Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet

“What’s It Gonna Be?”

(Sunlightsquare Records SUNCD 010)

Trumpeter Quentin Collins and tenor saxophonist Brandon Allen are two of the fieriest young soloists on the UK jazz scene. Both are capable of playing in a number of different musical contexts but as joint leaders of their own quartet they concentrate on their first loves of Blue Note inspired hard bop and soul jazz with perhaps a hint of the later acid jazz movement thrown in for good measure. The line up here is an updating of the classic Blue Note “organ combo” with the versatile Ross Stanley on Hammond and with Enzo Zirilli, recently seen with the Sarah Gillespie band, at the drums.

The majority of the material comes from the pens of the two leaders who contribute three tunes apiece. The remainder of the programme comprises of Stevie Wonder’s “Smile Please” and the closing “Teeth For Tooth” by drummer Enzo Zirilli.

Formerly trading under the band name Drugstore Cowboy the QC/BA Quartet have acquired a reputation as a dynamic, hard blowing live act, qualities that are sometimes difficult to capture record. Nonetheless “What’s It Gonna Be?” makes a creditable attempt at capturing some of the energy of the quartet’s live shows as well as revealing a surprising degree of subtlety on the slower numbers.

Allen’s opening title track features the surge and swell of Stanley’s Hammond alongside the powerful, confident soloing of the two horn men. Zirilli’s drumming is economical but subtly propulsive and he enjoys a number of drum breaks in the latter stages of the tune as the quartet really start to build up a head of steam.

Allen’s “Until The Sun Rises” is more of a slow burner, building its momentum more gently and including a wonderfully eloquent solo from Collins on flugelhorn. Allen’s tenor solo introduces a harder edge and there’s also a highly inventive solo from Stanley at the Hammond.

Collins’ “No Way Jose” is an uptempo funk/latin shuffle with bravura trumpeting from the leader and churning Hammond from Stanley. The organist delivers a thrilling solo, superbly supported by the busy Zirilli at the drums. Zirilli is aided and abetted by guest percussionist Ernesto Simpson.
Simpson is an interesting character, a Cuban emigre who spent some time in the US before arriving in London where he quickly made his mark on the UK jazz scene with his distinctive drum and percussion stylings.  There’s a lengthy feature for the two percussionists towards the end of a tune that is surely destined to become a live favourite. 

Also by Collins “Dark Shadows” marks a return to the slow burning ballad approach. High register “Sketches Of Spain” style trumpeting combines well with rumbling low register Hammond on the introduction. The tune develops with a real sense of drama with Collins sounding suitably Milesian throughout, interjected by Allen’s brooding tenor sax, and supported by Stanley’s Hammond undertow and Zirilli’s economical drumming. The sense of mood and drama the quartet create is an accurate summation of the rather sombre title.

Allen’s “Unfinished” adds guest trombonist Trevor Mires to the front line with the three horns making an impressively big sound on this mid tempo, gospel tinged groover. Mires takes the first solo, his trombone sound rich, rounded and fruity. Allen is relaxed and breezy on tenor, soloing fluently above Stanley’s organ groove and Zirilli’s fizzing ride cymbal. Collins is next to go, bright and punchy, and finally it’s the turn of the mercurial Stanley at the Hammond. 

Collins final contribution with the pen is “Soluble Aspirin”, a flugel horn feature that is a continuation of the more reflective aspects of his 2006 solo album “If Not Now, Then When?”.
Although best known as a punchy, hard hitting soloist Collins is a more than capable ballad player as he demonstrates here. Allen is correspondingly soulful on tenor and there’s also an idiosyncratic organ interlude from Stanley.

The quartet were once the house band for the “Late Set” at a venue called the Last Days Of Decadence in the Hackney/Shoreditch area of London. At one time The Jazzmann frequently carried their listings in our events pages but we’ve not heard anything from them lately. Maybe somebody can update us. Invariably the quartet were backing guest singers, often in the soul/jazz vein, which probably helps to explain the presence of guest vocalist Natalie Williams on a version of Stevie Wonder’s “Smile Please”. Ernesto Simpson also makes a second guest appearance but I have to admit that the track does little for me, it’s all rather too poppy and spoils the flow of the album. The best moments are the incisive instrumental solos from Collins on flugel, Allen on tenor and Stanley at the Hammond.

Normal service is restored with Zirilli’s “Teeth For Tooth”, which is, as the title suggests, a sly, organ fuelled remake of “Tea For Two” with pithy solos from Allen on tenor, Collins on trumpet Stanley on the mighty Hammond with Zirilli enjoying a series of drum breaks before the surprise ending(s). Great fun.

“What’s It Gonna Be?” is an enjoyable, unpretentious album with much to commend it. The uptempo tunes really cook but the ballads contain many interesting hidden subtleties. Both Collins and Allen are excellent throughout but it’s Stanley who holds the group together, handling (if that’s the right word) the bass parts with his foot pedals and providing the harmonic swells that propel the front line soloists. The organist is an inventive soloist himself and he also links up well with the flexible Zirilli. The vocals do little for me but there may be other listeners who feel differently.

The quartet should be touring the country in early 2012. Look out for them when they come to your town as I’m sure their live shows will be quite dynamic.     

 

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