Words by Justin Turford
Muscular, rich and meaty like jazz Bovril, the sound of Liam Shortall’s corto.alto outfit places itself straight into the top ranks of the UK’s current jazz boom. A Glasgow native, trombonist, composer and now a bandleader, Liam has created an EP as strong as most full length releases, perhaps it’s shortened length containing just the right amount of ideas, no fillers in sight.
Beautifully and powerfully produced by Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa), ‘Not For Now’ nods clearly to Liam’s lifelong love of hip hop but above and around the bouncing, expressive drums of STRATA’s Graham Costello and Peru Eizaguirre (and percussion from Tom Excell himself and Alex Palmer), we have virtuosic jazz performances of the highest calibre. Alongside Liam on trombone (and guitar and bass!), there is Harry Weir on sax, Fergus McCreadie on piano and a roll call of rising players that deliver the goods here, exemplifying the island length quality of this generation’s cadre of UK musicians, jazz or otherwise.
The stirring opener ‘Not For Now’ sets the stage at a mellow tempo, all languid horns and hypnotic prodding rhodes (and some seriously good drums) until Fergus McCreadie’s sublime keys solo releases a horn counterpoint as exhilarating as any I’ve heard in the last year or so; a quiet storm of real distinction that smashed it at We Out Here festival last year by all accounts. First single ‘Brotherhood’ features the spoken word of Franz Von, MC of the always on point K.O.G. & The Zongo Brigade, and it swings hard. The drums are precise yet loose, time signatures shifting and moving the ground beneath our feet, the arrangement leaving space for killer solos and ensemble playing alike as the intensity grows and grows until the dam bursts into a New Orleans brass dirge style ending. Ace..
‘Mayday’ is pure funk. Funk as in I’m pulling faces as the slick rhythm spins and stops, Gyan Panesar’s filthy bass clarinet sharpening the edge of the groove. Solos wander in and out, Ewan Hastie’s upright bass looping as the tight brass hooks throw iron hard melodies. Brilliant really and probably my favourite of the EP.
‘Interlude’ does a lot more than the title suggests. Live Boom Bap drums hold the pulse while a complex horn pattern and washed out keys drive the piece along. With some standout solos this ‘interlude’ fits in a lot of ambience in just over two minutes and illustrates the depth of compositional chops Liam has brought to this release.
Closing track ‘No, Pt. III’ showcases the trumpet sound of James Copus on this slice of Detroit style soul-jazz-funk. The Mizell Brothers and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson producing and arranging couldn’t have done a better job, it sits like an outtake from Suite For Ma Dukes in its emotional rush and uplifting charm. A superb release for Bristol’s Worm Discs and I for one, can’t wait for more from Mr Shortall and Co. 9/10