Dave Gelly 

The Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet: What’s it Gonna Be? – review

The Quentin Collins/Brandon Allen Quartet tamper with the elements of hard-bop on this energising album, writes Dave Gelly
  
  


Trumpet, tenor saxophone, organ and drums? Must be retro hard-bop in the classic Blue Note mould. Er, not exactly. Collins certainly plays bright, crackling trumpet and Allen's tenor is declamatory in the grand manner, but there's a restlessness about this band's music that defies expectations. Instead of grooving comfortably along, the drums (Enzo Zirilli) chatter away busily and the organ (Ross Stanley) produces sudden changes of register and great washes of harmonic colour. The compositions, Collins's especially, keep you guessing, too. It's disconcerting but wonderfully energising, once you get over the surprise.

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*