Harben Kay Quartet
Frank and Mark’s Jazz
Iffley Village Hall, Oxford
21 January 2026

Harben Kay -  Tenor Saxophone
Frank Harrison - Piano
Mark Hodgson -  Double Bass
Dave Storey -  Drums

Scottish saxophonist, flautist and composer Harben Kay, formerly known as Helena Kay, with Dave Storey occupying the drum seat were the latest invitees to the intimate and very successful jazz nights run by resident performers Frank Harrison and Mark Hodgson. (The gig sold out within 24 hours of tickets being on sale.)

While pianist Harrison and double bassist Hodgson know each other very well and Kay and Storey had played with each other, this was the first time the four had played with one another and Hodgson quipped, “If it all goes wrong we’ll blame the audience.”

As it turned out the audience had nothing to worry about as from the start strong ensemble playing was a prominent and consistent feature of the gig. While Kay did put their stamp on the night, the dominant impression when Kay soloed was of them leading ensemble playing rather that of soloing with the others just in support

Kay played tenor sax throughout so no flute, but did feature as a composer and less obviously as a clever programmer. Five of the ten numbers in what was a shrewdly constructed set list that balanced different moods and tempos were originals with the other five by leading jazz figures.

‘ The World I Live in,‘ Kay’s third album recorded in March 2025 and released in October 2025 had been much praised in the jazz media being “highly recommended” by UK Jazz News’, and getting 4 star reviews both in Jazzwise and on this site, see https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/harben-kay-the-world-i-live-in

The performance though started with two numbers from a forthcoming EP entitled ‘Firn’ to be released on 25th February 2026 on Bandcamp. These tracks were recorded on the same day as the ones on the album. But having ended up with more music than could be released on vinyl, they were kept for the EP which has been “conceived as a companion piece (to the album) rather than a collection of offcuts.” (press release for ‘Firn’).

‘ Greylight’, the first of the tracks from the EP, took its title from the winter light on Scotland’s west coast. The ensemble playing of the foursome was to the fore in what was a conventional piece of contemporary jazz that came over as being as much about abstract introspection as much as being a musical impression of a particular environment.

This was followed by the an other number from the to be released EP, ‘Alcazaba’ named after the Spanish word for castle. It opened with a striking unaccompanied double bass solo from Hodgson that I heard as stately and mysterious before the others came in and an attractive melody emerged that later became more edgy. Kay led the ensemble before giving way to a piano solo from Harrison and the number then built to a half crescendo.

Dave Storey’s drums led off a version of ‘Blue Nile’ composed by Alice Coltrane, and he was then joined by the double bass in an earthy riff that contrasted with everything heard up to that point. When sax and piano entered they brought in the blues until the sax stepped aside and Harrison played an ever elaborate piano solo while the drums and double bass kept that earthy pulse going underneath.

Duke Ellington’s beautiful ballad ‘Solitude’ was a showcase for Kay who produced a big, rich, and at times breathy sax sound over Storey’s brushed drums and gentle piano with Hodgson then finishing the number with another notable double bass solo.

In the last number before the break Kay led the ensemble into her lively upbeat composition ‘Blue Beetle’ from ‘The World I Live in’ album. It featured an energetic and sometimes sharp- edged conversation between Kay’s sax and the rhythm section augmented by Harrison’s piano.

The musicians re-started with a fascinating version of ‘United’ by Wayne Shorter which was very Sonny Rollins (Rollins filtered through Shorter filtered through Kay?) and had a delightful exchange between piano and drums This upbeat start to the second half was sustained by a bright chirpy take on Carla Bley’s catchy tune ‘Calls’ that was playful and Monkish.

These two tunes perfectly set up what was a marked change of pace and style that came with the next number, Kay’s beautiful ballad ‘Winter Halo’ from ‘The World I Live in’ album. Kay explained that the number took its name from the glow created by the moon shining on frost particles on a cold frosty night. Kay’s liquid sax sustained the lovely and evocative melody over brushed drums with Harrison’s piano making a very empathetic contribution. The highlight of the night.

In the midst of ‘Winter Halo’ Harben Kay had suddenly turned the volume up sharply. It was almost shocking in the context of the ballad, and an illustration that though Kay is a slight figure their saxophone can pack quite a punch.

A spirited and quite boisterous version of pianist Geri Allen’s ‘Feed the Fire’ featured solos from all four players, with a stylish extended contribution from Harrison and a delicious walking double bass solo from Hodgson.

Kay then sent us off into the night by leading the ensemble in a soothing lullaby, the title track of their second album ‘Golden Sands’.

It had been an enjoyable night of quality conventional contemporary jazz that begun in a slightly understated way but had started to pick up the energy in the second number ‘Alcazaba’ and very noticeably with the earthy version of Alice Coltrane’s ‘Blue Nile’. This energy both explicit and latent was then sustained for the rest of set.

