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Review
As 2009's Green Delay album showed, the young, London-based ensemble Phronesis have a precocious compositional strength, hitching striking themes to engaging grooves; they have improv virtuosity to spare, but never show off, and make light of travelling the most devious rhythmic routes. This is a compelling session, recorded at Camden's Forge last year, with American drum star Mark Guiliana deputising for absent regular Anton Eger. Trio leader Jasper Høiby, a double-bassist with much of Dave Holland's agility and power, wrote all the pieces, which often revolve around buildups of layered rhythms setting bass patterns against contrasting drum rejoinders, a method Guiliana takes to with an explosive creativity. Pianist Ivo Neame's relaxed creativity over the most taxing rhythmic puzzles makes the band sound much more lyrical than it really is. Musing beginnings develop ambiguous Latin grooves and then abandon them for free-swing; romantic themes that sound like old John Lewis tunes for the Modern Jazz Quartet give way to astonishing bass-led twisters, as in the time-juggling Abraham's New Gift; and bass intros pinging with harmonics develop folksy melodies reminiscent of Guiliana's sometimes employer Avishai Cohen. Alive sounds like one of the hot UK jazz-album contenders of 2010. FOUR STARS --Guardian
Fair play to the talented Kit Downes for turning the ears of the Mercury Prize judges but you can t help feeling that this spirited London piano trio might have won over more jazz agnostics. Led by the propulsive double bass of Jasper Høiby on these live tracks, the pianist Ivo Neame and drummer Mark Guiliana (a stand-in, though you d never know) mix melody and muscle as intricate rhythmic ideas underpin resonant themes. There are echoes of the anything-goes spirit of EST and the excitement, too. FOUR STARS --Times
International piano trio Phronesis maintain their ebb-and-flow modal jazz from the first attention-grabbing strum of Jasper Høiby s opening bass pedal to a final fading chord from pianist Ivo Neame. Drummer Mark Guiliana rattles and clatters ominously, delivering a cushion of spiky beats for Neame s rococo lines and percussive chords. Høiby underpins all with his exceptionally strong tone, firm touch and pulsey riffs. The atmospheric themes are freely developed, and there s not much in the way of harmonic movement, but high energy levels and the sheer verve of their interplay more than compensate. FOUR STARS --Financial Times
Fair play to the talented Kit Downes for turning the ears of the Mercury Prize judges but you can t help feeling that this spirited London piano trio might have won over more jazz agnostics. Led by the propulsive double bass of Jasper Høiby on these live tracks, the pianist Ivo Neame and drummer Mark Guiliana (a stand-in, though you d never know) mix melody and muscle as intricate rhythmic ideas underpin resonant themes. There are echoes of the anything-goes spirit of EST and the excitement, too. FOUR STARS --Times
International piano trio Phronesis maintain their ebb-and-flow modal jazz from the first attention-grabbing strum of Jasper Høiby s opening bass pedal to a final fading chord from pianist Ivo Neame. Drummer Mark Guiliana rattles and clatters ominously, delivering a cushion of spiky beats for Neame s rococo lines and percussive chords. Høiby underpins all with his exceptionally strong tone, firm touch and pulsey riffs. The atmospheric themes are freely developed, and there s not much in the way of harmonic movement, but high energy levels and the sheer verve of their interplay more than compensate. FOUR STARS --Financial Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I was inpired to write a review of this after seeing the band play an exciting, intimate gig at Brighton Jazz Club last Friday. This made me think that they are all about live performance, so a live album has to be the best recommendation.
They have moved on to new material now - but the stand-out track on this album - "Abraham's New Gift", formed a hugely-deserved encore. In many ways this typifies what the band is all about - so it's a tune with 15 beats to the bar, although this is hard to hear as it's split into 7 and 8, where the 8 is pushed. This gives a unique rhythmic feel and culminates in an unbelieveable drum solo/feature!
This format of piano trio, really give the bass and drums a chance to stretch out and be featured and it's not piano that leads the band as is usual, but rather Jasper Hoiby who is the main writer, leader and soloist. With Ivo Neame often playing a supporting role.
Live, Hoiby dominates the stage - introducing tunes and talking to the audience - his bass playing is also a thing to behold, his long fingers making tremendous stretches. Of course you don't see this on the album, but his bass sound is to the fore - highly ryhthmic, with intricate flourishes and wonderful, full acoustic tone.
