|
ARTIST: Spike Heatley
Title: The Other Side Of The Coin
Catalogue Number: RENELLA 01
Personnel: ROY WILLIAMS, Trombone; DANNY MOSS, Tenor Saxophone;
MICK HANSON, Guitar; DAVE NEWTON, Piano; SPIKE HEATLEY, Double Bass;
MALCOLM MORTIMORE Drums
Derek Ansell, writing in Jazz Journal International, said “Spike Heatley leads a sextet in a programme of modern/mainstream jazz. This is indeed a home-grown supergroup”. He concludes his review of the record by saying “this is a record that makes you feel good as soon as you start listening and the effect works through to the last bar of the last selection.
Reviews
Jazz Journal International - December 2003
... 70 year old master bassist Spike Heatley here leads a sterling sextet through a stimulating programme of modern/mainstream jazz. Time was when talk of a super group inevitably described one hundred per cent American musicians but not any more. With the inventive, gifted Danny Moss and Roy Williams up front and a rhythm section comprising Newton and the leader, this is indeed a home grown super group. Even the lessor known Hanson on guitar and Mortimore on drums play like veterans consistently, on this sparkling session. The music, written by the leader, Brian Lemon, Mick Hanson and someone called Ira Gershwin, is bright and buoyant throughout with a special lift coming from the playing of Messrs Newton, Heatley and Mortimore.
This is a bass player leader’s date but fails to fall into the trap so many succumb to. Spike does not solo on every track but plays driving lines in the section and when he does step into the spotlight, his bass tone is exquisite; no pumped up over amplified electronics or showy solos just for effect. Williams’s lines crackle along healthily and swing mightily; he is surely one of the best trombone players in jazz? Danny Moss plays with a big, rich sound and constructs telling solos; he virtually by-passes 60 years of tenor sax innovation and sticks with his first influence, Coleman Hawkins and, if it works for him why not? It certainly works here for the listener. This is the sort of record that makes you feel good as soon as you start listening and the effect works through to the last bar of the last selection. Derek Ansell.
Jazz Wise -December 2003
... The material comprises seven generally sprightly originals by Heatley, two by Hanson, one by Brian Lemon and one by the late Bill LeSage. Spike was very much a British Ray Brown in his approach and his playing certainly hasn’t rusted over the years. David Newton has seldom soloed so consistently well on record - check the track called “Walking Down” - and Danny Moss is still the best local tenor, albeit now based in Australia, in the Hawkins tradition. Williams also solos solidly and Mick Hanson’s work reminds us that his Spotlite CD should be in more collections. Welcome back, Spike. Tony Hall.
Crescendo & Jazz Music - Winter 2003
... Spike got together with some friends to record this cheerful album. The album title refers to the fact that musicians can also be composers, and Spike himself wrote seven of the tracks, which are catchy tunes albeit often on the simple device of taking a riff and hoisting it up or down the scale. ‘Walking Down’ and ‘Just Another Dream’ are by guitarist Mick Hanson, whose solos are intelligent and well-constructed. David Newton is, of course, a superb player and he brightens everything he touches - whether soloing or accompanying. And it’s great to hear the full, deep tone of Danny Moss’s tenor sax. He sounds like a force of nature on ‘Into Somewhere’ (Bill LeSage’s adaptation of the chords of ‘Out of Nowhere’) ... Tony Augarde
1: Ramsey By-Pass(S Heatley)
Windows Media
Real Player
2: Little Victor(S Heatley)
3: Walking Down(M Hanson, Paul Rodriguez Music)
4: Into Somewhere( B LeSage)
5: Spike Island Special(S Heatley)
6: It Was Always You(S Heatley)
Windows Media
Real Player
7: Mr. M & Mr. B(S Heatley)
8: A Song For My Children(S Heatley)
9: The Ringer(S Heatley)
10: Just Another Dream(M Hanson, Paul Rodriguez Music)
11: A Cheerful Little Earful(Warren, Gershwin & Rose, Warner Bros Music)
Windows Media
Real Player
12: Home Bass(B Lemon)
Click preferred link above to hear samples. Please note these sound clips have been reduced in quality to enable quicker streaming. The actual CD is of considerably better quality.
Please note you need to have either Windows Media Player or Real Player installed on your computer in order to play these tracks (click the link for your preferred player if you don't already have it).
| 
