Grae Shennan writes, “New Ears heralds The Calum Gourlay Quartet as a great little big band.
REVIEW--Calum Gourlay Quartet: New Ears
Jazz Journal’s Brian payne writes, "Gourlay provides clear and powerful bass lines with consummate ease and Maddren is highly creative on the drums."
For the full review, please click on the image, above.
REVIEW: The Calum Gourlay Quartet / 'New Ears'
Jazz Views’ Eddie Myer writes, “The writing is strong and characterful and the playing is superbly assured throughout.”
For the full review, please click on the image, above.
CD Review: Calum Gourlay Quartet - New Ears
Bebop Spoken Here’s James Henry writes, “Calum Gourlay has a rich deep bass sound, perfectly complimented by Helena Kay and Kieran McLeod on horns. James Maddren is the glue that holds the album together. New ears are the result.”
Calum Gourlay (bass); Helena Kay (tenor sax); Kieran McLeod (trombone); James Maddren (Drums).
(Review by James Henry).
As a sort of a Scot, and a card carrying Fifer, my own old ears picked up on receipt of this CD. With a name like Calum Gourlay, this chap had to be one of the brothers, and possibly even a fellow Fifer. A little bit of research established that Calum is originally from Glasgow (well, I might forgive him that) but was brought up in Fife, even playing in the Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra (total redemption). And, two of his quartet also come from the proper North: Helena Kay (tenor saxophone) hails from Perth, and Kieran McLeod (trombone) is from Aberdeen. Like me, these three live in exile in England, committed to missionary work and waiting for the call from the blessed Nicola*. I pity the poor drummer in this quartet: coming from Sussex, James Maddren may rely on translators.
New Ears is a joy to behold, even down to the kitten on the album sleeve, which hides its new ears behind the CD. New Ears is Calum Gourlay’s first album as a bandleader, and is the debut release for the Calum Gourlay quartet. Calum Gourlay leads a resident big band in the Vortex Jazz Club in London, and all four members of the quartet play in the big band. All are relatively recent alumni of London jazz conservatoires and already have impressive CVs.
The quartet is unusual in composition, lacking traditional chordal instruments. Devoid of this conventional comfort, tenor saxophone, trombone and bass have to work together to create the chordal control and continuity cherished by our conventional ears. The playing is tight and one soon ceases to miss the comping control of piano or guitar. The ensemble work is so precise that the music begins to evoke the big band that begat this wee band. There are also extended improvised sections, where James Maddren holds the group together allowing the other three to weave skilfully together, and more often than not Calum Gourlay joins in with the improvisation as an equal to the two horns.
All seven tracks are original works, written by Gourlay especially for the Quartet. For me the stand-out track is Blue Fugates, an extended blues composition, inspired by the Blue Fugates of Kentucky. For the curious, Blue Fugates aren’t birds, trees or mountains. Rather, Blue Fugates are a clan of people in the backwoods of Kentucky who inherited the blood disorder methaemoglobinaemia, which gave their skin a curious blue hue (an unusual inspiration for a tune, but check it out on Wikipedia if you want to know more). Be Minor, the opening track, has a folky feel and the head becomes an ear-worm after a few listens. Solstice has a slow, brooding quality: one imagines the long days of mid-summer.
Although generally melodic, and never straying far from conventional forms, New Ears isn’t always an easy listen. After a few tracks one develops new ears, and the going gets easier. After a few listens everything makes sense, and it gets better and better. Calum Gourlay has a rich deep bass sound, perfectly complimented by Helena Kay and Kieran McLeod on horns. James Maddren is the glue that holds the album together. New ears are the result.
James Henry.
*Sturgeon, of course.
Available on Ubuntu Music: UBU 0043.
