Dave Gelly 

Jay Phelps: Jay Walkin’ – review

You'd be able to recognise trumpeter Jay Phelps after just one listen. Not bad for 28 years of age, says Dave Gelly
  
  


Now aged 28, Canadian-born trumpeter Jay Phelps moved to Britain when he was 17, so we can reasonably claim him as one of ours. Although he co-led the celebrated band Empirical for two years, this marks his solo debut. Assured, clever, fluent, with a lovely soft-edged tone, he is already a player you could easily recognise after hearing him just once. This shrewdly varied programme ranges from Phelps's own somewhat abstract pieces to ballads and virtually straight-ahead bebop. Among the latter is "Out of the Blue", with Michael Mwenso delivering some of the most accurate scat singing I have ever heard.

 

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