‘Geyser’ is a piece in eight parts which was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and first performed by the Marius Neset Quintet with the London Sinfonietta on September 3rd, 2022, at the Royal Albert Hall, London, as part of BBC Proms 2022. Marius provides both tenor and soprano saxophones, and his band comprises Ivo Neame (piano), Jim Hart (vibraphone/marimba/percussion), Conor Chaplin (double bass) and Anton Eger (drums) while the London Sinfonietta was conducted by Geoffrey Paterson. According to Wikipedia, Neset holds a master’s degree at the Copenhagen Rhythmic Music Conservatory 2008, and finished soloist studies under the guidance of Django Bates among others, at the same place in 2010. He has released multiple albums of both classical and jazz, touring with multiple bands (and I note he even contributed to an album by Mew).

This release finds Neset in a fusion place where he is combing the free thinking normally associated with jazz into the classical realm. There is a strong structure from the SInfonettia, who are working from scores, and then there is the improvisation over the top of that base from Neset and his band. This is not a combing together which sounds at all forced, but instead feels very natural indeed, although I feel quite unqualified to actually review it as while I come across a lot of jazz it is rare for me to review anything classical, and while they do at times move into discord for most of the time this is very much a harmonious piece which has all the musicians moving as one, as opposed to two distinct entities.

This is not going to be for everyone, but if you enjoy modern classical music moving in a different direction, or jazz heading towards classical head on, then this may well be of interest.

Rating: 8/10

Links:
https://www.mariusneset.info/
https://www.actmusic.com/