Ask, Seek, Knock

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Cat No: WR4709

Release Date: 07 July 2017

Label: Whirlwind Recordings

Packaging Type: Digipak

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 4055388386310

Genres: Jazz Contemporary

Description
Increasingly incandescent across the London jazz, funk and world music scenes, alto saxophonist and composer Samuel Eagles announces his debut Whirlwind release 'Ask, Seek, Knock' with his band, Spirit (saxophonist Duncan Eagles, pianist Sam Leak, vibraphonist Ralph Wyld, double bassist Max Luthert and drummer Dave Hamblett), breathing life into eight, expansive, original compositions.

Eagles' solo debut of 2014, 'Next Beginning', plus subsequent appearances on studio recordings with other artists, provided the swift impetus to a professional career which had its roots set at the Royal Academy of Music and then nurtured at Trinity College of Music. The saxophonist was mentored and educated by musical luminaries Mornington Lockett and Jean Toussaint, so it's entirely appropriate that Toussaint augments the personnel here by guesting on two numbers with customary flair.

Pairing alto and tenor saxes upfront, as well as overlaying the differing timbres of piano and vibes, affirms the richness of Eagles' writing. His ear for textural combinations and strong, melodious riffs can be heard in the steadfast buoyancy of "Eternity Within My Soul", which teems with improvisational character, and in the searching serenity of "Changed, Changing Still", enhanced by Ralph Wyld's sustained vibes and the lucid double bass expression of Max Luthert.

Beauty, light and courage are symbolized in resolute 'Dreams and Visions of The Son', including a lush, prismatic tenor spotlight from Jean Toussaint and "Hear His Voice" sparks lively, modal conversation between Toussaint and Samuel Eagles, bolstered by the robust rhythms of Luthert and Dave Hamblett.

Personnel: Samuel Eagles (alto saxophone), Duncan Eagles (tenor saxophone), Jean Toussaint (tenor saxophone - 3, 6,), Sam Leak (piano), Ralph Wyld (vibraphone), Dave Hamblett (drums)

Reviews:

"(4 stars) Eagles delivers eight prismatic originals...A work that pulses with meaning, taking the active listener deeper and higher." - The Evening Standard

"(4 stars) Richly textured and contrapuntal arrangements enhanced by the imaginative choice of instrumentation." - All About Jazz

"The saxes vie with one another in fluid joint solos... adding to the richness of the harmony" - Jazzwise

"(4 stars) A collection of pieces that are richly inventive in terms of colour, texture, harmony and rhythm. But alongside the complexity there is also a strong melodic sense... All of the album personnel play superbly and engineer Tyler McDiarmid's mix (working in conjunction with producer Eagles) captures every nuance and subtlety of the music with pinpoint precision." - The Jazz Mann

"The inclusion of a vibraphone in the sextet brings an interesting dimension to the music." - Sandy Brown Jazz

"An exciting band...Mingus overtones...Tension building moments...The rhythm section is merely one to die for." - Bebop Spoken Here
Tracklisting