Howl Quartet

“Airglow”

(Self Released)

Harry Brunt -tenor saxophone, Dan Smith – alto saxophone, Pete Komor – double bass, Matt Parkinson – drums

“Airglow” is the second album release from the young London based group Howl Quartet.

It follows their excellent 2021 début, the boldly titled “Life As We See It”, which is reviewed here, my account forming the basis for much of the following biographical detail.
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/howl-quartet-life-as-we-see-it

The group first came to my attention through their bassist, Pete Komor, whose playing I know from his tenure at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff. During Komor’s time in Wales I enjoyed seeing Komor perform at various venues in Cardiff, Brecon and Abergavenny in a variety of musical contexts. These included the RWCMD Big Band, the Afro- Cuban ensemble The Mañana Collective and with smaller groups led by saxophonists Glen Manby (alto) and Joe Northwood (tenor) and by pianists Philip Clouts and Juan Galiardo.

After graduating from the RWCMD Komor made the move to London where he is currently involved in a number of projects across a broad range of jazz genres. In addition to performing as a musician (he is also a talented trombonist) he also works in the fields of sound engineering and equipment hire for live events.  See http://www.petekomor.co.uk for full details of his various musical activities.

One of Komor’s primary creative outlets is Howl Quartet, a chordless ensemble whose influences range through saxophonists John Coltrane and Lee Konitz to guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Brian Blade., plus the closely linked bands Endangered Blood and Claudia Quintet. The quartet have performed regularly at London venues such as The Vortex and Kansas Smitty’s and have also appeared at the EFG London Jazz Festival.

I’m less familiar with the backgrounds of Komor’s colleagues, although both Dan Smith and Harry Brunt also studied at RWCMD. Smith and Parkinson then studied together at the Royal Academy of Music in London and it was in the English Capital that Howl Quartet finally came together, naming themselves after the celebrated Allen Ginsberg poem, Brunt having also studied English Literature.

Brunt is also a close associate of guitarist Harry Christelis, leader of Moostak Trio and the co-ordinator of the jazz programme at The Green Note venue in Camden.

Howl Quartet describe themselves as “a garage rock band at heart, with a ferocious energy for artistic expression and improvised music”. They also speak of a “collective passion for improvisation and composition”. 

During the Covid lockdown period the band streamed a number of live performances. I remember tuning in and enjoying one of these, which I think acted as the official launch for “Life As We See It”. They weren’t actually in a garage, but could quite easily have been, such was the spirit of the performance.

The album title “Airglow” refers to “the glow of city life reflected across the night sky”, a reference to the quartet’s London base. Once again the album sees the composer credits shared around the group and it’s Komor’s title track that starts things off. Commencing with languid double bass and brushed drums there’s a gently nocturnal, after hours quality about the music, further emphasised by the long melody lines of the two saxes. As on the first album one is again reminded of the music of Polar Bear, another band with a twin sax front line, albeit two tenors in their case. Seb Rochford’s outfit may have been an influence but Howl Quartet put their own stamp on the double sax line up with this elegant, evocative opener.

Also by Komor “Smudge” offers a complete contrast to the wistfully atmospheric title track. Again it’s introduced by the composer’s bass, but this time Komor combines with Parkinson’s drums to create an unstoppable groove,  this providing the platform for the spiky and restlessly inventive sax interplay of Brunt and Smith. Bass and drums play a key role in the music of Howl Quartet and the reeds temporarily sit out as Parkinson and Komor enter into an engaging drums and double bass dialogue.
There’s an impressive energy about this piece, but also a high level of musical sophistication.

Smith’s “Llonydd” reveals his own gift for a memorable melodic theme, a quality shared by all the composers in the group. This piece is also notable for an exceptional double bass solo from Komor, that combines a huge tone with a strong sense of melody.

Brunt makes his compositional début with “Crossword”, a more urgent and energetic piece notable for the fiery interplay between the two saxes alongside fine individual statements from both Brunt and Smith. Komor and Parkinson are busy throughout, combining to offer suitably propulsive support to the double sax front line.

Jointly credited to Smith and Brunt “The Lookout” continues the mood, with the interplay between the saxes again exceptional and with the individual solos of similar quality. Again the reeds receive excellent support from Komor and Parkinson, a rhythm partnership that is flexible, intelligent, imaginative and propulsive.

Parkinson makes his début with the pen on “Flow”, a piece that does just that, with its gently rolling grooves topped by Brunt’s tenor sax melodies. Komor takes the first solo on double bass, an expansive excursion subtly underpinned by the composer’s colourful drumming. Brunt then stretches out with a fluent individual solo and Parkinson features himself towards the close, again working effectively in conjunction with Komor’s bass.

Brunt’s “Salt House” is Howl Quartet at their most reflective and atmospheric, with long, gently brooding sax melody lines floating above the sounds of economical double bass and Parkinson’s soft mallet rumbles and cymbal shimmers. It’s similar in spirit to Komor’s title track and just as subtle and evocative.

Also by Brunt “Martello” is a more exuberant, upbeat offering featuring a more direct tenor sax sound and suitably powerful and dynamic rhythmic accompaniment.

The final compositional credit goes to Parkinson with the loosely structured “Patience”, a brief but atmospheric and evocative piece that highlights the delicate instrumental interplay between the members of the quartet.

As an album “Airglow” builds on the success of the earlier release and finds Howl Quartet further developing their sound and wearing their influences more lightly this time around. That said the following comments, largely culled from my review of “Life As We See It” remain thoroughly applicable;

“Smith and Brunt make a great team. The two horns often provide unison theme statements but are also adept at playing off each other, introducing counter melodies and other elements of counterpoint. They complement each other superbly throughout the recording, and even during their individual solo statements one never gets the impression that they are competing with each other. Komor combines a huge tone with rhythmic intelligence and flexibility, plus an admirable dexterity. Drummer Parkinson’s playing is bright, crisp, colourful and imaginative throughout.”

“Airglow” sees the group maturing as both musicians and writers and the quartet’s collective sound has become even more distinctive, drawing on various jazz genres as well as elements of folk and classical music.

There seems to be a bit more of a buzz around Howl Quartet with this latest release and “Airglow” has already received suitably glowing reviews from both the UK Vibe and Marlbank websites. The Jazzmann loves it too and hopefully this positivity will be reflected by the audience numbers on the band’s forthcoming album launch tour – dates below.

Howl Quartet – Airglow album launch tour 2023;

17th July: Ashburton Arts, Devon
18th July: Southampton Modern Jazz Club
19th July: Pizza Express Jazz Club (Dean Street), London
21st July: Bear Club, Luton
3rd October: Fringe in the Round, Bristol
4th October; The Flute & Tankard, Cardiff
24th October; Fougou Jazz, Exeter

I’ll have to wait a while before catching the band ‘in the flesh’, but I hope to make the Cardiff date in October.

“Airglow” is available via the Howl Quartet website, which has links to the group’s Bandcamp page.
https://www.howlquartet.com/welcome

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