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Tommy Smith: Torah
ByTorah isn't a new pieceSmith wrote it in 1999 for American saxophone great Joe Lovano. There's little doubt that Lovano turned in a stellar performance, when the five-part, 63-minute suite debuted in Edinburgh and Glasgow at the turn of the century, but it's perhaps even more appropriate that the composerwho has the most intimate understanding of its nooks and crannieshas now become the featured soloist. As a player, Smith has been delivering consistently over the past decade, on his own albums including the all-star-driven Evolution (ESC, 2003) and cohesive quartet date Forbidden Fruit (Spartacus, 2005), as well with Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen's three year-old working trio, responsible for the powerful 2008 ECM debut, Live at Belleville . But Torah represents Smith's most exhilarating and relentlessly creative playing to date, couched in a sweeping series of compositions that position him as one of modern jazz's most intriguing and compelling large ensemble composers.
Pianist Steve Hamiltona member of Smith's Forbidden Fruit quartet and an ex-member of drummer Bill Bruford's Earthworksis the saxophonist's foil on Torahwith less solo space, to be sure, but, along with bassist Calum Gourley and fellow quartet-mate/drummer Alyn Cosker, providing the fire in the engine room that makes Torahsuch a thrilling listen from start to finish. Smith's acute ear for arrangement means that, while he takes plenty of extended solos, contexts galore are taking place beneath, above and around him, making even the 20-minute "Exodus" seem to pass by in a nanosecond. Smith's breathtaking duet with Cosker, on the closing "Deuteronomy," combines dexterity, visceral power and a deep wellspring of ideas, while his opening three-and-a-half-minute a capella solo on "Numbers" demonstrates a breadth of extended techniques, before leading into a quirky blues, his continuing solo punctuated with swelling horn voicings and sharp punctuations.
This may clearly be Smith's show, but it wouldn't succeed as it does without an orchestra of massive talentnot just reading the notes off the charts, but bringing them to vibrant life. Torah is an important record, not just for the limitless Smith, but as unshakable proof that jazz is alive and thriving in the land of celtic music, kilts and tartan.
Track Listing
Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy.
Personnel
Tommy Smith
saxophone, tenorTommy Smith: tenor saxophone; Steve Hamilton: piano; Calum Gourlay: acoustic bass; Alyn Cosker: drums; Martin Kershaw: saxophones; Paul Towndrow: saxophones; Konrad Wiszniewski: saxophones; Bill Flemming: saxophones; Ryan Quigley: trumpet; Kevin Ferris: trumpet; Cameron Jay: trumpet; Tom Macniven: trumpet; Chris Greive: trombone; Phil O'Malley: trombone; Kevin Garrity: trombone; Michael Owers: trombone.
Album information
Title: Torah | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Spartacus Records
Comments
About Tommy Smith
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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