Julian Arguelles

“Circularity”

(Cam Jazz CAMJ 7872-2)

Saxophonist and composer Julian Arguelles first came to the attention of UK jazz audiences as a member of the seminal big band Loose Tubes. He’s back with the twenty one strong for their 2014 thirtieth anniversary shows but in the intervening years he has become an established solo artist with a string of fine recordings to his credit.

The first of these was 1991’s “Phaedrus”, a quartet album made with former Loose Tubes drummer Martin France, bassist Mick Hutton and pianist John Taylor. The Arguelles/Taylor collaboration raised a few eyebrows at the time, the irreverent young upstart working with a musician who even then was considered as one of the UK jazz scene’s senior figures. However “Phaedrus” proved to be an enduring British jazz classic, it’s still one of my favourite albums and one that gets aired regularly. I remember witnessing the Phaedrus quartet perform at a wonderfully laid back late night show at the 1992 Brecon Jazz Festival. 

The Arguelles/Taylor partnership has proved to be a most fruitful and enduring one with the saxophonist frequently guesting with Taylor’s trio alongside France and Swedish bassist Palle Danielsson, most notably on the 2007 Cam Jazz release “Requiem For A Dreamer”. The pair have also worked as a wonderfully productive and interactive duo, again I remember with affection a live performance, this time at the 2011 Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

Of course Arguelles has achieved so much else during the course of his career and has worked with musicians from both sides of the Atlantic in a variety of line ups ranging from a duo with his drummer brother Steve to an octet featuring some of the UK and Europe’s finest musicians, the latter making another notable Cheltenham appearance and recording the marvellous album “Skull View” (Babel records, 1997). Arguelles is not only a virtuoso but understated saxophonist but also a composer of some note, the standard of his writing is consistently high, making for a stream of interesting, absorbing and infinitely enjoyable albums. It’s probably true to say that everything he has recorded is well worth hearing and this latest album, “Circularity”, is no exception.

In many ways “Circularity” marks a return to Arguelles’ roots. The title is no doubt well chosen and the record harks back to “Phaedrus” as Taylor and France re-unite under Arguelles’ leadership with the great Dave Holland taking over the bass chair. The presence of the highly respected Holland, UK born but long based in the US, represents a considerable coup for Arguelles, though in stating this I intend no disrespect to Mick Hutton, himself a fine bass player who made a substantial contribution to the “Phaedrus” album. It’s the first time Arguelles has recorded in this format as a leader since 1991, a fact that, for me, emphasises the forward looking nature of his music making in the intervening years. Only now, as he approaches the age of fifty, has he allowed himself to look back - yet there’s a timelessness about both this and “Phaedrus” that makes both records indispensable -  as Brian Morton sagely observes in Circularity’s sleeve notes.   

Originally from Birmingham Arguelles now lives in Scotland (he acknowledges the help of Creative Scotland on the album cover) but the album appears on the Italian Cam Jazz label, the recording home of pianist Taylor for the last few years. Recorded in England and mixed in Germany the album is thus an international affair that befits Arguelles’ status as a British player with a world wide reputation. The sound is of the high technical standard we have come to expect from Cam Jazz and the contribution of each musician can be heard with admirable clarity throughout.

Holland’s bass introduces the opening “Triality” which sees the quartet stretching out on an Arguelles theme (all the pieces are Julian originals) that combines adventurousness with accessibility in thrilling fashion. Arguelles, who specialises on tenor and soprano throughout (rather than the baritone he lugs with Loose Tubes) is in fine Coltrane-esque form with an authoritative opening solo, yet despite the comparison he still sounds resolutely like himself. Arguelles has absorbed the influences of all the jazz greats (there’s something of a hint of Ornette Coleman in the tune itself) plus more contemporary developments, yet always sounds more innovator than imitator.
The bustling “Triality” also features sure footed rhythm section work plus a rousing Holland bass solo and a feature for the highly talented and always ultra musical Martin France. A bracing and hugely enjoyable start.

