The irony probably isn’t lost on Michael Chillingworth, the alto saxophonist and clarinettist, that he is the least known of the musicians here in his own band.
That oddity and the whole notion of jazz role-playing when a leader can be both a sideman or head honcho, quite randomly within the course of a week in any number of groups where an easy creative democracy is allowed to reign, probably isn’t lost on the rest of them – not that the others in his septet probably give a fig.
Just released on new-ish label Two Rivers Records Scratch and Sift makes me recall hearing Can of Worms earlier in the year and the similarity in approach is not at all surprising given that the Can-do Chillingworth has more or less kidnapped the band so that there is the presence of Tom Challenger, one of the four reedists here, the Worms’ extravagantly talented George Crowley also cropping up on bass clarinet. Lewis Wright on vibes plays a very different less overtly bop and more obviously expressionistic role than he does in Empirical, and the firm foundations underpinning everything and contributing a flexible pulse and alert drumming style are provided by the lively Worms rhythm team of Sam Lasserson on double bass and Jon Scott, drums. If you’re looking for soulful tenor saxophone playing then Josh Arcoleo, the most orthodox of the players here, provides that role but hidden inside.
A studio album recorded last autumn Chillingworth has worked with the likes of Stan Sulzmann and the word really started to filter out about what an interesting player he is when he surfaced with guitarist Ant Law.
There is certainly plenty going on in the way the horns flock to harmonise in the absence of piano by winging their way in and out either by working as a team or raggedly breaking out as individuals, a slight dissonance sometimes warping into by turn warm indulgently wild episodes or contrastingly gentle reveries that let chords linger or lope as the rhythm section fetch up some new brainwave to run with.
A few of the tracks are a little too long but this band have plenty to say and do so well. Look no further to find evidence of what might be considered the vanguard of the new UK acoustic jazz ethic and what is very mature, imaginatively ideas-strewn playing from a septet who are living out their musical dreams on something of a welcoming blank canvas speckled with traces of bop and plenty of free thinking. SG