Adam Waldmann is a young man with big hair, a big
smile and big ideas. Just three years
ago, the young saxophonist burst onto the scene with his band Kairos 4tet, delivering a stunning
debut that swiftly positioned him as a cornerstone of the British jazz scene. With
melodies that worm their way into your brain and stay there long after the
final notes ring out, Waldmann is celebrated for
his gift of bridging the elusive gap between crossover appeal and serious
jazz cred.
EverythingWe Hold is Kairos 4tet's third album and first
recording for Naim Jazz. This time, in a
bid to push the boundaries of his own creativity, Waldmann explores in great
depth the art of song. In doing so, Waldmann forged relationships that not only
presented him with new musical vistas, but inspired him immensely on what
became an exploration of the human condition. To that end, this album sees Waldmann
collaborating with lyricist, film maker, and actor Rupert Friend (Pride & Prejudice,
Young Victoria, Homeland), a writing partnership first hinted at on Kairos 4tet's
second album, Statement of Intent. With one half of the album featuring vocals, Everything We Hold is
Waldmann's most unapologetically
diverse album to date.
For Waldmann, a socially
conscious, deep thinker, the songs he wrote with Friend represent
the relationships most
important to him, yet have a universal essence. They reflect events that occurred during the past
year, including reuniting with his band following time away due to injury,
alongside compositions dedicated to, each member of his quartet. Framing
the album is the instrumental suite, The
99 Parts 1,2,3 and 4 in recognition
of the Occupy Movement and the phrase ‘We are the 99%' that references social and
economic inequality. "The reoccurring
musical motifs both within the suite and referenced from the other songs" says
Adam, "serve to remind us of connectivity on a wider scale".
One of three stunning guest
vocalists joining Waldmann is Irish singer-songwriter
Marc O'Reilly who
lends his husky voice to three stand-out tracks including the incredibly moving
Ell's Bells, a lullaby for Waldmann's
niece. Soul star Omar, who Waldmann met at 2011's MOBO ceremony while collecting his
Best Jazz Act trophy, appears on the album's ripe-for-radio, Song For The Open Road, a song about
finding ones' true self. Finally, no
stranger to Kairos fans having appeared on both previous recordings is Swedish
singer Emilia Mårtensson, whose wistfully intimate voice is heard
on the haunting song, Narrowboat Man, an
ode to friendship, alongside three others.
With the addition of accordion, French horn, harp, cello and even glockenspiel, Everything
We Hold represents a giant leap forward for this
precocious talent.
For Waldman,
there was only one creative genius that could fill the producer's chair -
conductor, composer, musical director, founder of the Heritage Orchestra and
one of his oldest friends, Jules Buckley. Having worked with some of the country's
biggest artists, from Arctic Monkeys and Basement Jaxx, to Anthony and the
Johnsons and Michael Kiwanuka, Waldmann knew that Buckley was just the chap to
help frame this broad and challenging body of work. "Jules
is probably the most natural musician I have ever met, and the string
arrangements he did for Narrowboat Man and Ell's Bells are really
wonderful. He's helped realise the potential, both sonically and creatively,
that I was after"
There's no doubt that
while Waldmann has presented a remarkably accessible collection of
compositions, the Kairos 4tet trademark qualities remain. At the very core of each song is a lyrical,
melodic quality and exceptional inventiveness.
Waldmann, a graceful player, displays remarkable talent whether on
breathy tenor or quirky soprano, and with bassist Jasper Hoiby's muscular
basslines, Ivo Neame's dazzling piano and Jon Scott's solid drumming,
the quartet allow a sharp improvisational edge to shine through. Born through
the sophisticated and compelling interplay between a quartet with incredible
rapport, Waldmann's band mates have achieved the difficult task of performing
their band leader's songs, rather
than simply presenting a quartet with a vocalist.
No comments:
Post a Comment