“Lardy Dardy” is a tune that Arguelles has been playing for a number of years, firstly with his trio featuring American musicians Tom Rainey (drums) and Michael Formanek (bass), and more recently in the duo with John Taylor. It’s Taylor’s piano that introduces the tune here, a more pastoral and lyrical affair that recalls both “Phaedrus” and the gentle, whimsical, folk influenced jazz that a number of its ex members made in the wake of the original Loose Tubes diaspora. There are thoughtful solos from both Arguelles, this time on soprano, and Holland while Taylor combines his trademark classically inspired lyricism with a pleasing level of harmonic grit.

The stop/start title track is driven by appropriately circling grooves which provide the basis for typically tight ensemble playing and assured, fluent soloing. Arguelles goes first followed by drummer France, a pleasing mix of power and musicality. Busy, bristling Coleman-esque moments contrast with quieter episodes such as the duet between Arguelles and Taylor that occurs mid tune.

“A Simple Question” is more atmospheric and impressionistic, Taylor’s opening piano chords seem to hang on the air and the piece also features Arguelles’ delightful solo soprano sax, making maximum use of space and sounding a little like Jan Garbarek. The introduction of drums and bass re-inforce the notion of ECM style chamber jazz with France beautifully subtle and understated, a colourist using just brushes or bare hands. Holland contributes a wonderfully melodic bass solo that forms the basis of the second half of the piece.

“Unopened Letter”, the title no doubt a reference to the final Loose Tubes studio album “Open Letter”, is a tune that has been around since the days of the Rainey/Formanek trio. It’s introduced here by Holland’s powerful strummed bass riff which forms the backbone of the piece. There’s a hint of the Mediterranean or Middle East about both the writing and Arguelles’ own sinuous playing, plus a marvellously flowing solo from the consistently inventive Taylor.   

In a well programmed set “Wilderness Lane” represents a second impressionistic, ballad like interlude. It begins as an intimate conversation between Arguelles’ oboe like soprano sax, Holland’s bass and Taylor at the piano before France emerges to add delicately brushed drums. Holland’s bass solo is lyrical and melodic, although as he shows elsewhere on the album he can do muscular and robust too.

The title of “Another Escapade” alludes to Arguelles’ second octet album, 1999’s “Escapade”, released on Colin Towns’ Provocateur label. The piece begins with France at the drums (he was a member of the octet, too) before the rest of the band kick in. There’s an appropriately relaxed and playfully energetic feel about this piece which spawns gloriously inventive solos from Arguelles and Taylor as France and Holland tackle the tricky rhythm parts with aplomb.

Finally we hear the ballad “A Lifelong Moment”, another tune from the Arguelles/Taylor duo repertoire. It begins with these two working in duet, beautifully measured tenor sax and piano subsequently joined by sympathetic bass and drums. Arguelles constructs his solo gracefully, in a manner that Morton has compared with the late, great Joe Henderson - Warne Marsh is often mentioned as a reference point too. Taylor, who is in ebullient form throughout the album follows as the music continues to swell and soar prior to a more measured coda.

“Circularity” represents the work of a world class quartet, a British super-group featuring four musicians with international reputations. It’s a mature album but a quietly adventurous one with Arguelles and his colleagues still at the peak of their creative powers. The leader’s soloing is fabulously fluent throughout, he’s a superb technician and a gifted improviser with a genuine flair for melody, something that emerges in his writing too. Arguelles composes memorable themes that remain accessible no matter how far the group takes them, this is complex music that is easy to like.

In a well programmed set that combines energetic episodes with moments of pure beauty Arguelles places himself at the heart of the music, subtly dominating throughout, although it’s noticeable that he allows Holland a generous amount of solo space.

Arguelles combines jazz chops with (often) folk like melody to create something that is very much his own. Like some of his Loose Tubes colleagues he’s developed into something of a national treasure (he’ll probably hate me for saying that) but he’s never stopped looking forward and “Circularity” finds him playing better than ever while gently tipping his hat to his illustrious past.   

     

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