A refined delicacy and timelessness seem to imbue pianist Gabriel Latchin’s compositions and define his pianism. When listening to his latest album, Viewpoint, words such as ‘impeccable’ and ‘elegant’ float to mind .
Viewpoint is Latchin’s fourth album, consisting of eleven deeply engaging, self-composed tunes, all of which sound as if they might be re-discovered lost Standards.
This, however, is Latchin’s first album to consist solely of originals, and his most personal to date, referencing key family events (A Mother’s Love followed the birth of his second son, Oscar, Prim and Proper for his daughter Mairi, nicknamed Primrose) as well as various jazz musicians whose music he loves. These include the recently deceased Ahmad Jamal (Train Of Thought), João Gilberto (O Mito – meaning the myth), Cedar Walton (Mr Walton) and Herbie Hancock (A Song For Herbie). Listening to this album one can almost feel the spirit of each of these jazz greats, all of whom have clearly helped form Latchin’s musical sensibilities.
Alongside him, leading UK bassist Jeremy Brown and New York-based drummer Joe Farnsworth similarly demonstrate ease and finesse which enable the trio to seem like a single indivisible organism.
I particularly enjoyed the overt humour in Rest And Be Thankful, with its drum sounds, which made me visualise a motorbike labouring to the top of a steep road in the west of Scotland.
All the tracks have the sense of a steady hand at the tiller, without a note out of place and a deeply pleasing charm. Viewpoint’s ease on the ears and lyricism belie its intelligence, its multiple jazz references and delicious detail making this an album that requires multiple listens. Viewpoint is a keeper that I predict will not grow old.
Viewpoint is released on 21 April 2023 on CD, vinyl and digital.
Fiona Mactaggart lives in Edinburgh, writes about music on Scottish Jazz Space and is co-founder of Jazz Forward.
TOUR DATES
The Edinburgh Society of Musicians, Edinburgh on 23 April (with Calum Gourlay and Stephen Henderson)
Pizza Express, London on 26 April (with Jeremy Brown and Steve Brown)
Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham on 27 April (with Jeremy Brown and Steve Brown)
The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen on 18 May (with Calum Gourlay and Steve Brown).
