SLAMCD231 Harrison Smith Quartet – Outside Inside

Classy ‘90s British jazz recording of all original compositions, from saxophonist/composer Harrison Smith, who leads a superb group that includes pianist Liam Noble, bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer Winston Clifford.

Harrison Smith: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet
Liam Noble: piano
Jeremy Brown: double bass
Winston Clifford: drums

“The Harrison Smith Quartet effectively delve into the outside and inside of modern jazz with this set consisting of exceptionally strong material. Multi-reedman, Harrison Smith leads his band through a series of intricately devised movements, spanning lushly organised voicings, budding undercurrents and vivid dreamscapes…this outfit performs with the utmost conviction as they seamlessly blend sonorous arrangements with dashingly executed fireworks…Highly recommended.” – Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz

“Once again the SLAM label spotlights a significant British-based instrumentalist who’s not exactly been inundated with recording opportunists, either in his own right or with others. Smith’s work on tenor sax, soprano sax and bass clarinet is sufficiently commanding to hold attention throughout this programme, and almost more impressive is the variety of his exclusively original material. Winston Clifford and bassist Jeremy Brown, though often unobtrusive, play a significant part in this, as does pianist Liam Noble – nowhere more so than in the closing duo, Sweetie.” – Brian Priestley, Jazzwise

“Unassumingly thoughtful and subtle straight-ahead quartet session by a largely overlooked London reed player who can play with an absorbingly ruminative delicacy, or an old-fashioned muscular drive, and who appears with an excellent band…The set draws on a wide range of the jazz materials that emerged in the sixties and seventies, not only the obvious references of a Blue Note-ish small-band feel, but also echoes of the early John Surman Trio in the suspended time passages and brooding drama. The title track has a quietly padding, sidelong quality to it, with Smith often suggesting Surman’s bass clarinet, and when he opens out on uptempo tenor sax charges. Smith often recalls the rugged pre-Coltrane energies of players like Dexter Gordon and Joe Farrell, and adds some engaging vocalised slurs and smears of his own…honest, expert and likeable.” – John Fordham, The Guardian

All compositions by Harrison Smith.
Recorded at Eccentric Diversions Studio, London. 3, 4 March 1998.
Engineer and mixing by Dill Katz.

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