Roger Manins
Hip Flask
Tracks
1. John Scon
2. Hip Flask
3. Victoria
4. Big Sis #2
5. Bang
6. Impuls
7. Jacqueline Grace
8. Big Sis |
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Roger Manins - Sax
Stu Hunter - Hammond
Adam Ponting - Piano
Brendan Clarke - Bass
Toby Hall - Drums
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Available now for AU$25 plus postage
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More Info:
"Manins states in the liner notes "the focus of the music is the groove and the blues". While most of the compositions are simple and attractive, both melodically and in structure, each artist is anxious to explore outside the melody and the groove - albeit in the head-solo-head tradition. It's particularly evident on "Victoria" where the elementary blues turns avant-garde thanks to a spirited exchange between Ponting and Manins.
The immensely talented Brendan Clarke plays an unwavering role on both acoustic and electric basses. "Bang" takes time out from the prevailing bluesy flavour when Manins chooses the bass clarinet for a celestial introduction, developing into a canvas of shifting corridors and bright shafts of light, while Ponting is heard redeploying McCoy Tyner's thunderous heavy-handed bass chords. "Impulse" sees the return of the blues feel, but this time with a funky backbeat courtesy of Toby Hall.
Manins has a tough, beefy sound, which is boldly projected without any indefinable notes - a quality which blossomed from experiences in NYC between 1996 and 1999. A sound arguably recalling Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis' but with altoist Hank Crawford's Memphis overtones.
Another surprise is "Jacqueline Grace": a slower-than-heartbeat bass drum pulse underpins the transcendental contributions from Manins, Hunter and Ponting. "Big Sis" concludes the program in the broad brushstroke of earthy rhythm and gritty blues.
One gets the feeling there's a parallel between the bold Manins sound and the rationale behind this album. If you're being heard for the first time, make an impact. An ominous signal for the jazz world. "
Peter Wockner – The Bulletin
JGR032 Roger Manins - Hip Flask
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