Naim (label)
23 January 2012 (released)
06 February 2012
From the first moment you can hear Neil Cowley's classical upbringing - every note of the delightful 'Lament' is perfectly isolated and struck with precision but he brings out the developmental side of his playing through some stunning fusion-jazz. This cat smokes!
As keyboardsman with The Brand New Heavies he was at once funky and powerfully calm but my feeling is that this is the real voice of Neil Cowley. Every number here has hooks to die for but his playing is so beautifully smooth and the production so natural that you are lulled into each track and rolling with the changes, so natural are they.
This is not short of passion but neither is it explosive: his use of strings to carry the melody is a great way to allow his piano to do its thing underneath and when the louder stuff stops you get that emotionally charged piano and double bass to pick you up again.
'Mini Ha Ha' with its distorted, sampled laughter and repetition shows his sense of humour is still intact but I keep coming back to 'Rooster Was A Witness' for its height and sense of wonder or 'Fable' for its drive but really I just like to listen to the whole album through again - and again.
This is really very fine: top class writing and strong playing, music for a dark and cold night that carries its own heat.
