The Thousands - review

[sb]

The Thousands – Phil Slater Qt
John Clare, reviewer
July 7, 2007
The Phil Slater Quartet is one of Australia's most satisfying bands, live or on disc
This is one of Australia's most satisfying bands, live or on disc, and it must take its place with the great bands we've had.
Rather than present a series of pieces that are fast, slow, bright, moody and so on, they offer compositions that are like seas, capable of being held in thralls of tranquillity or moved by local winds or distant storms into dynamic and even violent motion. If this were a formula it would soon be felt as such but action or near-stasis are triggered by group interactions of great subtlety.
The players are at the peak of their music. They are trumpeter Slater, bassist Lloyd Swanton, pianist Matt McMahon and drummer Simon Barker.
Slater's opening melodies are of great beauty, as is his distinctive trumpet tone. These compositions develop like a classical music piece, although much of it is spontaneous.

[ironguts]

Well someone had to break this drought, may as well be me.

Good review though I have a feeling this is way cut down from the original. I know Mr Clare loves this CD and would have much more to say on the topic.
There are some really great things going on in this music. Phil's tone is amazing as is his ability to hold off from the unnecessary trumpet blats. He commands an interesting place in the music through this creating great momentum and an eerie tension. Matt M approaches his role in the music with some other devices from the standard 'jazz comping'. At times he sits on repeated note themes that work so well against the strain of magic little Phil.
I was actually surprised when I first heard this CD at the fact that there were tunes and it had an almost 'straight ahead' approach at first listen. I guess I expected Phil to do something weirder. The truth is though this is way from straight ahead and the blowing does capture the wonderful weirdness or individuality of all of the players.
Could rave for ages but gotta go, well done fellas.