Simon Haram : soprano & alto saxophones
Scott Mitchell : piano
Recorded 1995
1. On Fire
2. In A Hall Of Mirrors
3. Coltrane
Sonata
4. Caprice
5. Chanson Sans Paroles
6. Danse Macabre
7. Interference
8. Backings
This is modern classical music - the listener should
not be fooled by such titles as "Coltrane" - obviously the spirit
of the great performer was invoked through this composition but the
feeling is still of a " straight " player paying homage to the Jazz
idiom. As a matter of interest, this piece is performed on the soprano,
rather than the alto saxophone, as stated.
Simon Haram is quite obviously a highly proficient
contemporary saxophone player, but I can hear little of the freedom
and spontaneity of Jazz in his style. He has a very fluent and facile
technique, but his sound is somewhat cold and clinical in its execution.
This is typical of the legit school of playing and many listeners
might find this attractive. To my ears it lacks the essential warmth
of which the saxophone is capable. My other complaint in terms of
sound is that there is rather too much added presence or reverb to
the recording - it all sounds rather as if it were recorded in a bathroom.
The music itself is pleasant without presenting any
great challenge to the listener. The odd glissando is rather too obvious
and one has the impression that certain effects are a little too contrived
to be convincing. Perhaps this is a case of trying to compose and
perform in a style that is not entirely comfortable and therefore
going for the effect rather than the substance. This is not a disc
I would wish to listen to on a regular basis although I would not
deny the high level of musicianship both in performance and composition.
Dick Stafford
CD Reviews
Black
Box BBM1001
