Opening the year's jazz coverage with a flashback to the 1980s is a bold move, but it's a necessary one to understand the enduring significance of saxophonist Iain Ballamy. Now, with his first solo release in years, Riversphere Vol 1, the veteran musician proves exactly why he has remained a pivotal figure on the British scene for four decades.
From Loose Tubes to Flowing Rivers
Ballamy first emerged as a key voice in the 1980s, often collaborating with the similarly inventive pianist Django Bates. Together, they were central to the revolutionary ensemble Loose Tubes, a band that famously melded swing, vaudeville, improvisation, and avant-rock into a thrilling, dance-inducing whole. This spirit of genre-fluid exploration is the lifeblood of his new project.
The album's concept, likening the confluence of rivers to the flow of musical ideas, is realised by a top-tier quartet. Ballamy's evocative saxophone is joined by the atmospheric, Bill Frisell-inspired guitarist Rob Luft, bassist Conor Chaplin, and drummer Corrie Dick. Adding a special cross-generational spark, the trumpet duties are shared between the ever-empathic Laura Jurd and Ballamy's own son, Charlie, on three tracks.
An Exquisite Musical Journey
The music on Riversphere Vol 1 is a masterclass in texture and mood. The opening 'Harmonique' shifts between folk-like melodies and raw, bent-note expression. 'Unresolved' features wistful guitar and saxophone lines drifting over soft, shifting drums. A cover of Frisell's 'Strange Meeting' finds slow tenor sax exhalations floating amid pealing guitar treble.
The album also warmly reflects Ballamy's love for Latin jazz and ambient music through two Chico Buarque and Antônio Carlos Jobim songs, showcasing Luft's versatility as both a tone-poet and a nimble improviser. The collection closes on a high note with the exquisitely harmonised finale, 'As Time Passes'. With Volume 2 already confirmed for later this year, the musical journey is set to continue.
Also Out This Month
The UK jazz scene continues to thrive with several other notable releases. Bassist Thomas Morgan presents 'Around You Is a Forest', featuring duets with stars like Craig Taborn and Ambrose Akinmusire, though the focus is intriguingly on his self-built virtual instrument, 'the Woods'.
British guitarist Tom Ollendorff augments his fine trio with US piano star Aaron Parks on 'Where in the World', delivering a mix of hard-bop groovers and elegant melodies. Finally, a welcome archival release arrives in the form of the late John Taylor's 'Tramonto', a live recording from 2002 capturing his superb trio with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron.