Kay’s playing confidently covered a number of different styles within the rubric of conventional contemporary jazz without any showboating but with a special feel for ballads. It was noticeable that Ellington’s ‘ Solitude ‘ and their own ‘ Winter Halo’ earned the longest applause from the audience.

Mark Hodgson’s solos made a fine contribution too. I wasn’t fully convinced by drummer Dave Storey’s soloing though but any doubts on that score were far outweighed by his excellent sensitive ensemble playing which was the more important.

The ensemble playing led by Harben Kay was impressive, and all the more so for it being the first time the four had played together. It was well worth coming out in foul weather to hear the four play, and their collective effort added up to another enjoyable and successful night at Frank and Mark’s.

Set List;

Greylight (Harben Kay)
Alcazaba (Harben Kay)
Blue Nile (Alice Coltrane)
Solitude (Duke Ellington) 
Blue Beetle (Harben Kay)

(Break)

United (Wayne Shorter)
Calls (Carla Bley)
Winter Halo (Harben Kay)
Feed The Fire (Geri Allen)
Golden Sands (Harben Kay)

Thank you to Harben Kay for the set list and for emailing the press release for their forthcoming EP ‘Firn’ which is released on 25th  February on Bandcamp. It takes its title from the term for snow from previous seasons that has been transformed over time by several thaw and refreeze cycles to become compacted granular semi-ice.

COLIN MAY

The press release for “Firn” is reproduced below;

Harben Kay
Firn
(Sulis Records, February 25th 2026)

Harben Kay presents Firn, a four-track EP recorded on the same day as their third album The World I Live In (released October 2025).

Conceived as a companion piece rather than a collection of offcuts, Firn continues the album’s exploration of change, transformation, and how these processes shape creative expression.

While The World I Live In reflects on change as a lived experience, Firn dwells in its quieter aftermath. Taking its title from the term for compacted snow—snow that has undergone transformation through pressure and time—the EP mirrors this idea of gradual change, compression, and reflection.

The opening track, “Greylight,” was written during winter and draws its name from the distinctive light of Scotland’s west coast, where long stretches of grey cloud and limited sunlight create a muted yet atmospheric landscape. This sense of winter permeates the EP: restrained, introspective, and finely detailed.

“Foils” explores opposing characters and places the quartet in a markedly different sonic environment to the rest of the EP, embracing freer improvisation and a more open, exploratory approach.

On the third track, double bassist Calum Gourlay opens with a beautifully unaccompanied improvisation, setting a contemplative tone before the ensemble enters.

The EP closes with “Alcazaba,” named after the Spanish word for castle, offering a sense of solidity and quiet resolve.

As with The World I Live In, Firn features a world-class ensemble: Peter Johnstone (piano), Calum Gourlay (double bass), and Alyn Cosker (drums). The session also marked Fergus McCreadie’s debut as a producer, bringing a trusted musical perspective to a body of work shaped by long-standing collaboration and shared history.

Across its four tracks, Firn evokes the stillness of winter: moments of brightness and clarity set against subdued tones, imbued with a warmth and intimacy that feels both reflective and quietly affirming. It stands as a focused, distilled continuation of the world Harben Kay began to map with The World I Live In.

Harben Kay | tenor saxophone
Calum Gourlay | double bass
Peter Johnstone | piano
Alyn Cosker | drums

Artist website: http://www.harbenkay.com

more info: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Track Listing;
1. Greylight 7:02
2. Foils 6:32
3. Alcazaba (intro) 1:28
4. Alcazaba 4:39

All composed by Harben Kay, apart from the improvised intro by Calum Gourlay (track 3)

Background info / Liner Notes:
Harben Kay – tenor saxophone
Peter Johnstone – piano
Calum Gourlay – double bass
Alyn Cosker – drums
Produced by Fergus McCreadie
Executive producer: Harben Kay
Recorded at Solas Sound 6th March 2025
Recorded and mixed by Gus Stirrat
Mastered by Alex Bonney
Artwork and design by Marily Papanastasatou
All compositions and words by Harben Kay
Copyright Sulis Records 2025

Huge thanks to everyone who contributed and helped me to create this work:
Drake YolanDa Award, Peter Johnstone, Calum Gourlay, Alyn Cosker, Fergus McCreadie, Gus Stirrat, Alex Bonney, Marily Papanastasatou, Stephen Henderson, Sylvie Kay, Merran Kay, Philippa Baylis, William Kay, Mary Kay, Peter Baylis, Olivia Williams, Take Five, Directions in Music, all the venues we played at where this music was developed, and the audiences who came and connected with us. I am ever grateful for your support.