"I’ll be with you again" SLAMCD 259

The Martin Pickett Group ~ Tony Isaacs, Mike Wills reeds, Phil Berry bass. Frank Hockney drums, Martin Pickett piano with guest vocalist Alison Bentley (*).

Tracks

1 Lantana 4:32

2 Avocadoesque 5:41

3 Times Square Times 3:40

4 Come Thou Monarch of the Vine 5.05*

5 The Fairest Flower 2:13

6 Sigh No More 3:57*

7 I am gone Sir! 6:51*

8 Learning to Dance 5:45

9 What do you Think 5:10

10 New Calm 5:58

11 Spilt Milk 3:59

All compositions by Martin Pickett.

Recorded by Dick Hammett at Red Gables Studio, Greenford, England – 3 August and 23 September 2004. 

Martin Pickett

I'll Be With You Again

SLAM CD 259

Lantana; Avocadoesque; Times Square

Times; Come Thou Monarch Of The

Vine; The Fairest Flower; Sigh No More;

I Am Gone Sir; Learning To Dance;

What Do You Think; New Calm; Split

Milk

Tony Issacs (cl, e-flat cl, ss, as); Mike

Wills (cl, alto cl, as, ts); Martin Pickett

(p); Phil Berry (b); Frank Hockney (d);

Alison Bentley (v). n.d.

This is a surprisingly mainstream album by the usual hardcore standards of the SLAM label, but Oxford-based Martin Pickett is not a bad pianist and can write elegant, catchy themes. His piano style, at least on this evidence, is

rooted in Peterson, Brubeck and Bud Powell, although his compositions have harmonic sidesteps reminiscent of Monk. If the album has a fault, it's that Pickett keeps things determinedly feel-good and prim. A bit of grit

certainly wouldn't go amiss.

This genial friendliness is not too far removed from John Dankworth, and Pickett too sets Shakespeare. His Cleo Laine is Alison Bentley, a solid jazz

vocalist who even manages to sing ‘hey nonny-no' without sounding embarrassed or embarrassing. She's also impressive on "Come Thou

Monarch Of The Vine", a tune which sees Pickett temporarily let go and inject a few polite clusters into his solo. His saxophone soloists Tony Issacs and Mike Wills are sympathetic foils, and I suspect the heat of a live gig

might fire this material more than this enjoyable but slightly tepid recording.

PHILIP CLARK