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Bonsai: Bonsai Club
ByOpening with "Bonsai Club," the vocals are the most noticeable aspect of the track. Efficient, but not spectacular, they are vaguely reminiscent of the studiously laid-back singing approach of Robert Wyatt, Hatfield and the North or, at a pinch, Hatfield's progenitor, Caravan. The angular, "The Crescent," with wordless vocals from DI, and a compulsive violin vamp, grabs the attention immediately with a strident trombone solo from RI and some equally exuberant vibraphone from Jonny Mansfield.
DI chants the vocals on the ethereal "Tin" in a limpid, high register, rendering it, to all intents and purposes, a prog song, albeit a commendably sophisticated one. The vocals on the languid "Quay," again very Hatfield-esque, comprise one single line ("We're all alone together, now") but are so low in the mix they're almost subliminal and used more as a soundscape "wash."
RI's resoundingly rumbustious trombone is a key component of "Itchy Knee," undoubtedly the album's apogee which is further enhanced by DI's impressively vibrato-less violin (it is surprisingly difficult for violinists not to employ vibrato, which can have a cloying effect if too freely used in jazz). The lively "BMJC" showcases a fluid, masterly violin solo from DI and "Hop -The Hip Replacement" features some excellent violin and trombone interplay. As a jazz fusion album, Bonsai Club succeeds on many levels and, most encouragingly, will introduce this quintet of talented musicians to a wider audience.
Track Listing
Bonsai Club; The Crescent; Tin; BMJC; Quay; Hop - The Hip Replacement; Itchy Knee; Bonsai Reprise.
Personnel
Rory Ingham: trombone; Dominic Ingham: violin, vocals; Toby Comeau: piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer; Joe Lee: bass, vocals, piano, synthesizer; Jonny Mansfield: drums, vibraphone, percussion, synthesizer.
Album information
Title: Bonsai Club | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Ubuntu Music
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