Pianist, composer and label boss Dave Stapleton is one of the British jazz scene’s movers and shakers. Stapleton is a graduate of the acclaimed jazz course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and although he is now based in the West of England he still retains close ties with the Welsh capital.

Stapleton’s regular working quintet, hereafter referred to as DSQ, was convened in Cardiff and features Stapleton on piano and Fender Rhodes, Jonny Bruce on trumpet and flugel, Ben Waghorn on saxophones and bass clarinet plus RWCMD lecturer Paula Gardiner on double bass with Elliot Bennett at the drums. This third album follows the acclaimed releases “When Life Was In Black And White” (2005) and “The House Always Wins” (2007). Waghorn replaced Marcin Wright after the first album and the line up has remained stable ever since. There is a great chemistry between the players and this come out in the fiery yet always accessible music to be heard across the three DSQ albums.

Stapleton’s other projects have included “The Conway Suite” (2005) a duo work which featured Stapleton on church organ alongside saxophonist Deri Roberts and “Dismantling The Waterfall” (2008), a series of piano duets with that extraordinary maverick Matthew Bourne. If these two recordings revealed Stapleton’s experimental leanings 2007’s “Catching Sunlight” subtitled “Music For An Imaginary Film” highlighted his maturing talents as a composer and arranger. Featuring Gardiner and Bennett alongside trumpeter Neil Yates and The Lunar Saxophone Quartet the album is closer to the spirit of his DSQ work than the the two duo albums. “Between The Lines” can in some ways be seen as a continuation of the process started on “Catching Sunlight” as Stapleton’s writing continues to mature. DSQ however deliver the material in a far more punchy and overtly jazzy manner. The energy of the quintet is infectious and DSQ’s blend of power and sophistication is a pretty potent cocktail both live and on record.

It should be noted that all the albums discussed above appear on Edition Records the Cardiff based label run by Stapleton and the acclaimed jazz photographer Tim Dickeson. In addition to releasing Stapleton’s own records this enterprising label has assembled a burgeoning roster featuring some of the leading names in contemporary British jazz, among them Tom Cawley’s Curios, Mark Lockheart, Troyka and the Ivo Neame Quartet. It’s a remarkable achievement and the label is something Stapleton and Dickeson can be justly proud of. 

The press release for “Between The Lines” references Stapleton’s various influences. Mention is made of Keith Jarrett’s European Quartet, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters and Gil Evans plus classical composers such as Satie and Ravel. You can certainly find traces of these in DSQ’s music but to me the most telling references are to The Jazz Messengers and Cannonball Adderley. For me DSQ update the Blue Note tradition in an exciting and thoroughly contemporary manner, Stapleton the composer adding a welcome modern touch of sophistication to the Blue Note virtues of strong grooves, accessible melodies and fiery solos. Some of his writing has a suite like quality in that it’s episodic and highly descriptive but there’s nothing fey or “crossover” about DSQ, these guys can blow their asses off when they have to. There’s an urgent, visceral quality to the soloing that complements the sophistication of the writing very nicely.

“Between The Lines” opens with “October Sky” with Stapleton musing delicately on electric piano. It’s a brief but charming introduction to an album that really hit its stride with “Horn”, a lengthy feature for trumpeter Jonny Bruce. The ten minute track is an impressive piece of work sometimes muscular, earthy and funky whilst at others disarmingly delicate. Stapleton is featured playing wispy Fender Rhodes but when Bruce lets rip the music goes up a gear. Bruce is an inspired soloist who likes to incorporate vocalisations into his playing in the style of ex Ellington trumpeter Bubber Miley. He’s equally adept at playing with a mute as with the open horn and in the main he’s a fiery, confident soloist who commands attention. Waghorn features on both bass clarinet and tenor saxophone and it’s his short solo on the latter that rounds off the track.

Such is the tight nature of DSQ that Stapleton likes to dedicate tunes to his band mates. “Dry White” is a reference to Paula Gardiner’s tipple of choice and appropriately it’s a highly melodic and sophisticated piece with some fine ensemble writing. Waghorn takes the first solo on tenor, a study in controlled power, and Stapleton is calmly lyrical at the piano. Gardiner’s own solo is fluent and unhurried and Waghorn soars as the tune moves towards it’s conclusion.

Despite the joky title “Socks First” proves to be an interesting piece of writing with some superbly lyrical playing from Bruce at the beginning of the tune. Like much of Stapleton’s writing the mood never stays in one place for long as Gardiner’s solid bass groove then underpins Stapleton’s dense piano ruminations.

The title track is a ballad featuring the pure tone of Waghorn’s tenor often with only the leader’s sparse piano chording for company. It’s a serene and beautiful piece of music and demonstrates that there’s more to DSQ than catchy hooks and riffs and burning solos although there’s plenty of that on the following “Wig Wag”, Stapleton’s feature for saxophonist Ben Waghorn. The boppish theme is given considerable rhythmic clout by Bennett, Gardiner and Stapleton as Waghorn and Bruce exchange blazing solos in a winning display of unpretentious fun. There’s a quietly funky interlude too featuring Gardiner’s bass and Stapleton on Fender Rhodes before squalling horns and Bennett’s thunderous drum breaks presage a surprisingly quiet coda. Great stuff.

After a reprise of “October Sky” this time played solo by Stapleton on acoustic piano comes “Daz Lightyear”, Stapleton’s dedication to drummer Elliott Bennett. It starts as something of a romp with Bruce’s brassy trumpet and Waghorn’s busily squiggling soprano driven by Bennett’s powerful backbeat. But in typical DSQ fashion there are quieter interludes too including Gardiner’s lyrical bass solo, Stapleton’s flowing statement at the piano and Waghorn’s probings on soprano. Surprisingly there is no actual drum solo, which for this listener at least is something of a relief.

Stapleton saves two of his most gorgeous melodies until the end. “Under The Cherry Tree” is a beautiful ballad that features the composer’s limpid piano and the warm tones of Waghorn’s tenor sax. There’s also a feature for the rounded tones of Bruce and Gardiner’s rich, resonant bass undertow underpins the whole track.

Even better is “Images”, a tune that has been in the group’s repertoire for some time (it initially appeared in different form on their début CD) and which appears here listed as a bonus track. And what a bonus it is, a tune with the melodic immediacy of E.S.T. and one which perhaps references the Satie influence alluded to previously. Here the piece flows beautifully, centred around Stapleton’s piano motif and featuring pithy,tasteful solos from Waghorn on tenor and Gardiner on bass. Bennett’s delicacy ensures that the mood of serenity is never broken and it’s a wonderful way to an end exceptional album.

“Between The Lines” is DSQ’s most multi faceted work to date, full of colourful imaginative writing and covering an even wider stylistic and emotional range than the group’s previous two releases. There’s still plenty of fire in the group’s playing but there’s an increasing maturity too.This is another notable addition to Stapleton’s increasingly impressive oeuvre.

The band are due to make a number of live appearances over the course of the summer in support of the album. I hope to catch them in August when they appear at Brecon Jazz Festival See http://www.editionrecords.com for more details of the band’s schedule.

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