SLAMCD284 Mark Anderson, Paul Dunmall, Philip Gibbs & Tony Hymas – 21st Century V-Bop

This is an album that proves that spontaneous composition can be both melodic and groovy. Recorded live in the studio in one take, with no overdubs, ’21st Century V-Bop’ covers a vast landscape both sonically and stylistically.

From the raging opener of “The Path of Non-evitability” to the drums and bass of “The Front”, to the more pensive McLaughlin dedication “John’s Intelligent Ears”, the music covers all bases and moods.

Tony Hymas will be best known for his work with Jeff Beck (There and Back, Guitar Shop), Stanley Clarke, Jack Bruce and to a younger audience for his collaborations with Ursus Minor.

Paul Dunmall is best known as a free improvisor who has worked with many of the top improvisors worldwide, including Henry Grimes, Andrew Cyrille, Keith Tippett etc.

Philip Gibbs here provides fresh approaches to both rock and jazz guitar styles, with nods to McLaughlin’s technique and Hendrix’s walls of sound, whilst drummer Mark Anderson provides strength and groove alternately, with reference to the mighty cohort of fusion drummers past and the march of modern groove-based music into the future.

If you thought all improvised music is necessarily directionless atonal and a-rhythmic, a re-evaluation could start with this album.

Mark Anderson: drums
Paul Dunmall: tenor & soprano saxophone
Philip Gibbs: guitar
Tony Hymas: keyboard

“Paul Dunmall sounds terrific. Playing with his typical power and force, he gives the proceedings plenty of balderdashing strength. Gibbs gets into a shreddingly skronky mode much of the time, supplying a further edge to the music. Tony Hymas varies between ultra-free electronic and acoustical skitterings and rhythmic jabbing to set off against the Rock pulse. Quite simply, that’s what this V-Bop is: good out jamming.” – Grego Applegate, Cadence

“Dunmall in particular though, plays more linear and melodic lines than usual, especially on soprano saxophone, whose clear glissandi are the defining feature of most Fusion dates. Here, at least, when his timbres appear uncharacteristically chromatic, Gibbs is on hand to push him out of the comfort zone with resonating licks and swelling reverb. Equally pressurized knob-twisting distortions and wah-wah pedal strain from Gibbs sometimes presage additional coloration from Hymas’ church music-like keyboard chording and Anderson’s repetitive beats and clattering clunks.” – Ken Waxman, JazzWord

Recorded live in one take at Bristol University Studio on 18/8/09 by Jonathan Scott
Edited, Mixed and Mastered by YoYo at Andersonshelta Bristol.
Produced by Mark Anderson
Paintings by Paul Dunmall

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