The Sound Vault

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Track Listing 1. Tran 2. Rebellious bird 3. Livres sans frontieres 4. The creek 5. Cautiously optimistic 6 Midnight morning 7. Hurricane	TTenor are: Andy Sugg - Tenor Sax Jamie Oehlers - Tenor Sax Julien Wilson - Tenor Sax Paul Grabowsky - Piano Gary Costello - Bass Andrew Gander - Drums During 2006 Mal Stanley, an ABC radio producer, invited TTTenor to record at the ABC studios in Melbourne. This we did over one day in September '06. The TTTenor project had been up and running for about a year by then. One year is not necessarily very long in the life a band and so this recording captures the project in its early stages. The idea of playing with Jamie and Julien had interested me for a long time and the prospect of putting the three saxophones together seemed like a move full of potential. It was, and the band fired from the first gig. It works as much because of the differences in the front line as in the similarities. Each sax player comes out of the same, broadly post-Trane, tradition but each has a strong, individual approach to music-making and is always striving for his own sound. This comes out in the compositions as much as in the playing itself. We had a great time recording this music and we hope you enjoy it too. Andy Sugg	Tran In the acoustic fusion of Tran the foundation is another simple (3-note) repetitive bass pattern. Think of some of the towering edifices that have been built on the simplest of musical foundations - think "Acknowledgement" or "Tutu" - and you have the idea behind this opening piece. Such complexity as there is arises from a melody/harmony which has its origin in diminished sonorities. Solos are by Andy, Paul and Julien. Rebellious Bird This arrangement of Julien's composition is a feature for the saxophones in the head and the piano in the solo section. The piece spans a wide range of moods - from calm gospel simplicity to turbulent free jazz - in one effortless structure. The motion is understated and loose; it comes in waves, fed by the drums and piano. Livres sans Frontieres A burner of sorts, Livres is one for the literati, perhaps! It's an open Latin groove with the simplest of tunes. The soloing setting just oscillates between the colours phrygian and major. Solos are by Paul, Andy and Andrew The Creek This is a moody odd-time piece by Jamie with some deceptively complex harmonic maneuvers in the head. While the bass vamp maintain the groove throughout, Jamie and Julien play together freely in the solo section. Then comes Paul, who takes the performance to the head out. Cautiously Optimistic The feel in Julien's medium bop arrangement is straight-ahead. The saxes are written in a close, chromatic line that makes me think of Mulligan. The chromatic treatment of the head finds its way into the solos, where the standard changes get a pretty comprehensive going over. Solos are by Julien, Jamie, Paul and Andrew Midnight Morning Jamie's composition is the slowest of all possible dances. It's sullen, almost sleazy to begin with. But by the bridge it's established its real character: a proud but unassuming introspection. In this version it becomes a good vehicle for the bass. Solos are by Jamie, Gary and Julien. Hurricane This is a kind of blues (no pun intended) by Julien. He's written a high octane burner that is "on" from the first bar. The emphasis is given to improvising instead of a lengthy arrangement. Here the solos are looped between the saxes - Julien, Andy and Jamie. It winds up with a free-for-all exchange with Andrew.