Home by Nick Granville Group
This CD is a collection of tunes written by Nick Granville about New Zealand, featuring some of the country's best musicians. The song titles are named after favourite places with significant meaning.
Liner notes by John Fenton:
It is appropriate that this new album by Nick Granville is titled ‘Home’. Home is the familiar, but it is also the place where interesting journeys begin. This album is the Wellington scene filtered through jazz guitarist Nick Granville’s sensibilities, his tunes conveying a strong sense of place. When a listener feels that he or she is experiencing new insights while echoes of the hauntingly familiar remain, then an album has hit its mark. Nick achieves this.
The charts have been beautifully written and a strong textural quality underpins the work. Nick has chosen some of the most gifted local musicians and has achieved a rare thing; a big sound without compromising the sense of space.
Nick Granville is a professional guitarist who has long engaged NZ audiences through his television work, his dizzying gig schedule and his position in Rodger Fox’s Wellington Jazz Orchestra. He has also been an influential educator and a new generation of guitarists now looks up to him. His multifaceted approach to the guitar has seen him back numerous visiting artists (as diverse as Ronan Keating and Kurt Elling).
The basic unit here is an octet (with strings and winds added). Rodger Fox (trombone) needs little introduction, as he has long been a favourite with New Zealand audiences. Rodger's trademark trombone sound adds depth and experience to the line up. Colin Hemmingson is another strong voice (tenor sax, bass clarinet, clarinet). His multi reeds work with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, The Rodger Fox Big Band and a multiplicity of smaller lineups has given him a place of prominence in the NZ Jazz scene. Nick Tipping (bass) is another heavyweight with years of playing at the highest level. He is best known for his work with pianist Charmaine Ford and the Rodger Fox’s Wellington Jazz Orchestra. The band is Ben Wilcock (keys), Lance Philip (drums), Alex Nyman (saxophones and flutes), Neil Billington (harmonica) and Donald Armstrong (violin). You can hear them all to advantage on this album. On one track Colin sounds so gorgeous on bass clarinet that I am immediately put in mind of John Surman, so rich and burnished is his sound.
In the end though this is very much Nick Granville’s album and his performances throughout are hard swinging and flawless. While Kiwi jazz references the history of this great American art form, it has also gained a legitimate voice if its own. Listen carefully and you will hear it.
John Fenton
‘Jazz Local 32’ blog
Member of Jazz Journalists Association
Tracklist
| 1. | Matakana | 4:10 |
| 2. | The Bucket Fountain | 5:19 |
| 3. | Newtown | 5:13 |
| 4. | Hanmer | 5:12 |
| 5. | Punga Cove | 6:49 |
| 6. | Cathedral | 5:45 |
| 7. | Mt. Cook | 5:42 |
| 8. | Manor Park | 4:10 |
Credits
Nick Granville - guitars, composer, producer, sound mix
Colin Hemmingsen - tenor saxophone, clarinets
Alex Nyman - alto saxophone, flute
Donald Armstrong - violin
Rodger Fox - trombone
Neil Billington - harmonica
Ben Wilcock - keyboards
Nick Tipping - bass
Lance Philip - drums
visit www.nickgranville.com for more information.
License
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Nick Granville is a pro guitarist, teacher and session musician who has worked with artists as diverse as Dave Weckl, Mike Stern, Chris De Burgh, Ronan Keating, Delta Goodrem, Steve Smith, Joey Defrancesco, Kurt Elling and on NZ's "Dancing with the Stars". He has released 5 CD's as a band leader and played on 50+ as a sideman. He can be heard regularly on NZ television/films. www.nickgranville.com