Let’s Get Deluxe, the third album on Basho Records from transatlantic contemporary jazz supergroup The Impossible Gentlemen, captures a substantial but organic evolution in the group’s sound. Co-leaders Mike Walker and Gwilym Simcock consciously moved to broaden the instrumental palette at the earliest stages of the writing process, using melodies and counter melodies to create an intricate narrative. By the time the group came to recording, the music had already been thoroughly road-tested on tour, with Gwilym Simcock making increasing use of keyboards in addition to the piano. On the finished album, Simcock demonstrates his virtuosity as a multi-instrumentalist,contributing parts on tuned percussion, French horn and flugel horn. This is not the only change, however. Saxophonist and clarinetist Iain Dixon steps in, further to augment and enhance the arrangements. Given his wide-ranging expertise across the woodwind spectrum, and his long-standing working relationship with Mike Walker, Iain was the obvious choice to fulfil this role.
Basho Records, 2016
Gwilym Simcock piano, keyboards Mike Walker guitar Iain Dixon soprano/tenor sax, clarinet/bass clarinet, flute/alto flute Steve Rodby bass Adam Nussbaum drums
Reviews
MARLBANK 5 STARS *****
“Daring, imaginative stuff, then. Simply a thrill. A lightning strike of an album”
John Bungey, MOJO ****
“‘This is jazz that stretches the ears but never forgets its mission to entertain.”
The Times
“The upper echelon of the jazz world is a place of constantly shifting alliances. But even by those standards, the Impossible Gentlemen is a rare and fabulous group of talents”
John Fordham, The Guardian ****
“A big ascent for a band that was already at pretty high altitude.”
John Bungey, MOJO, 4 stars ****
‘This is jazz that stretches the ears but never forgets its mission to entertain.’
Cormac Larkin, Irish Times, 4 stars ****
‘…the addition here of versatile saxophonist Iain Dixon lends their third release an earthiness and unpredictability often lacking in the highly polished world of jazz-rock.’
Selwyn Harris, Jazzwise, 4 stars ****
‘…hits you right between the eyes with its mix of seductively sing-a-long melodies, classy arrangements and tastefully succinct improvisation.’
Can I buy an MP3 version?