Pianist Adam Dyer‘s debut album is a winning combination of lively post-bop originals, some romantic ballads and a couple of reworked standards. With Eric Ford on drums and Jakub Cywinski on bass, he fronts a trio sensitive enough to let the slower tunes work their magic and add verve and swing to the faster numbers. They are joined by saxophonist Duncan Eagles on four pieces, providing added depth.
Both The Potting Shed and Penthos add a real sense of groove. The former has a somewhat eastern feel to the riff, enhanced by Eagles’ solo, though the second half of the tune takes a more laid back approach to time. Penthos does the opposite, starting slowly but forcefully and building the groove to the end.
There is an atmosphere of mystery on “If You Get Lost In The Snow”. This is a slower number in which each musician plays a crucial role. Eagles takes a long melodic solo before giving way to Dyer, who explores the phrasing as if pushing at all the edges at once. Cywinski has a beautiful bass solo. But in some ways it is Ford’s contribution which is totemic. It evolves throughout the piece: he starts with abstract brushwork behind Eagles’ solo, which moves to simple rhythm-keeping, and then more complex rhythmic patterns backing Dyer. Under Cywinski’s solo he plays some very light cymbal work, before picking up his sticks for the last chorus.
The standards are Jerome Kern’s “Nobody Else But Me” and the Gershwin’s “A Foggy Day”, reimagined as “A Foggy Daze”. Many pianists have covered Kern’s tune – indeed Bill Evans did so on many occasions. Dyer’s take is respectful, swinging and romantic, the trio demonstrating their lovely way with swing.
Another piece for the trio, their swing is very much evident on “A Foggy Daze”, too, though Dyer takes more liberty with his rearrangement of the tune. It positively crackles along, and includes another lovely bass solo by Cywinski.
The album takes its title from “Kawa No Kami (River Spirit)”. Dyer makes it a solo feature, one which he imbues with power and emotion. It’s not a short tune, but each time I listened to it, I was left wanting more.
Adam Dyer Quartet has gigs coming up on 23 May at St Mary’s Perivale (which will also be available on livestream) and 14 June at Bracknell Jazz. River Spirit is available as a download or CD.
Patrick Hadfield lives in Edinburgh, occasionally takes photographs, and sometimes blogs at On the Beat. He is @patrickhadfield@mastodon.scot on Mastodon.
