Nimbus Sextet: Dreams Fulfilled

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Luigi Pasquini
Euan Allardice
Alex Palmer
Joe Nichols (p, ky, Mellotron)
Luca Pisanu
Manuel Brazuna
Steve Forman
Anthony Tomaz
Martin Fell
Mischa Stevens

Label:

Acid Jazz

December/2020

Media Format:

CD, LP

Catalogue Number:

AJXCD542/AJXLP542

RecordDate:

date not stated

A florid piano intro snaps into a classic acid jazz groove, and within this debut's first seconds it's clear that this Glasgow-based band are at least on the right label. Even during that opener, ‘Trap Door’, leader Joe Nichols' keyboards are clearly a strength, cutting against the groove and clearing space for more personal expression. Euan Allardice's trumpet also pierces the familiar setting, while vocalist Anthony Tomaz applies formulaic balm to the intricately arranged quiet storm of ‘Lilly White’. ‘Deep Dark Blue Lights’ mixes Mellotron and brass to more suggestively sombre effect, breakbeats then adding to the hip-hop undercurrents beneath Martin Fell's free-flowing sax. Diverse musical intelligence is regularly evident, straining towards originality as solos press at tracks' limits, but tripped up by clichéd funk effect. Relaxing into the suspended, slow-flowing currents of the ballad ‘Klara’, the Nimbus Sextet find a more mesmeric mood, simply letting its seven minutes happen. Somewhere in tunes such as this and ‘Seance’, there are hints of Wayne Shorter's limpid mood melodies with the Jazz Messengers. Though far below that standard, a sweet spot of organised imprecision is sometimes touched as they find their way.

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