own name. His debut, which was actually recorded in 2008, was the EP Soma Quartet (Self Produced), made by Woolf, electric guitarist Ryan Williams, double bassist Will Collier and trumpeter Joe Auckland. The disc celebrated the musicians' shared love of the music of Kenny Wheeler and in particular Wheeler's album Angel Song (ECM, 1997). Over a decade later, Auckland is a member of the quintet which recorded Song Unsung. Between 2008 and 2021, Woolf's culturally diverse recording history has included, among others, Madwort Sax Quartet, Ghanaian percussionist Afla Sackley's aggregation Afrik Bawantu, and Alvorada, who specialise in Brazilian choro music.

Alongside Woolf and Auckland, the Song Unsung quintet features guitarist Rob Updegraff (Julia Biel, Gregory Porter), double bassist Dave Mannington (Yazz Ahmed, Julian Arguelles) and drummer Simon Roth (Elliot Galvin, Chris Potter). The band plays thoughtful, melodic, uplifting music which has echoes of the aforementioned Angel Song, though not necessarily that album's melancholic air—Woolf's cover art may suggest autumn (can you see any leaves on the trees?), but aside from a few darker passages, the general vibe is brighter. All but one of the pieces were composed by Woolf, and the title track was inspired by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, who, incidentally, similarly inspired brother and sister, clarinetist Idris Rahman and pianist Zoe Rahman's lovely Where Rivers Meet, released on Manushi Records in 2008. You may also hear resonances with the music of Joe Lovano and Bill Frisell, musicians Woolf admires.

Song Unsung was self produced and was completed with the help of a crowdfunding campaign. The campaign was successful and is now closed, and the YouTube clip below is included not to raise funds but to provide a taste of the album.

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