Songs Of The Summer

Geoff Gascoyne is known for his immaculate bass playing, but this CD shows him to be a highly original composer too. Working with some of the best among the rising generation of British Jazz, he has come up with a set of pieces, some all his own and some recast standards, that are tuneful, evocative, and at times quite moving. Among the changing cast of musicians, saxophonist Ben Castle plays outstandingly well, as does pianist Gareth Williams. Anthony Kerr's vibraphone adds a distinctive touch to a couple of pieces. We are really lucky to have players of this calibre around the local jazz scene.


Dave Gelly - The Observer May 2002

British bassist Gascoyne and his band tackle summertime on his fourth season-themed CD as a leader. Geoff burns through his solo on Hoagy Carmichael's 'One Morning in May' takes a Charlie Haden-ish turn on a duet with guitarist Malcolm MacFarlane on 'New Waltz' and evokes Dave Holland on other tunes.
Greg Olwell - Bass Player Magazine (USA) August 2002
Given the current length of a British summer I was expecting this album to be over in less than ten minutes. I can only assume Gascoyne has his mind set further afield as Songs of the Summer wieghs in at just under the 70 minute mark and is thankfully awash with glorious notions of sun, sea, sand and, well, summer. Gascoyne not only speaks his own language but is able to write with a turn of phrase that sounds uniquely his. The opening "Missing You" is a haunting ballad that quietly simmers away without ever really threatenig to ignite. Sitting just under the sullen groove he carefully charts a series of poignant, effervescent gestures and fills. The mood is deeply absorbing, slowly enticing the listener into the meandering melee. This is more in tune with gentle persuasion than forceful compliance. As a mood setter nothing tops the sublime elegance of "New Waltz", coincidently dedicated to that other four-stringed adventurer Charlie Haden. Like Haden, in Gascoyne's hands the bass becomes the source of endless harmonic and melodic exploration. Some of this bears the mark of Keith Jarrett, amongst others, whose influence on Gascoyne cannot go unmentioned here - "Summer Night" , the other guitar-bass duet, is inspired by the Pennsylvanian- born pianist. The supporting cast is excellent throughout, especially Castle whose dexterity on a range of horns is remarkable, coupled with an acute awareness of both mood and sense of occasion. Likewise Williams a pianist with a highly infectious style and in vocalist Jamie Cullum a real find for the future.
Songs of the Summer is a charming record that once played will be very difficult to remove from the playlist. Anyone who thinks British jazz has little to offer compared with its US counterparts will be forced to rethink as Gascoyne and his mighty band lay down the gauntlet.
Rick Finlay - The Jazz Review July 2002

Gascoyne is the bassist on Ed Jones's Seven Moments and, as he demonstrates on his plummy-toned long intro to Pushing the Boat Back on that session, he hasn't acquired his reputation as a first call bassist for the international visitors, as well as an independent-minded musical presence, for nothing. If Jones's disc suggests 60s hard bop, this sometimes recalls a set out of the 50s Cool Jazz era, particularly when the excellent and versatile saxophonist Ben Castle adopts his meticulously phrased Lee Konitz persona on alto, a distinctive quality of the opening track Missing You. His playing has an even more pristine quality for appearing in tandem with Anthony Kerr's vibes. Castle also makes a persuasive account, this time on tenor, of the Theme from Schindlers List, while the Andy Williams hit Almost There gets a light latin treatment that displays pianist Gareth Williams's swinging lyricism, while a fast-rising UK singer Jamie Cullum gets into the Chet Baker vocal mode on the unlikely material of a Shelley poem. Maybe a bit of product placing for the chill-out season, but generously played.


