BADLAND Axis Of Cavity
[full press reviews]
"Altoist Rose is the dominant voice. He has some of the English reserve which John Butcher specialises in, but he hasn't totally eliminated the melodic fervour and gospel excess of the black American free players. However, what he plays is no forced compromise: he has his own, rather dignified, sound. The music is linear and fluid, with FelI and Noble suggesting sonics and textures which provide alternative environnments for Rose's central voice. Some of Noble's clattering inventions here and Fell's spuming 'walking bass' are priceless. Extraordinary how clean and sober jazz can become and still remain, essentially, jazz. Special. A:1" Ben Watson HI FI NEWS
"To these ears, Badland deftly combine their individuals respect for traditional jazz and free forms with personal, sometimes idiosyncratic (read: 'style') technique. Rose intermittently recalls Ayler, Coltrane, Dolphy, and Coleman - but retains an attack and the ability to sustain an extended technique all his own. Simon Fell's double bass-work is beyond reproach - often developing into such a clamorous gallop that it's a wonder the other 2/3rds can keep pace, and when he picks up a bow... watch out! Steve Noble is a delight, leavening his explosive outthrusts and drumhead massage with broken rudiments and abstractions of traditional jazz foundation-laying. These compositions - structured improvisations? - swing 360 degrees and touchdown on many points on that circumference. A trip worth taking twice." THE UNHEARD MUSIC
"These British improvisers move forward with the intentions, audacity, and forcefulness of a high-powered rock trio, as they demonstrate a proclivity to mimic each other's movements while exploring various angles amid blustery choruses and gushing crescendos. However, what sets this outing apart from many of the hard-edged, freeform blowing sessions that modernists are accustomed to resides within the band's subliminal rhythmic structures. With this effort, alto saxophonist Simon Rose renders plaintive cries and dirge-like motifs, while bassist Simon Fell and drummer Steve Noble provide a reverberating, at times oscillating undercurrent for the saxophonist's macrobiotic tone poems and abstract discourses. Needless to say, this band is having a blast - and it shows. They convey a profusion of thought-provoking sentiments to coincide with a brooding methodology that signifies an air of elusiveness in concert with a distinct sense of the dynamic. Overall, this release has quite a bit to offer, especially for those who think they've heard it all. ****" Glenn Astarita ALL MUSIC GUIDE
"Axis Of Cavity is a subtler but if anything nastier piece of work than Improvabilly: an act of evisceration rather than bludgeoning. The excellent recording quality is also a plus, rendering the sonic violence with a clarity that accentuates the music's perverse fascination (it makes me think of the ravishingly gorgeous and gruesome 19th-century medical photographs that adorn Naked City's Grand Guignol). What's most impressive on the album, perhaps, is how much musical range is packed into each track, and how different and eventful they all seem: some contain quiet passages examining a particular sonic texture at length (for instance, the first half of The Scapula Angles, where Rose's saxophone flutters over the oozing drums and bass); some are sprightly, rapidfire free-jazz (Spinous Process); there's even one track (Bow, Stick And Reed) which if it were unkinked a bit further would sound positively mainstream: Fell's work on it is more Dave Holland than Barry Guy, and Rose is downright bluesy. A similar process of encompassing musical extremes is also audible in miniature within each track: this is most obvious on the CD's one extended track, Surface For Talice, which ranges from quiet insect-music improv to an exhilarating climax on which Rose plays with acetylene-torch heat. (Not a track for those with ears sensitive to high pitches, let me note.) Of these two discs, Axis of Cavity is definitely the more challenging - and (as a result) it's also the most rewarding." Nate Dorward CODA
"Steve Noble's energy and inventiveness, his sense of space and pace engage perfectly with composer Simon H. Fell on double bass and Simon Rose on alto saxophone, as they bring fresh life to a range of free jazz situations. Noble is as forceful as he's intensely thoughtful and doesn't disturb the even distribution of weight that marks this out as genuine trio music. They can strut and burn, then shift to contemplative mood; line up small gestures then roll at full tilt; lock smoothly and glide, or grate and spark. Despite their menacing name, a lot of fine-grained interplay and skilful dovetailing goes into the careful collective shaping of Badland's music." Julian Cowley THE WIRE
A Jazz Review Editor's Choice
