Tom Lyne, who hails from Canada and has lived in Scotland for many years, is a double bassist.
Well Mixed Blue is largely his originals. On the album he is accompanied by Scottish pianist Dave Milligan.
Lyne’s work includes the far funkier electric foray Far From Mars (2016) and he has worked with Dave Milligan’s trio alongside Tom Bancroft for over a decade and a half.
Hear the Milligans on the lilting Late Show where Milligan inhabits a dashingly melodic Scottish romantic style the building blocks of which Fergus McCreadie has run with in his own trio.
Lyne’s style reminds me on this new one of Don Thompson on George Shearing At Home. But Milligan’s style in this duo recording is less Shearing (he doesn’t do the locked hands signature dimension of Shearing for instance) and finds more expressive unbridled Oscar Peterson like runs that emerge from the creative crucible of the studio performance to inhabit more a Dave Newton or James Pearson like milieu. Certainly if you like those fine players then Milligan’s approach fits in well.
In addition to the originals there’s a version of Marcus Miller’s ‘Run For Cover’ which was played by David Sanborn, Miller and pals on 1981’s Voyeur. But Well Mixed Blue is a world away from the sort of funky smooth jazz that Sanborn made his own.
Instead stylistically it’s far more thoughtful, a factor that almost always applies in a series of reflective acoustic jazz duets. It’s the kind of thing you’d hear in an upmarket wine bar. But you couldn’t accuse what’s here of being under conversation music even if people in such an environment would inevitably need to be shushed when the gab kicks in. Take the trouble instead to hear the realness of double bass and of piano. Musicianship is strong. Sonics are extremely good and this will certainly appeal to audiophiles. Well Mixed Blue was recorded at Castlesound Studios in Scotland. Ideal Sunday listening when you want to be a bit more philosophical at the end of another week.
MORE FROM MARLBANK
You must be logged in to post a comment.