Personnel: Sam Anning: double bass -- Mat Jodrell: trumpet, flugel - Carl Mackey: soprano, alto, tenor saxes – Graham Wood: piano – Daniel Susnjar: drums -Cello: Matthew How, Jennika Anothony-Shaw, Iain Grandage, Melanie Robinson

Sam Anning Quintet: RE-turning POINT

These musicians know what they are doing. They are competent enough to intelligently manage both bebop and avant-garde styles, and connect with the listener either way. Although it can be risky hanging your hat on one chordal structure for an entire tune, they are successful whenever they do so. Many of the tunes are within the tonality of “D” or “E,” but because such impeccable technique is used so well to further the group’s imaginative improvisations, any potential lack of harmonic diversity is easily overcome.

Trumpet player Mat Jodrell, whether in a free or harmonic style, plays in the tradition of Kenny Wheeler, with a sure and excellent command of his instrument and creative instincts. Carl Mackey, on any of his saxes, displays a lyrical and technical competence that is top of the line. The rhythm section, with leader Sam Anning on bass, crackles with energy, ability and skill on their respective instruments.

Note that these musicians are Australian. The CD is recorded, engineered and produced in Australia. Given the excellence of this CD, groups like this should always be in one’s aural eye. The Sam Anning Quintet is simple proof that the U.S. can never take for granted nor fully claim geographical musical dominance. Knowing that something musically different and interesting from outside normal influences is always around the corner, I look forward to being taken down a variety of different paths. Indeed, the fact that the Sam Anning Quintet IS Australian is interesting in itself as it is those cultural differences that stimulate this group’s approach to playing, writing and interpreting jazz music.

“RE-turning Point” contains an enthusiastic range of compositions: from the avant garde in tune number two, “Time Travels,” to tune number 5, “One Day, Without You,” with its third-stream jazz flavor of the late 50s and early 60s, through the powerful aggressiveness of tune number six, “Hone Heke.” The CD ends with a exquisitely beautiful and fragile classical interpretation of Tom Wait’s tune “Johnsberg, Illinois,” arranged for the cello section and altoist Carl Mackey.

This tour de force of masterful inventions is rhythmically, melodically and texturally different, yet at the same time encompasses a subtle but coincidental relationship between each of the tunes. The CD has a nice symmetry in that it begins with an arrangement for cellos and alto and leaves with one. I like this CD, and I think you will too.

www.samanning.com.au