Pat Thomas is becoming one of the prominent musicians in the UK, playing the music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik in Ahmed, with Orphy Robinson in Black Top, and with Rachel Musson and Mark Sanders in Shifa amongst other groups. He recently had a four night residency at Cafe Oto playing solo piano and the music of Blind Tom Wiggins, Ellington, and Monk as well as his own on the final night.
Thomas also has a deep knowledge of Islam and Arab history; he speaks Arabic and has delved into early Islamic science. This CD is inspired by Ibn Al-Shatir, an astronomer in Damascus in the 14th century who devised a sundial to regulate prayer times.
The first, long, track The Solar Model begins with single notes, which eventually become short phrases before the playing opens up and becomes more extrovert. One can imagine that the early passages represent something of the detailed charts produced by Al-Shatir.
Of the other, shorter, tracks, The Laws Of Motion is also quite extrovert, while For George Saliba – a professor of Arabic and Islamic Science in New York – has an occasional Ellingtonian feel but with surprises.
The Oud of Ziryab pays tribute to the singer and oud player, Ziryab, who moved to Andalucia in 822 and had a profound influence on the development of Arab music there. Thomas’ extemporisation here is the richest of the set, moving from an abstract beginning to a more melodic second half.
For Ibn Al-Nafis celebrates a polymath who wrote on jurisprudence, literature and theology. Thomas’ tribute is quite abstract at the beginning but moves into a repeated phrase at the lower end of the keyboard.
For Mansa Musa acknowledges a very rich and powerful ruler of Mali. This improvisation is the most upbeat of the set and has something of the long swinging lines of bop piano. Finally, The Birds Are Singing returns to a rich minimalism.
This solo album is Thomas’ fourth on the Otoroku label. As before, the music is highly original – and always fun.
Release date 6 September 2024. Purchase from Bandcamp