REVIEW: The Calum Gourlay Quartet – New Ears
SJM’s Eddie Meyer writes, “The writing is strong and characterful and the playing is superbly assured throughout, from the young horn players as much as from the masterful rhythm section “
REVIEW: The Calum Gourlay Quartet – New Ears
LJN’s Mark McKergow writes, “I have a sense that in years to come we may be looking back on this CD as an important step in the career of all four of these musicians. For now, enjoy the sounds and talents as they develop before our eyes and ears.”
For the full review, please click on the image, above.
Calum Gourlay on November's SJM Cover!
Gourlay states, “It’s nice to be at this stage and still have lots more to want to do.”
FEATURE/INTERVIEW: Calum Gourlay (Quartet album New Ears and tour dates 22 Oct – 16 Nov)
London Jazz News interviews bassist Calum Gourlay, who says, “ If you’ve got great musicians, they can make anything work and more importantly, make it sound a lot better than you might have initially thought.”
For the full interview, please click on the image, above.
Ubuntu Music Signs Gifted Bassist Calum Gourlay For Quartet Album Release
Calum Gourlay
New Ears / UBU0043 / CD & Digital Formats
Release Date: 6th December 2019
Calum Gourlay
Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of bassist/composer/bandleader Calum Gourlay for the release of his quartet album, New Ears.
London-based double bassist and composer Calum is known for his deep warm tone, controlled execution as both a supporter and improviser, and rock-solid time and pulse. Born in Glasgow, he began his musical journey playing the cello in primary school and by the age of 14 he started playing the double bass, having developed a serious interest in jazz and improvised music. Calum’s talents were noticed by many of Scotland’s premier artists and, as a result, he became the first bassist selected for the first Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra, as well as other ensembles.
“Gourlay’s note accuracy, unshakeable rhythmic sense and ability to follow a melodic line whenever possible make this a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
-The Jazz Breakfast
In 2004, Calum started at the Royal Academy of Music in London and graduated with first class honours with a B.Mus. (jazz) degree. Since then, Calum has become a mainstay on the London jazz scene while performing with the Kit Downes Trio, The Tommy Smith Group, Will Vinson, The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra featuring Joe Lovano and John Scofield. Calum also works with Kurt Elling, Martin Speake, Martin Kershaw and Sheila Jordan. He writes for his own big band which has a monthly residency at the Vortex in London.
Calum Gourlay Quartet / New Ears / UBU0043
“Gourlay filled the space with a combination of spinning bass beats and a virtuosic exploration of harmony.”
-The Arts Desk
Speaking about his new project, Calum explains, “This project brings the experience I have gained from my two-and-a-half-year Big Band residency at The Vortex, London into my own quartet. This band has all the energy, sound and colours of a contemporary big band but with only four members.”
And, in terms of forming his new quartet, Calum describes further, “The idea for the quartet came from my Big Band in residence at The Vortex Jazz Club. I write a new work each month for every gig. It’s hard to start a piece from scratch: I usually have a shell of an idea in place so I can write something. Occasionally, I workshop sketches hoping they will translate into an arrangement. With this approach, I experiment with form & instrumentation. With the quartet it was fun and easy to write things for trombone & tenor to play together. Helena, Kieran and James have been important musicians in my big band so I began to think this could be a great band in its own right.”
Regarding his joining Ubuntu Music, Calum explains, “I’m very excited to be part of the Ubuntu Family. Martin has an authentic love for the music and supports his artists in a way that no other label does.”
Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, said, “Calum’s been the unwavering backbone of many great jazz artists throughout his career. And he’s one of the hardest working guys in the business. It is an absolute pleasure to be releasing an exceptional album of Calum’s own material, along with his stellar band consisting of Helena Kay (tenor sax), Kieran McLeod (trombone) and James Maddren (drums).”
Left to right: Calum Gourlay, James Maddren, Kieran McLeod, Helena Kay.
The Calum Gourlay Quartet will be touring the UK from late October through November 2019. Please visit www.calumgourlay.net .
For further information, please contact:
Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com
Emma Perry/Publicity (UK): emmasarahperry@gmail.com