Both the title and cover art of Julie Walkington and Jim Howard’s debut release as a duo evoke thoughts of a peaceful, relaxing, isolated rural environment. Track titles such as “Catching the Dawn,” “Lonely Road” and “Off the Beaten Track” suggest a similar feeling of space and solitude. The music to be heard on Beyond The Treeline does the same, for the most part, but with one or two surprises that ensure this album continues to stimulate as well as soothe.
Julie Walkington is best known on the jazz scene for her bass playing, alongside performers including Lol Coxhill, Jim Mullen, Georgia Mancio and Barb Jungr. There’s no bass to be heard on Beyond The Treeline, however. On this album, Walkington focuses on gongs – which she uses in her work as a complimentary therapist – singing bowls and hand percussion. Jim Howard’s career encompasses his own bands, Forever Between and Moonscape, performance with musicians including Randy Brecker and Django Bates, and composition for film and TV. On this album he contributes electronics and loops while his warm-toned playing on trumpet and flugelhorn is to the fore, a rich contrast with Walkington’s bright and sparkling percussive instruments.
This is music characterised by an inventive and unusual combination of electronic and acoustic instruments. The eleven pieces were recorded live by Greg Dowling, on Valentine’s Day 2021, and are credited as “All tracks improvised by Julie Walkington & Jim Howard.” Most of them build slowly, rarely accelerating past slow-to-mid tempo as they instil a sense of calm reflection, but three tunes challenge the melodic, gentle, mood that pervades the rest of the album. “Watering Hole” is mysterious, evoking a haunting, almost scary, atmosphere. “Is It Over There” veers from the skittish to the dramatic, with a sudden, though false, ending that soon gives way to a dramatic closing section. “Downtown Without a Map” conjures images of the country dweller on a visit to the big city, lost, confused and maybe a little worried by the strangeness and size of the metropolis.
Beyond The Treeline closes with the lovely “You Can See Your Home From Here.” Walkington’s opening flurry of notes sound like they’ve emerged from a much-loved musical box, Howard’s brass and electronics soon arrive and the piece proceeds at a gentle, steady pace. There’s an ambivalence in the title and in the music Walkington and Howard create: is this tune about the joy of returning, or the sadness of leaving, or perhaps both?
Release Date: 07 March 2025