"For those unfamiliar with Fell, he is one of England's and perhaps the world's most creative bassists and composers. Fell, like so many other talented and creative improvisers, continues to have a low profile, which is unfortunate as his technical and compositional abilities are both compelling and unique. That being said, these three releases (Axis Of Cavity, Thirteen Rectangles & Improvabilly) demonstrate that he is not afraid of taking significant risks in order to make absorbing music that pushes the envelope far into the 21st century. Unlike Badland, there are no reinterpretations to be found on Axis Of Cavity, as this disc consists of nine spontaneous, original compositions focusing on the abstract side of the spectrum. Surprisingly for this genre, the group focuses on shorter time lengths (except for one twelve minute track) preferring to mete out their ideas within the four to six minute scope, keeping the focus finely tuned and their conception and ideas fresh. The tracks cover a broad range, including fierce, dynamic soul-searching or quiet, reflective moments or clanky, abstract explorations of sound and color. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this group is its tendency to cover this entire stylistic reach within the context of one track! These three musicians work well together and a respect for one another is evident. The nuances of each track are realized with increased listening time, although it still does take a great deal of patience to appreciate what they are striving to accomplish. This is music that is challenging to the listener but full of great rewards." Jay Collins CADENCE
"The three have dug into the sax/bass/drums free jazz setting and carved out their own take. Though they can roar along with full bore authority, there is far more at play here. The three morph the usual notion of horn against rhythm section into a setting for shifting fields of sonic events that still manage to careen along with roiling momentum. Rose tears into the improvisations with a quavering, molten tone, spraying sheets of notes punctuated with keening cries and hoarse, blasting overtones. But he can also lay out breathy, sputtering, percussive flurries during sections of sonic abstractions. Noble continues to prove himself as one of the more inventive drummers on the improv scene, equally comfortable in open-form settings like Company as he is in more pulse-based contexts. Here, his drumming rumbles with peals of thunder and then breaks apart into pinpoint cracks and slashing punctuation. Fell's bass playing is masterful, whether goading things along with vigorous, walking lines, churning out agitated layers of arco, or scraping scrubbed, free striations. Throughout, his bass carves out equal footing in the fray, shaping the collective pieces with an authoritative sense of time and texture. Each of the nine spontaneous improvisations is a compact study in the balance of brazen intensity and nuanced detail." Michael Rosenstein SIGNAL TO NOISE
"Akin to earlier power trios Fell was involved in with the likes of Wilkinson and drummer Paul Hession, Badland is a rip-snorting combo that on this disc struts its stuff on nine improvisations, or if you prefer, instant compositions. The altoist, who insists that he tries to experience music in other cultures, does create some unique hunter's horn sounds from his axe on the quieter, more atmospheric Groove For Deep Branch. Here, using circular breathing to extend and multiply various notes fits perfectly with Noble's cymbal work and Fell's plucked bass. Everything falls into place on Surface For Talice, Axis's more than 12-minute centrepiece. Here Rose's mouse squeaks and repetitive trilling smears and honks submerge into irregular air vibrations as all three instruments mesh in near silence. Other times, when not cymbal scratching, Noble showcases some upfront flams, while Fell can be heard perfecting a peg and wooden body explorations of the bass, ricocheting his bow off his taunt strings and even indulging in the sort of semi-traditional walking that characterizes SFQ." Ken Waxman JAZZ WEEKLY
"This trio takes a lot of elements from jazz and then twist them into new shapes and forms, experimenting constantly with new sounds, rhythms and musical phrases. Here we have Fell and Noble constructing a musical skeleton with their rhythms and phrases and we have Rose adding flesh to the bones. There are moments that are more chaotic like at 3:00 in Arm Of The Sea and there are many other moments that are more relaxed. Here you have experimentation on each track, on each minute and on each second. This is music done by musicians who stretch boundaries." MUSIC EXTREME
"These British improvisers move forward with the intentions, audacity, and forcefulness of a high-powered rock trio, as they demonstrate a proclivity to mimic each other's movements while exploring various angles amid blustery choruses and gushing crescendos. However, what sets this outing apart from many of the hard-edged, freeform blowing sessions that modernists are accustomed to resides within the band's subliminal rhythmic structures. With this effort, alto saxophonist Simon Rose renders plaintive cries and dirge-like motifs, while bassist Simon Fell and drummer Steve Noble provide a reverberating, at times oscillating undercurrent for the saxophonist's macrobiotic tone poems and abstract discourses. Needless to say, this band is having a blast - and it shows. They convey a profusion of thought-provoking sentiments to coincide with a brooding methodology that signifies an air of elusiveness in concert with a distinct sense of the dynamic. Overall, this 2002 release has quite a bit to offer, especially for those who think they've heard it all." iTunes
return to the Axis Of Cavity order page
return to recordings index page
click here to join the Bruce's Fingers mailing list and be automatically informed about all new releases, forthcoming gigs and special offers