Two saxophones take the front line in Paul Dunmall's 2018 studio album, the leader on tenor saxophone with fellow tenor player Julian Siegel, also on bass clarinet, while Mark Sanders drums and Percy Pursglove handles bass and also trumpet, as the band falls into a hard bop mode, weaving lines together over wonderfully turbulent and soulful grooves; outstanding.
Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2018 Country: UK Packaging: Digipack Recorded at Rain Studios Kings Heath, in Birmingham, England, UK, on August 31st, 2018, by Craig Smith.
"Paul Dunmall has recently brought two new CDs on the FMR Label: As One Does (FMR CD512-1018) and Inner and Outer (FMR CD513-1018). The first features a double sax front line with Julian Siegel joining Paul on tenor sax and also bass clarinet on two tracks, plus Percy Pursglove on double bass and on trumpet on two tracks, and Mark Sanders on drums. The second features Paul with Philip Gibbs, a guitarist that Paul has recorded with on many occasions, James Owston on double bass and Jim Bashford on drums. Both albums were recorded at the Rain Studios in Kings Heath, Birmingham and were mixed by Luke Morrish-Thomas.
Both albums capture Paul at his very best, forceful on the double sax album, more contemplative on the album with guitar. It is all freely improvised, and it always strikes me how fluent Paul's playing is in this context; he always creates a solo that is original and full of fresh ideas that never seem to be repeated. There is a coherence and logic to these solos that remind me of the same phenomenon in Sonny Rollins' solos. Paul seems to enjoy the joisting of a double sax frontline and has in recent years toured and recorded with John O'Gallagher, played the Herts Jazz Festival with Alan Skidmore and recorded with Jon Irabogan, who seems to have come over from the US with the specific aim of recording with Paul. But it is fascinating to hear Paul in the very different context of a quartet with an improvising guitarist on the second Cd.
The CD As One Does with Julian Siegel, Percy Pursglove and Mark Sanders has six tracks the length of which ranges from about 8 to 13 minutes. The pattern is mostly one of interaction between the two horns that leads into individual solos from both Paul and Julian and then back into the call and response interaction. There is a strong and varied groove from Percy and Mark throughout. It is interesting how Julian's playing is often quite similar to Paul's and sometimes it is difficult to decide who is actually taking the solo. Paul is generally just that little bit more forceful than Julian, but there isn't a lot in it. Interestingly, I believe that Paul has had quite an influence on players of both Julian's generation and the next generation.
This pattern of interaction leading into individual solos and then back into the interaction is followed on the first three tracks. Paul solos first on Track 1 As One Does and Track 3, "Talk With Me". Julian leads off on Track 2 "Woe Is Me, FO". Track 4, "Fine Lines Of Expression" is different and lives up to its title with a beautiful solo from Percy Pursglove on trumpet, initially over a drone from Julian on bass clarinet which leads into a duet between the trumpet and clarinet. Paul enters and we have a three way interaction before a very powerful duet between Mark Sanders on the drums and Julian on bass clarinet. Again Paul enters for the final part of the track.
Track 5, "Ever New Down The Avenue" is at 13 minutes the longest track and each soloist is able to stretch out. Julian is again on bass clarinet and both his and Paul's solos really build up impressively. Percy is on trumpet and there is a fine duet passage with him and Mark that eventually segues into a three way interaction with the three horns.
Track 6 is back to the two tenor sax front line and follows the pattern of interaction leading in and out of solos. Julian takes the first solo on this track."-Tony Dudley Evans, TDE Promotions