Music on CD

Band Substance

Track List:

1. Regular Fries
2. Song for a Special Friend
3. Ask Me in Latin (sample)
4. Workout (sample)
5. Three in One (sample)
6. How Deep the Fathers Love
7. Eternal Triangle
8. Blowin' Blue
9. Psalm 98

Scott Willcox writes of this CD:

“Band Substance is a London based big band formed from players many of whom are well known on the London Jazz scene.

Distinctive material is a feature of this album. Hopefully you’ll agree that none of it would be banned even though it’s all class A. The music has been described (not by me) as possessing some thoughtful and creative writing, in places very atmospheric.

A band member called track 4 (Workout) “Gil Evans meets Stravinsky”. This is going a bit far perhaps bit it is a number which while it could be placed in the ‘almost jazz’ category, certainly calls for jazz players. In this sense some of the album qualifies to my mind as proper crossover music.

Too often crossover just means unsympathetically adding a rhythm section to an orchestra to the detriment of both. Here we have a slightly more formal approach to big band writing but which still has to swing and with plenty of soloing opportunities for some very able players. Concert Jazz maybe.

Some of the numbers started life as simple songs and the theme of Workout was originally a basis for a piece for harpsichord! Track 6 is the tradition of “Just a closer a closer walk with Thee” and “Amazing Grace”. Track 9 began life as a choral piece. Enjoy!”

Scott Willcox

If you would like to buy this CD please contact Scott

Scott Willcox's CDs can be bought online from Cross Rhythms. See his artist page.