Monday 1 September is to see the release of Sound Clouds, a new duo album from saxophonist Martin Speake, last heard from on the trio album Always a First Time here keeping new company with classical pianist Douglas Finch. Recorded in July last year at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London where both musicians teach this project came about after an initial workshop that led to a studio session producing the 15 tracks of the album. Speake found it stimulating working with a player, in Finch, not versed in jazz or improvising disciplines and has commented that the process has forced the altoist “to play differently.” Classical references on the album where the music has been improvised and composed “in the moment” by both players and is issued on Speake’s label Pumpkin Records include a theme from a Shostakovich fugue and a homage to Xenakis in the title track, ‘Sound Clouds.’

Martin Speake, above. Photo: Richard Kaby