Cygnet Quartet – Live at Sutton Coldfield Jazz Club (reviewed by T. Bebedor)

Say it quietly, but there is an underground movement that has been going on for decades. People are afraid to speak about it openly; instead, it’s communicated by whispers and nods among its disciples through fear of being ostracised by the more conventional people.

Yes, I’m talking about jazz clubs.

For some reason, jazz continues to carry around a stigma that the music is dull, or overly complicated, or far too noisy or highbrow. Followed by middle-class snobs who drink tea instead of coffee and watch documentaries instead of Love Island. But the truth is, yes jazz is a little snobby, but if you pick the right brand of jazz (and let’s face it, jazz is very broad) you’re going to experience musicians that can actually play, and, given space, will take the music in different directions where no two gigs will be the same. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the allure and fascination with jazz.

There is a lot to love about this album, it’s unfussy in its recording – a few microphones dotted around the stage – and the success of this album is down to how it’s a moment captured, a recording of a band doing what it does best and it’s a treat from start to finish.

It’s a dip-your-toe album that will suit fans of the genre and newcomers alike because it’s easy to listen to but there is enough for the die-hards to keep them interested.

Starting off with a nice swinging version of Cannonball Adderley’s ‘Things Are Getting Better’ we’re introduce to the band as the spotlight goes around the musicians from sax to piano to bass and back again all underpinned by a constantly impressive drum groove.

The secret weapon here is the versatility of saxophonist/flutist/vocalist Diane Arthurs, she can play it clean but also give the horn some grunt and grit when the tune requires, this allows the music to flirt into different flavours of jazz from swing to samba and being able to tackle some vocal standards in ‘Angel Eyes’, ‘Bei Mir Bistu Shein’ and the classic ‘The Lady is a Tramp’ (but with lyric changes to suit the more playful West Country base of the band members – Weston Super Mare beach and even Gloucester Rugby gets a nod!).

You get a feeling of humour throughout the album, this is obviously a band that enjoys playing together and this shines through, but when you’re required to tackle jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan and songwriting geniuses like Richard Rodgers or Leonard Bernstein, you need to keep a smile close at hand.

There are some great moments on this album, the sax flurry out from the end of an impressive Emma Breese piano solo on ‘The Lady is a Tramp’, the octopus drumming of Paul Arthurs on ‘St Thomas’, the piano playing on ‘Dee Lawd’ and the grounded bass approach by Graham Niblett. When everything is moving in different directions around you, sometimes the best thing to do is simply anchor the whole thing, this understated bass playing is often overlooked but it holds everything together perfectly.

LOVE the sleazy back street tone of ‘Angel Eyes’ played on the baritone sax, it practically drips with the criminal underworld and just needs a voice over of “this dame walked into my office…” by a two-bit private detective to set it off.

We end with a song that I have only heard played as a Gypsy jazz number, ‘Bei Mir Bistu Shein’ (or ‘to me, you are beautiful’) that rattles along at an increasing pace so be wary if you’re wanting to dance to it. A brilliant end to a very good album, the only disappointment is that it’s not yet available on your typical downloading site like Bandcamp or Spotify, so if you want a copy head HERE.