Each of the players are recorded very well and despite the live format, everything is crystal clear and often you forget it's live; you are just there with the band. The trio format gives an intimacy and also the focus falls on interplay - especially as I mentioned, rhythmic trading of ideas and patterns. Of course, these are virtuoso players - but they use their abilities to create ideas which at times are quite "danceable" - reminiscent of Drum 'n Bass for acoustic instruments.
There are so many ideas here - interesting, beautiful tunes that are sometimes gentle and then brutal in their rhythmic instensity. Piano and bass duets that amaze with their tightness and others that seem too fast and intricate to keep going. The album is generously long at nearly 75 minutes and is a great document of a real live phenomenon! If you can't get to see them live - then this is the next best thing!
They have moved on to new material now - but the stand-out track on this album - "Abraham's New Gift", formed a hugely-deserved encore. In many ways this typifies what the band is all about - so it's a tune with 15 beats to the bar, although this is hard to hear as it's split into 7 and 8, where the 8 is pushed. This gives a unique rhythmic feel and culminates in an unbelieveable drum solo/feature!
This format of piano trio, really give the bass and drums a chance to stretch out and be featured and it's not piano that leads the band as is usual, but rather Jasper Hoiby who is the main writer, leader and soloist. With Ivo Neame often playing a supporting role.
Live, Hoiby dominates the stage - introducing tunes and talking to the audience - his bass playing is also a thing to behold, his long fingers making tremendous stretches. Of course you don't see this on the album, but his bass sound is to the fore - highly ryhthmic, with intricate flourishes and wonderful, full acoustic tone.
Each of the players are recorded very well and despite the live format, everything is crystal clear and often you forget it's live; you are just there with the band. The trio format gives an intimacy and also the focus falls on interplay - especially as I mentioned, rhythmic trading of ideas and patterns. Of course, these are virtuoso players - but they use their abilities to create ideas which at times are quite "danceable" - reminiscent of Drum 'n Bass for acoustic instruments.
There are so many ideas here - interesting, beautiful tunes that are sometimes gentle and then brutal in their rhythmic instensity. Piano and bass duets that amaze with their tightness and others that seem too fast and intricate to keep going. The album is generously long at nearly 75 minutes and is a great document of a real live phenomenon! If you can't get to see them live - then this is the next best thing!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
EST and Phronesis might both include Scandinavian musicians, but please don't compare the two groups. EST was a Swedish group, Phronesis is an international project. EST's's music was resolutely Scandinavian, Phronesis' influences are Mediterranean and Latin-tinged. EST played a hybrid of jazz rock, often relying for effect on amplification and heavy production values; Phronesis are an acoustic jazz group relying on the rhythmic propulsion provided by excellent composition and dynamic performance. This is an outstanding release by an outstanding and original talent. They deserve to be heard in their own right. Comparisons with EST are very wide of the mark.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've just been to see this amazing jazz trio at the Brecon Jazz Festival and they blew me away. They are led by tall blonde double bassist Jasper Hoiby who on this disc is accompanied by pianist Ivo Neame and drummer Mark Guiliana. They recorded this in front of a live audience which helps to keep this muisc fresh and powerful throughout (although it must be said that seeing a band like this live is always better). Hoiby's bass takes the lead, with some wonderful loose but precise drumming complementing the piano, which adds a beguiling story underneath, a little like watching fascinating scenery through the window of a fast moving train.
I had to buy the CD after the gig - and immediatley fixated on the beguiling groove on 'French' that I'd heard just a few hours before.
I had to buy the CD after the gig - and immediatley fixated on the beguiling groove on 'French' that I'd heard just a few hours before.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The future...
This is a superb album! Hard to want to spend your time by writing on and on about it when you should just stop reading this review and click the 'buy' button. Not convinced? Read more
Published 12 months ago by M. Harding
A great live album
The third CD by british based jazz trio 'Phronesis' this time it's a recording of a live set recorded earlier this year. The playing and recording quality is excellent. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. C
An Outstanding Trio
Phronesis are an exciting progressive jazz trio, which on this recording capture the live aspect of their performance only bettered by hearing them live. Read more
Published 21 months ago by colinseum
What the critics have said
"Alive sounds like one of the hot UK jazz-album contenders of 2010"
**** [The Guardian]
"The sort of album that should get bigger jazz names quaking in their... Read more
**** [The Guardian]
"The sort of album that should get bigger jazz names quaking in their... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Edition Records
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