When Aberdeen-raised drummer and composer Sebastian Rochford’s star rose around the millennium, he quickly made an impact with his precocious and inclusive awareness of 1950-1960s Monk-and-Miles jazz grooves, rock, funk, global music and more. From 2002, Rochford’s unique sax-led quintet Polar Bear began earning nominations for Mercury, Mobo and Urban Music prizes, as well as the kind of fame rare in instrumental jazz. He also played key roles with Acoustic Ladyland, Basquiat Strings, Fulborn Teversham, Sons of Kemet, and as a sideman with Damon Albarn, Brian Eno and Adele.
Finding Ways follows 2023’s A Short Diary (a duo album in partnership with pianist Kit Downes) in dealing with the death in 2019 of Rochford’s beloved poet father Gerard. The title of Finding Ways is no accident: this sharply contrasting record features edgy, metal sounds from seven studio-mixed electric guitarists, including acid-to-improv musician Tara Cunningham, Portishead’s Adrian Utley and former Verve and Albarn sideman Simon Tong. But it’s Rochford’s signature, songlike chemistry – subtly transformed by rich textures, energised by his own unpredictably shifting ambiguities of rhythm – that still infuses his sound.
The opener Maybe begins with a slashing rhythm-guitar riff that turns to splintery atonal improv, and Being Outside’s chord changes suggest Rochford’s early rock-punk teenage life. Rising UK jazz guitarist David Preston’s handling of the lyrical Who’s Your Person?, the reggae jive of Community and the romantic pop vibe of What You Hold in Your Heart are all highlights. As with A Short Diary, Rochford is on a personal journey back through intimate memories now, and this one is very different from its predecessor. But considering the diversity of this subtle artist’s experiences in sound over the past quarter-century, it’s fascinating to ponder where a possible third episode might go.
Also out this month
UK saxophonist Emma Rawicz’s self-produced debut Incantation, made when she was a student of 19, was a real-deal revelation of old-school sax lyricism and post-bop power. With Inkyra (ACT), she and her regular live lineup including flautist Gareth Lockrane and guitarist David Preston now stretch their skills further on 10 of the leader’s vivid originals, spanning dreamily cinematic soundscapes, snappy polyrhythmic tenor-sax groovers and atmospherically songlike meditations. Dog Soup’s Fragments (Dark Circles Recordings) recovers and remasters a lost Loop Collective classic of the 00s, led by trumpeter Robbie Robson in an original, free and dramatic reprise of the sound of the Miles Davis group of the late 1960s, with drummer Tim Giles a thrilling catalyst. And US saxist and former Bowie Blackstar sideman Donny McCaslin operates at the outer reaches of rock-saturated jazz intensity, with the significant help of guitarist Ben Monder and bassist Tim Lefebvre on Lullaby for the Lost (Edition).
