Malija-The Day I Had Ever

Product Description The Day I Had Everything’ magnifies what is beautiful about great jazz. The subtleties and sophisticated group interaction offers countless rewards.. If New Orleans was the first city of jazz; New York, the city that never sleeps: the home of bebop; Paris the city of 50s cool, then, arguably, that dynamic, cosmopolitan, constantly self-reinventing megacity London is the jazz burg of the 21st century. To a visitor, London is overwhelming - a monster that consumes all in its path, grimey, overcrowded and intense. But it’s been said that London is a collection of villages and to the resident, subtle differences emerge between boroughs, within districts, even along streets. The yearly cycle brings its own complexity. The constant movement of people, wealth and cultures within the smoke create new patterns that are ever changing but are hugely influential on Londoners in obscure and cryptic ways. Review Malija are a drummerless trio comprising Polar Bear saxophonist Mark Lockheart, Phronesis double-bassist Jasper Høiby, and the versatile Liam Noble. The three know each other s work well (they came together in 2009 as part of the quintet on Lockheart s In Deep album) but though they share a wavelength, this collaboration sounds strikingly fresh. Noble s Blues warps regular blues harmony for Lockheart to muse quietly over; Squared is a jaunty bluegrassy jangle; Almost a Tango a bass and piano strut that tugs the saxophonist in and out of free jazz. One for Us is a ballad on which Lockheart adopts a feline, Stan Getzian sound, which he also unfurls around the luxurious sweeps of the Ligeti String Quartet on this set s one classically angled piece. Høiby and Noble keep such emphatic grooves rolling that the absence of a drummer is barely noticeable, and the solos are terrific. The pleasure of this trio in their close relationship is infectiously evident all over the set. --The Guardian Elegant, subtle, robust, heart-felt, this new Edition Records release surprises, and, in turn, reassures the listener…Jazz at its best…Heartily recommended. --Bebop Spoken Here 'Despite each tune having different inspiration there are hints of New Orleans, tango (not so much a hint, since it's called Almost A Tango), Ellington, folk and classical genres the whole recording is a very satisfying statement of what three musicians together can achieve.' --London Jazz News