Stirring stuff. A power-packed trio led by bassist Andersen and with brilliant tenorman Smith in the vanguard delivers an hour of immensely powerful music. This trio, fuelled by the drumming of Paolo Vinaccia, covers a lot of bases, from a thoughtful
version of Ellington's Prelude to a Kiss, to the free improvisation of Outhouse. The centrepiece though is the four-part Independency, which is a constantly shifting soundscape. Smith is a tower of strength and Andersen, as always, has the air of a master at work. AV
Kenny Garrett: Sketches of MD (Mack Avenue) £13.99A new label for Garrett and a solid start, with a tribute to his old boss, Miles Davis. There is as much of John Coltrane's influence here as there is of Davis, thanks to the presence of tenorman Pharaoh Sanders, who though not quite the free-blowing firebrand of 40 years ago still works up an impressive head of steam. But it's Garrett's gig and he demonstrates why he's one of the most fiery players around. His inventive solos on the likes of The Ring and Wayne's Thang are splendid, with fine support from pianist Benito Gonzalez. AV
Sibelius: Symphonies Nos 1 & 4 LSO Live LSO0601 £8.99The awesome power of Colin Davis's Sibelius' First Symphony, where moments of blazing drama are set beside brooding emotions ready to explode, proves the most riveting account on disc. By contrast the Fourth is unnerving as Davis creates desolate windswept landscapes of limitless horizons. Even in their rarified world of technical perfection, the London Symphony have given us little better, the brass snarl and timpani bring high impact to crown the fabulous strings. Sound quality is excellent and it comes at bargain price. DD
Elgar: Violin Concerto Canary Classics CC06 £12.99For Gil Shaham the technical demands of Elgar's violin concerto do not exist. Clarity in the most difficult passages is remarkable, and his massive tone rides high over the orchestra's dramatic outpouring. Who could blame him for luxuriating in the passages of poetic beauty, though with the outgoing virtuosity of the Chicago Symphony on hand, he does dash forward as the adrenalin level gets high in this live concert recording. A meagre playing time but in stunning sound. DD
The full article contains 390 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
