Nicholas Payton: Sketches of Spain

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Daniel Sadownik (perc)
Marcus Gilmore (d)
Vicente Archer (b)
Nicholas Payton (t)
Russell Davies (cond)
Sinfonieorchester Basel (orch)

Label:

BMF Records

February/2014

Catalogue Number:

BMF002

RecordDate:

2013

It's great that an organisation like the Simphonie Orchestra Basel should take on the task of transcribing the iconic Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaboration Sketches of Spain for a live performance. And even better that they had the nous to chose Nicholas Payton to play the lead role. The orchestra doesn't quite get the delicate sheen of the original and are a little too precise on ‘Saeta’. But they are not far off. And Payton gets the Davis phrasing and tone before turning on his own box of tricks. The trouble is, the original is so entrenched, that, on first listen, differences can seem like blemishes. The rhythm section is more percussive and swings harder and Payton projects a different shade of blue. ‘Concierto de Aranguez’ is close to the original, but by the end the band are cooking and Payton is riffing and spitting phonics. It's not a radical re-interpretation, but there are fresh angles and it sounds great. Just keep Miles out of mind.

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