The debut album from Hi Res Heart featured the trio of Martin Archer (sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones, clarinet, recorders, harmonica), Charlotte Keeffe (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Martin Pyne (drums, vibraphone, percussion) working on music which was a well-conceived studio construct. However, by the time of this album they had expanded to a quintet with the addition of Graham Clark (violin) and Michael Bardon (double bass, cello) and this was recorded the day after their first gig as a five-piece, performing live with only three composed pieces (one by each of the founders) and some lengthy improvisations.
The result is something which at times is full of the spontaneity and excitement one has come to expect from avant garde jazz, but others where it is slightly more controlled. While Martin A and Charlotte are often the lead players, with the bass providing much more of a counterpoint and the violin often sitting back as there is not enough room for its presence to be truly felt, what is somewhat intriguing is the role of Martin P, who is set up in a manner so he can move easily between instruments, so much so that he can be playing vibraphone with one hand and drums with another, which totally changes the foundation and structure of the music.
This is dynamic and heavily contrasting material, where space is a constant, keeping the layers clearly separated and giving each musician somewhere to go when they look to understand the next step of the journey. I have always enjoyed the way that Kevin Kastning describes this as “live composition” as opposed to improvisation and that is certainly the case here in an album which is thrilling, vibrant and full of grace.
Rating: 8/10