Billy Marrows And Grande Familia: The Penelope Album Live

In 2024 London-based guitarist and composer Billy Marrows formed a 12-piece chamber-jazz ensemble. Together as Billy Marrows and Grande Família, they released their debut album, Penelope (Self Produced), in memory of Marrows' mother, Penny. This deeply personal project used tunes he had written during her battle with cancer. The band featured Marrows' musical friends and relations playing in various formats: as a 12-piece ensemble, in smaller combinations and Marrows' solo guitar pieces. The project was used to raise funds for World Child Cancer

The band's debut performance at London's Pizza Express Jazz Club was a sell-out. It was captured live and forms their second release, The Penelope Album Live, which will also earn funds for the charity. The album features the same personnel, the original album running order and once again the album cover features another of Penelope's splendid paintings. There is one significant difference this time; with the exception of a shaker on one track, the original album had no percussion. This time drummer Tom Potter is added. He is a welcome addition, adding guile rather than power to the mix.

Compared to the original album, some tracks are expanded, some solo pieces are adapted for the whole band, some transitions are added and the tracks "Penelope" and "Shenandoah" are now in two parts. Considering this, it is remarkable how the band have managed to maintain the sense of kinship and friendship that so pervaded the personality of the first recording.

"A Grande Família" is once again a highlight with its bright samba rhythm, with Marrows' guitar combining well with bass and flute before Olli Martin's trombone solo closes the track. "The Beech Tree" previously featured Marrow solo on baritone guitar; this time the track is twice as long as the arrangement is expanded to the whole band. The tune is transformed too as it builds to a crescendo with superb interplay and subtle control.

"L'Heroisme" is also lengthened, allowing more space for inventive solos and combinations from Tom Ridout on tenor sax and Mike Soper on trumpet. "Shenandoah" is split into two parts, the first featuring Marrows' solo, the second transforms the song as the arrangement features the whole band and brings out the folk song origins, gaining momentum as guitar, flute and wind instruments move to an eloquent and moving end.

With Potter's drums now anchoring the rhythmic load, it allows Marrows more freedom for expression and support, making this far more than a companion piece to the original. The live setting gives these compositions a heightened tension; there is more drama and the songs are cast in a new light, but the smaller band combinations remain, conserving the intimate improvisational dialogues. With an appeal that covers chamber jazz and beyond, this live album magnifies the invention, charm and compositional strength of the original while being different enough and strong enough to stand on its own.

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