Steve Fishwick's recording debut as sole leader
sees him in the company of his working quartet featuring the
incredible guitarist Colin Oxley. The two had
worked and recorded together years before this session in
a band that Steve co-led with his twin brother Matt, called
The Fishwick Brothers, and if this album is
anything to go by, the rapport between the two is still very
much alive. Rounding out the rhythm section are Hard Bop
Records' favourite bass player, Dave Chamberlain, and a drummer
who's been in the premier league of the British jazz scene for
well over a decade, the incomparable Steve Brown.
The accent is on standards here - but not the old "warhorses"
- and each has been carefully selected and arranged by the
leader to show the huge variety of moods this line up can evoke.
The Great American Songbook is represented by the likes of Harold
Arlen, Jimmy Van Heusen and Duke Ellington, and the Jazz
Standards come from Charlie Parker and that most prolific and
unique composer, Benny Golson. There is an original
composition too, Steve's "Humpin' And Bumpin'" - a funky (in the
original sense of the word!) minor blues that cooks from the first
beat.
PRESS REVIEWS :
Trumpeter Fishwick takes the lead here on his first-ever
quartet album. Piano is omitted in favour of Colin Oxley's guitar,
much like the Art Farmer-Jim Hall collaborations, with bassist Dave
Chamberlain and drummer Steve Brown rounding out the group.
Fishwick is enamoured of the hard bop style of Lee Morgan and Kenny
Dorham, and his pristine sound and rapid-fire attack are right on
the money - typified by a torrid run on 'Stablemates'. He also
recalls Chet Baker's approach on 'That Old Feeling' following
Chamberlain's opening theme statement.
This is resourceful music with a strong swing feel (bass, drums and
Oxley's guitar are spot on), and, like all the best players,
Fishwick seems to have time in hand. A terrific recording, and a
classy milestone for Fishwick and company.
Peter Vacher - Jazz UK
With a tight-knit guitar led trio and a robust style around
the Dorham/Morgan mark, Fishwick has an attractively firm (rather
than hard) bop sound. A self confessed anti-innovator, the
trumpeter weaves through well trodden harmonic woods with winning
young fogey assurance and makes an enjoyable case for keeping
things as they were in 1956.
Mojo Magazine