Resonance

From editor Mark Gilbert's profile of Dave Jones in Jazz Journal, Nov 2012: '...he imbues the familiar with freshness by dint of sheer musicality and melodic gift...' '...a set dominated by swinging post-Blue Note tunes that are exemplars of musical logic, integrity and effective variation, aided in no small part by the similarly well sculpted work of saxophonist Lee Goodall' 'Dave Jones's melodic and narrative gifts can be heard in abundance on Resonance (DJT005)' A great review of 'Resonance' by Trevor Hodgett in the new Sept/Oct 2012 issue of 'R2 rock n' reel' magazine: Resonance', his fourth album, features Welsh jazz pianist Dave Jones on a programme of thematically strong original compositions that are expertly played by core accompanists, Lee Goodall (saxes, flute), Ashley John Long (bass) and, variously, Lloyd Haines and Kevin Lawlor (drums), and assorted distinguished guests. Jones is a gifted melodist. The sturdy melody of 'Afro Celtic' and the lovely, effervescent melody of 'Wexford Tune', for example, sound somewhat like traditional folk tunes, and the melody of 'The Metro' is positively entrancing. The musicianship also delights. On 'Welsh Rarebit' Tomos Williams's melancholy trumpet is beautiful and the track also features marvellously swinging piano from Jones himself, while Goodall's eloquent flute adorns 'Pushkin's Lament', a tenderly played, lyrical ballad. The Mavron Quartet, a classical string quartet, are used to subtle effect on several tracks, their re-entry towards the end of 'The Metro' being utterly disarming. The final track, 'Ubermog', is weirdly anomalous, but refreshingly so, with the quartet sounding like a totally different band, for this is in rock or even prog rock territory with Jones pumping out funky Hammomd organ licks and Goodall - otherwise a saxophonist and flautist - rocking out on heavily distorted electric guitar. From Phil Johnson's press review of 'Resonance' in the Independent on Sunday newspaper, 29/07/2012: 'There's a lightly stepping, cinematic charm to pianist Jones's outstanding compositions here, especially those featuring the Mavron String Quartet. The catchy opener, 'The Metro', could be the score to a stylish French thriller, while '5 to 3 on Friday' suggests 1960s social realism'. From 'R2' magazine, Jul/Aug 2012): '... The Dave Jones Quartet has been pushing musical boundaries with it's amalgamation of various musical styles to create a unique jazz hybrid' Duncan Heining's review of 'Resonance' in Jazz UK magazine, 30/07/2012: 'Dave Jones' Quartet's 'Resonance' reveals musical growth, with several cuts utilising the Mavron String Quartet to first-rate effect and Jones' use of an expanded front line, for example on 'Pushkin's Lament', showing some real skill. Jones is developing into a very interesting composer'. Dave Jones Quartet - Resonance (DJT005, CD press Review by Chris Parker on the London Jazz blogspot 26/07/2012): His Journeys trio now augmented by multi-instrumentalist Lee Goodall, Dave Jones has produced a characteristically attractive, wholly accessible album in Resonance, the music on it, as is usual with the Port Talbot pianist/composer, made up of relatively straightforward, often riff-based original material, played with panache and pep by a band completed by regulars Ashley John Long (bass) and Lloyd Haines (drums), the latter replaced on three tracks by Kevin Lawler. The strings of the Mavron Quartet and - on other pieces - a brass section join Jones's quartet on three tracks each, and bring welcome textural variety to the mix, but the album's immediacy and power are derived from the uncomplicated directness of the compositions, which call to mind both Spirit Level in their heyday and (occasionally) McCoy Tyner's immediately post-Coltrane output. Goodall fires off cogent solos on both soprano and tenor, and his one-track contributions on flute and guitar are also telling, the latter in particular bringing the album to a rousing climax by perfectly complementing Jones's feisty Hammond organ. Jones communicates most effectively in live performanc