Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sandy Evans: Rock Pool Mirror

5

Sandy Evans: Rock Pool Mirror

By

Sign in to view read count
Sandy Evans: Rock Pool Mirror
Composed and led by saxophonist /composer Sandy Evans (OAM) this album of ambient landscapes is a musical response to photographer Belinda Webster's Shoalhaven Gorge series of photographic images which traverse the tranquility of rock formations reflected in still waters at dawn, to the darkness of chasms and rock formations in an area of unique and pristine natural Australian bushland.

The music is a series of duets with Evans by numerous musical contributors interspersed with tracks featuring drummer/composer Alon Ilsar's sonic wizardry.These dynamic instrumental pieces stay mostly rooted in the ambient mode, but occasionally soar and fly beyond, demonstrating a dizzying range of technique and tone complemented by Satsuki Odamura's blissfully evocative koto playing, Bobby Singh's cheeky tabla with his supple hand percussion making the disc's rhythms feel organic, Adrain Sherriff's sometimes bold and brassy bass trombone and the hauntingly faultless earthy double bass playing of Steve Elphick.

The group's interplay in duets is as bright and smart as the leaders' compositions. Some are simple frameworks for coasting and trading fun solos, though the more successful moments lie in the surprising juxtapositions of instruments. Stand out tracks include the evocative and redolent "Lake Yarrunga Colours" featuring the mastery of Satsuki Odamura's koto and the prowess of Evans' soprano alongside "Rock Warrior" and "Lake Yarrunga Morning Mist" featuring the deftly skillful tabla playing of Bobby Singh and the inventiveness of Evans' tenor and soprano saxophones respectively. This would have to be, indeed, one of the most intriguing contemporary musical releases in Australia this year.

Track Listing

Rock Water Temple; Lake Yarrunga Morning Mist; CliffEdge; Dasavatara; Blue Gorge; Curved Tree; Tree Tangle; Rock Warrior; Lake Yarrunga Colours; Stonefish; Lake Yarrunga; Rock Warrior 2.

Personnel

Sandy Evans
saxophone

Sandy Evans: soprano & tenor saxophone Steve Elphick: double bass Alon Ilsar: air sticks & drums Satsuki Odamura: koto & bass koto Adrian Sherriff: bass trombone Bobby Singh: Tabla

Album information

Title: Rock Pool Mirror | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Tall Poppies

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.