Saxophonist Kevin Figes returns with new album 'Changing Times' – video preview
Mike Flynn
Thursday, May 14, 2020
The acclaimed Bristol-based saxophonist releases his most diverse album to date exploring jazz-rock and songwriting
Figes’ Quartet features pianist Jim Blomfield on Fender Rhodes, Prophet and Hammond organ, Mark Whitlam on drums and Thad Kelly on bass, who him on this wide ranging set. Figes pays homage on the track ‘Toothpick’ to one of his formative influences, jazz-rock legends Soft Machine, whose founding saxophonist, Elton Dean, was his mentor and teacher in the 1980s. Another Soft Machine inspired track, ‘Sea View’, finds the saxophonist deploying an electronic sequencer for the first time in his music.
Vocalist Emily Wright also appears on two songs on the album: ‘Strange Place’, a haunting tribute to the 1970s horror film, and ‘Soft Escape Bed’, named after a road sign that Figes used to see on his journey to visit his critically ill dad. Other influences include David Binney, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, John Escreet and Hermeto Pascoal.
Commenting on the album Figes said: "My aim is to produce personal music in a fearless and evolving way. So now, I'm moving on again. Henry Cow, a whole world of contemporary classical (Lutoslawski, Berio etc) and the delights of free improvisation are beckoning and there are no limitations… It's all music after all."
See the video preview of the album below and for more info visit www.pigrecords.co.uk