Definitely the best thing I have come across this year to come out of Ireland north or south. And just like last year when Matt Benson led the way with his crossover album Sit Back Down Again where it’s happening emanates from the north, in Northern Ireland. But like that album, and again so emblematically it shows the strong currents of connection between north and south, it was recorded in Cian Boylan’s Camden studio in Dublin. And again like Benson young pianist Zak Irvine hails from County Down. Listen to what he has to say for himself below.
Apparently just these tracks were made at the time of recording – there won’t be a full album just yet I am reliably informed. There’s no issuing label, although it’s backed by trumpeter Linley Hamilton and his wife Maggie Doyle who have championed Irvine to get him this far by facilitating the session financially showing great belief in a new generation player who certainly rewards their faith in him given the quality here. So Before Dusk and Dawn is a statement of intent, a professional demo if you prefer, certainly however you term it a wake up call. In a UK scene mainly dominated by English and Scottish acts it’s highly refreshing that this comes from somewhere else just as valid but rarely given proper recognition as a fertile source or given any attention by often spectacularly out of touch media distracted by ephemeral tat and overcooked hype spun by cynical publicists.
Optimism is the name of the game: Irvine’s approach is centred on a positivity built from a certain riff-groove alchemy fattened out by tightly arranged horns and a pacey drum sound.
Certainly Irvine is strongly influenced – as he says so himself in his guest blog above – by Robert Glasper.
And you get a very heavy riff and groove based approach that sounds sunny and optimistic without being at all trite.
The tune is usually taken on by the closely arranged horns. Trumpet and tenor saxophone are in lock step.
Like Sultan Stevenson another breakout new generation pianist in recent years – in his case influenced by McCoy Tyner mainly musically – Irvine is faith as well as musically inspired.
Irvine plays on this with saxophonist Michael McDowell – check him out on the very different track ‘American Bar’ by Derry folk-pop band Polar Bolero – who has a beautifully honed and characterful approach and chimes well with trumpeter Tom Wall. Bassist Phil Acheson who is also in the Irish trad influenced trio Le Chéile reminds me of Nicky Scott a bit, the great Van Morrison bassist from Northern Ireland and bass is important on ‘Ember’ if you listen closely.
Mastered up, the sound has a punchy impact. It is not weedy. And nor is it saccharine nu jazz either mercifully. There’s a far greater jazz tonality to it than any attempt to be a pop record which of course it isn’t.
Drummer Ben Watson comes more to the fore on ‘No 3’ which has a perky drive to it that certainly emphasises positivity when Irvine takes on the solo on Fender Rhodes.
These 4 tracks fit an overall sound rather than tell 4 different stories. It’s a vision rather than a patchwork of impressions and is confidently performed by a leader who is clearly on a mission.
Hear Irvine at the Courthouse, Bangor on 30 August and the American Bar, Belfast on 6 September.
