REVIEW: The Harvey / O'Higgins Project

SJM’s Eddie Myer writes, “an album’s worth of beautifully rendered standards and originals, all shot through with hints of the blues, sitting squarely in the pocket.”

“The musical landscape that the Harvey / O’Higgins Project inhabits is neither innovative nor fashion led” claims the accompanying press release, and this is not intended as either an excuse or an apology. Graham Harvey is one of the UK’s f inest exponents of the bop piano tradition, and his solo on I Wish I Knew is a masterpiece of Wynton Kelly-esque poise and swing, while his block chording on Chlo-E would have delighted Red Garland; Dave O’Higgins is justly renowned as a player, composer and educator in the f ield of bebop and its successors, and his big, centered tone, melodically inventive imagination and sure sense of swing and thematic development, rooted in Dexter Gordon but with plenty of original character as well, have made him a f irm favourite on the national club scene. Add such eminently simpatico elements as Jeremy Brown’s deep, woody tone and impeccable swing and the crisply tasteful ride and crackling snare of Josh Morrison and then sit back and enjoy the results: an albums worth of beautifully rendered standards and originals, all shot through with hints of the blues, sitting squarely in the pocket. Special mention must go to the warm, thoroughly organic sounding recording capture as well. Eddie Myer Graham Harvey, piano; Dave O’Higgins, tenor sax; Jeremy Brown, bass; Josh Morrison, drums.