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| Dave Holland, Norma Winstone and Paul Churchill and the London Voice Project: Vital Spark: The Kenny Wheeler Music- Edition Records |
The trumpeter/composer Kenny Wheeler, who passed away in 2014, has left an indelible mark on the world of music. Wheeler was a Toronto born Canadian musician who studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music before relocating to Britain in 1952. There he worked with saxophone/composer John Dankworth in his orchestra from 1959 through 1965. Wheeler also studied composition with both Richard Bennett and Bill Russo in the early sixties. Wheeler was always interested in both performing with and composing/arranging for large jazz groups, and his first recording under his own name, Windmill Tilter, was recorded back in 1969 with Dankworth’s orchestra, although it wasn’t released until 2010.
In mid-sixties and into the early seventies, Wheeler became influenced by the free improvisational movement in England that found him playing with such progressive artists as saxophonist Evan Parker, guitarist Derek Bailey, drummer John Stevens and multi-reedist John Surman in Britain, and he joined American saxophonist/composer Anthony Braxton Quartet from 1971-1976.
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| Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone and John Taylor |
Wheeler became a member of a chamber jazz group, Azimuth, from 1977 through 2000, where he met the pianist John Taylor and his then wife vocalist Norma Winstone. His relationship with the superb bassist Dave Holland dates back from their days in the vibrant London jazz scene of the nineteen-sixties. Holland’s first recording with Wheeler was on the trumpeter’s initial release Windmill Tilter, but his inclusion in Wheeler’s seminal album Gnu High, one that featured pianist Keith Jarrett, guitarist Bill Frisell, and drummer Jack DeJohnette from 1975, is perhaps the most acclaimed.
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| Norma Winstone and Dave Holland (photo credit unknown) |
Vital Spark is a collection of some of Wheeler’s final compositions, some of which have never been recorded previously. This collaboration between three of Wheeler admiring alumni, the bassist Dave Holland , the vocalist Norma Winstone, and Paul Churchill, The Musical Director of the London Voice Project is a beautiful love letter to the composer. Churchill was a conductor of Kenny Wheeler’s Big Band and worked with Wheeler on the release of Mirrors from 2007. The recipient of many of these compositions from Wheeler over a period of several years before assembling, Churchill arranged them and eventually enlisted Holland and Winstone to make this project come to fruition. Besides manning the LVP, which is one of the United Kingdom’s leading contemporary vocal ensembles, Churchill was, for nearly fifteen years, the British accompanist of the vocalist Mark Murphy .
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| Paul Churchill (photo credit unknown) |
Vital Spark is a collection of nine compositions predominantly based on poetry and represent a personal, collaborative reinterpretation of Wheeler’s work maintaining the composer’s character and intention. Of the nine songs chosen for this album, my research found only “Inner Traces,” having been previously recorded.
Of the remaining Wheeler compositions, the talented lyricist Winstone provided new lyrics for “Inner Traces,” “Vital Spark,” and “These are the Things We Trust.” The remaining six compositions were inspired and provided with lyrics drawn from some of Wheeler's favorite poets.
“Will You Walk a Little Faster” is based on Lewis Caroll’s “The Mock Turtle’s Song” from his Alice in Wonderland. The poet Stevie Smith’s provides lyrics for “Not Waving but Drowning” and “Heavenly City.” Langston Hughes is the inspiration and provides lyrics for the composition “Jazzonia.” William Blake’s” Infant Joy” provides both lyrics and a theme for that composition, and French-Canadian Emile Nelligan’s “Fruite D’Enfance” or “Fruit of Childhood” is the source of both the lyrics and the inspiration of that Wheeler composition.
The album is a deft unification of jazz ensemble work provided by Holland’s group- pianist Nikki Iles, Mark Lockheart’s tenor and soprano saxophone work, John Parricelli’s guitar, James Maddren’s drums and Holland’s resonate bass along with Norma Winstone’s beguiling voice. The vocal chorale work was skillfully arranged and directed by Paul Churchill and included the eight Soprano, nine Alto, four Tenor and four Bass voices of The London Voice Project.
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| The London Voice Project (photo credit by Karen Hatch) |
The music opens with “Inner Traces” and features an opening repeating piano lines by Nikki Iles, the transcendent voice and lyrics of Norma Winstone, and accompanied by the soaring voices of the choir. Holland provides a deeply resonant pizzicato bass solo that is harmonized by the choir’s angelic-like, homophonic texture, before the music introduces a moving tenor saxophone solo by Mark Lockheart. It is the splendid voices of the choir that make this one feel like you have been transported to another world.
James Maddren’s wonderfully syncopated drum work opens this playful Lewis Carroll piece “Will You Walk a Little Faster” before Holland’s bass offers his own heart-like pulse. This features some jubilant vocalese from Winstone, as she navigates this chicanery-like path of Wheeler’s spirited music. Lockheart’s soprano soars like a free bird. Holland and Maddren anchor the buoyant beat, and the choir voices drape the music with a repeating verse that just accentuates the demand for acceleration that the lyrics demand. A joyful aural delight.
Wheeler’s fondness of the work of English poet Stevie Smith becomes apparent as we find two compositions here that he chooses to bring to musical life. The plaintive “Not Waving but Drowning,” features some expansive guitar work by John Parricelli, Winstone’s beautiful voice and Lockheart’s windborne soprano work.
Wheeler’s composition of Smith's “Heavenly City” is treated with a repeating riff that modulates as Winstone’s wordless vocalizing creates the music’s purposeful saunter. Holland’s bass prominently sets the pace; Iles’ piano work accompanies brilliantly. Lockheart’s tenor adds some emotion grit and guitarist Parricelli offers a more aerial approach over the choir’s powerful vocalizing.
Langston Hughes “Jazzonia” features Holland’s a movingly reverent bass solo, as the choir carries the hymn-like feel for this one. Iles piano work is especially emotive and Lockheart’s burnished tenor sound resonates with earnestness.
“Fuite D’Enfance” finds Winstone’s crystalline voice taking over this staccato piece, as Holland and Maddren carry the rhythmic load. Parricelli’s guitar provides an acoustic guitar solo of note, and Iles piano work has a distinctive melodicism to be enjoyed. Maddren’s drum work at the coda is rewardingly explosive.
The album’s title cut is “Vital Spark”, and it is notably majestic. The music swells as the choir sets the stage before the ensemble is led by Holland’s probing bass. Winstone’s limpid voice sings her lyrics with such authority and conviction. Holland offers a facile and powerful pizzicato solo that is deftly accompanied by Iles. Her solo here offers some of the best of her work on the album. The choir’s unified voices just sweep you away with their moving harmonies.
William Blake’s “Infant Joy,” a song from the view of a newly born baby, comes alive with Holland’s opening bass lines and Winstone’s evocative voice. The choir hovers in the background as Winstone's voice and Lockheart’s tenor spell out the melody. Parricelli’s guitar provides an otherworldly post natal look before the group and choir reach an apex of realization and awareness that spells pure joy. “Sweet joy befall thee!”
The final composition is Wheeler’s “These are the Things We Trust” with lyrics by Winstone and it is a fitting swan song for the maestro. Opening with a solemn piano intro by Ile’s. Winstone’s lyrics speak “Haunting sounds that filled my life and made their mark on me, Could I rewind to things left behind?” and “Cruel is the light that descends into the night, where all of our dreams are dust. Some things remain untouched by the rain and these are the things we trust.” The music just resonates with a feeling that these three artists set out to pay homage to Wheeler whose work meant so much to them and wanted to truly respect and honor his legacy. Vital Spark certainly attains that goal successfully and in spades.