Ant Law: Unified Theories

Guitarist Ant Law exemplifies the modern jazz polymath. Beyond leading his own quintet, he maintains a musical partnership with British/Turkish vocalist Brigitte Beraha, sustains an ongoing collaboration with saxophonist Alex Hitchcock and co-leads the innovative Trio HLK. This venture sees him forming an entirely new ensemble for their debut release, Unified Theories, all while continuing collaborations with renowned artists including Linda May Han Oh, Tim Garland and Jeff Ballard.

Law's background mirrors his musical versatility. Raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, he graduated in physics at Edinburgh University in Scotland before immersing himself in music during a term at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After further honing his craft in New York City, he settled in London in 2010. His intellectual curiosity extends beyond performance; he has authored a guide to the Perfect Fourths method of guitar tuning, demonstrating the analytical mind that informs his musical approach.

This is his sixth album as leader and features 10 new compositions. He is joined by vocalist Brigitte Beraha, who sings her own lyrics on three tracks, alto saxophonist Will Vinson, bassist Orlando le Fleming, pianist Gwilym Simcock and drummer Ernesto Simpson. The collective combine well to build an impressive blend of melodic structure and improvisation.

The relaxed singer-songwriter vibe of "A to Z" opens the album. Beraha's poised vocals lead to well-constructed bass and acoustic guitar solos. It is in complete contrast to the bustling jazz-rock of "Colours," which harnesses the fierce power of Vinson and Law within le Fleming and Simpson's tight rhythmic ideas. The chugging groove of "Parity" again finds saxophone and guitar making strong impressions among the complex interplay that courses through the album.

"Where Would We Be?" is one of the highlights; it slowly builds with le Fleming at his lithe best alongside Beraha's atmospheric vocals before sax and piano bring their ideas. The ambitious "Ballroom" has some of Law's best work alongside Vinson's explorations. Beraha makes her third appearance on the final track, "Ensconced," backed by Law and Simcock's well-judged accompaniment.

Much of the album's material springs from Law's compositional experiments, with "Stereopticon" being an ideal example, as his innovative approach combines two tonal centers. While such theoretical frameworks could easily drift into complexity, the track remains accessible thanks to the ensemble's superb technique and the fluid balm added in the closing passages by Simcock.

Throughout the album the musicians probe at Law's compositions, adding intricate details and playing with concepts to create music which moves between abstract and engaging. Their musical conversation is always absorbing, with the textural contrasts provided by the vocal tracks and the wide range of influences guiding the listener in enjoyable and delightfully unpredictable directions.