- Guy’s Song
- The Seer
- Santini Time
- For All That Will Be, Yes
- Blues for Hammurabi
- Stockholm Syndrome
- Talk the Talk
- View From the Bridge
- Little Lightning
- Finding Rock Pools
- The Peacocks
- Plum Lane
- Plum Lane
Matt Wates - Alto & Flute
Martin Shaw - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Steve Kaldestad - Tenor
Leon Greening - Piano
Malcolm Creese - Bass
Steve Brown - Drums
Recorded - Spring 2006.
Eleven of the twelve tunes
on this album were composed by Matt Wates,
the exception being The Peacocks, which is
a Jimmy Rowles composition.
I have to confess to being
a great fan of Matt Wates, his writing for
small bands is so musical, identifiable and
well thought out. I am convinced that jazz
would enjoy a greater popularity with the
public, if there were more groups like his
around. The playing by every member of the
group is exciting and stimulating, but there
is nothing ugly about it.
Every member of the sextet
is featured and each makes it obvious why
he has been selected for Matt’s band. Martin
Shaw is a fine ensemble player and an equally
good jazz soloist, as far as I am aware he
has appeared on . Matt’s CD’s and I can think
of no one better. Matt himself and Steve Kaldestad
are also excellent soloists, assuming that
Steve is a member of the younger set, it is
terrific to hear someone who is not doing
John Coltrane impressions and trying to fit
a million notes into each tune. Steve has
obviously taken input from many of his predecessors
and come up with a style of his own. Matt
has also absorbed many inputs and devolved
a style which is reminiscent of Paul Desmond,
but not imitative.
The rhythm section is a joy
throughout, Leon, Malcolm and Steve are world-class,
it would be difficult to better them. Steve
I know is in demand on both sides of the Atlantic
and if there were any justice in the world,
the whole band would be!
Many congratulations to Matt Wates for another
fine album.
Did I hear someone play Soprano at some point
or did my ears deceive me?
Don Mather
CD Reviews
Audio-b ABCD 5019 
