Strong showing from the altoist leader as a player but the material isn’t as compelling
The debut of Irish saxist Micheal Murray’s Colourfield is released by Dutch label ZenneZ. The altoist leader, one of a set of super talented Co Donegal hailing jazz playing twins (Micheal’s brother is a bassist known for his work with Glasgwegian singer Georgia Cécile) Murray is a fine instrumentalist it’s clear. Joined by the Dutch band of pianist Joy Shechter, bassist Omer Govreen and drummer Wouter Kühne tunes are Murray’s. ‘Radial’ is doleful following the thoughtful opener ‘Light Abstracts’. The three brief ‘Abstraction’ tracks, one early on, the other two much later, go more avant-garde but not massively way out. The second ‘Abstraction’ track is one of the album’s best along with ‘Everlast.’ All Murray originals I’m not as convinced by the writing as his thoughtful sax playing which lands somewhere between Steve Lehman’s sound and Lee Konitz’s.
If Rounded Nature has a fault it’s that there isn’t much spread here – tunes are fairly introspective and while the mood is ably set there isn’t much development.
Nevertheless pieces like ‘In Mending’ draw you in as quiet progress is made and Murray’s timbral authority is clear. ‘Unfurling’ – where the pianist opens up more – is clearly the weakest of the tracks and could easily have been left to one side.
Overall the tunes aren’t amazing and the album could do with a few standards.
Murray’s bebop chops show up most impressively on ‘The Opening’ and the rest of the band respond here far better than elsewhere.
The band play Bimhuis in Amsterdam on Wednesday
MORE FROM MARLBANK
Callum Allardice
