David Preston - Volume 2 - Purple/black [CD]

This album is a companion to guitarist David Preston's 2023 debut under his own name: a set of recordings that confounded expectations as much as they delighted audiences and again feature pianist Kit Downes, bassist Kevin Glasgow and drummer Sebastian Rochford. Preston went into the studio with a coherent set of compositions that focused on texture and mood as much as improvisational virtuosity, and a band of front-rank players whose ability to work outside the confines of genre matched his own. The sessions were so productive that they yielded two albums worth of material, of which this is the second. <p>Like its predecessor, 'Purple/Black Volume 2' combines the unique talents of Kit Downes, Kevin Glasgow and Seb Rochford into an intuitively coherent unit that explores the carefully crafted material in a way that impresses with its focus and control as much as with its spontaneity. The result is an album that combines the directness and accessibility of mainstream popular music forms with the depth and subtlety of jazz.</p><p>Where Volume 1 presented a bright, extrovert personality, Volume 2 invites the listener to lean in to the music, the better to enjoy the intricacies that are hidden below the surface. All of the tunes were all recorded in one or two takes and each establishes its own emotional character before making room for the next, giving it the directness of a pop record. The accessibility of the textures draw the listener in, all the better to appreciate the complexity hidden within the depths. <p>Volume 1 has proved itself as a critical and commercial success, and the project has continued to grow and develop as David has taken the band out on the road with an extensive touring schedule. The intimate and intricate Volume 2 is sure to consolidate on its appeal.</p> <p>David Preston: guitar <br>Kit Downes: piano <br>Sebastian Rochford: drums <br>Kevin Glasgow: bass