Pianist Richard Ormrod, bassist Neil Innes, and drummer Sam Hobbs provide a trio backing for tenor saxophonist Tony Burkill on this heartfelt and charged excursion into the further realms of spiritual jazz: the four extended-play tracks range in influence from India to Central Africa to the Baptist church, and from the meditative blues sound of Alice Coltrane [The River Becomes The Stream] to the soulful swagger of Galt MacDermot [We Are The People].
Throughout, the quartet is supported by the horns of Ormrod, Johnny Enright (tbn, tuba), and Olivia Cuthill & Tom Sharp (tpts), the percussion of Danny Templeman.
Whether it's the harmonium on Headwaters Of The Soul, the congas and driving shekere on The Fast Flowing River, the trilling flute behind the sax on We Are The People & The River Becomes The Stream, or Burkill's impassioned and perfectly-paced tenor explorations throughout the whole, this album is full of nuanced details that speak of a love of the genre, and a deep commitment to the Work Money Death philosophy of making high-quality improvised recordings that tap into the roots of spiritual jazz.
"Created in the spirit of Impulse! and Strata-East's late 60s/early 70s output, these Leeds-based torch-bearers for spiritual jazz waste no time hitting their groove on album three. Masters of hypnotic slow builds, On The Fast Flowing River's galvanising pulse and We Are The People's jaunty piano refrain give tenor saxophonist Tony Burkill ample space to reprove his way with a lingering hook." - Andy Cowan (MOJO)
Tracklist:
1. The Fast Flowing River
2. Headwaters of the Soul
3. We Are the People
4. The River Becomes the Stream