John Fordham - The Guardian May 2002

Although it is the doyen of tuneful, sensitive bassist/leaders, Charlie Haden, to whom Geoff Gascoyne dedicates one of Songs of the Summer's compositions, a guitar/bass waltz, it is another great bassist/leader, Dave Holland, whom the UK bassist most clearly emulates on this, his fourth season-themed album. Like Holland, Gascoyne not only surrounds himself with the brightest and best of the music's younger players the rich-toned, surefooted Ben Castle, the fluently eloquent Gareth Williams and the punchy, resourceful Sebasatiaan De Krom but also anchors the band sound, at once solid and propulsive in his accompanying role, considered but powerful when soloing. Skilfully programmed, so that Gascoyne's alternately pithy and sparky originals are interspersed with more familiar fare a brisk, tricksy, occasionally funky "Almost There", a Jarrettesque duo visit to "Summer Night", a pleasingly skittish visit to Hoagy Carmichael's "One Morning in May" the album is undoubtedly more focused than the bassist/composer's previous efforts, showcasing a lively, vigorous but thoughtful band whose bright solo contributions are as impressive as their assurance and cohesion. With telling contributions from the elegant vibes player Anthony Kerr, the neat guitarist Malcolm Macfarlane and the smoky-voiced Jamie Cullum, this is Geoff Gascoyne's finest album to date.
Chris Parker - BBC Music Magazine Sept 2002

Autumn

An excellent quartet outing from bassist Geoff Gascoyne and his collaborators, saxophonist Ben Castle, pianist Jim Watson and drummer Steve Brown. All rank among the best of the current generation of British jazz players, and the leader makes no attempt to dominate the action. Everyone is allowed plenty of space and freedom to express themselves within the disciplined and creative group framework. Gascoyne composed all of the tunes except an unlikely cover ot the Bee Gees' 'How Deep is Your Love' and a drivin 'Moanin" (the Mingus tune, not the better known Bobby Timmons one of that name). They include his tribute to the late Kenny Kirkland, simply entitled 'Kirkland', which is preceded by the only tune for solo bass, 'Tribulation'. It is a rare moment in the spotlight for the leader on a disc which foregrounds the virtues of group interaction and communicative music making. They close with a tune named 'The Ego Has Landed', but it is clear that the egos were left at the door all round.


Kenny Mathieson - Jazzwise Magazine Sept 2001

A thoughtful, fat-toned bassist, Geoff Gascoyne seems to have taken some of his cues from Dave Holland, although the usual roster of bass masters also figure in his solo work and steady time. Autumn isn't his first solo album but it's certainly his best - as well as being a highly listenable, swinging recording it shows the bassist to be an accomplished, catchy composer. It would be difficult for him to have chosen more accomplished bandmates to record with (Jim Watson, piano, Ben Castle, saxophones and Steve Brown, drums) and the end result is as good as many of the straight-ahead modern jazz records that come out stateside from labels like Criss-Cross and Candid. Stylistically the first track, 'Crosstalk' is reminiscent of Cedar Walton, a fiery, up-tempo riff-based number on which the band lets rip and Castle, playing tenor, immediately makes his mark. Whilst occassionally over enthusiastic. Castle is might impressive - he has a big, full tone and bagloads of ideas. Elsewhere, Jim Watson is impeccable - someone who always elevates music to higher levels. In fact this is the case throughout on 'Kirkland' a tribute to the late Kenny Kirkland played as a trio and on a loping 'Autumn Lament' and the menacing 'Rear Window' on which Castle is outstanding. Perhaps the only no-no on the album is the re-harmonized 'How Deep is Your Love' The cover of Mingus's 'Moanin' is much better. A highly recommended CD to anyone who needs convincing about the quality of young, British jazz players.


Tom Barlow - Musician Magazine Sept 2001

Often a sideman with singers ranging from Georgie Fame to Lisa Stansfield, Geoff Gascoyne obviously has what it takes to produce albums under his own name. Apart from Charles Mingus's 'Moanin' and the Bee Gees 'How Deep is Your Love', he wrote all the tunes, an the majority you would be happy to hear again. His quartet probably slot overall into unclassifiable post-bop: they swing, for a start, but cut across the various styles even down to a bit of freeish blowing on 'Rear Window' and to a smoothie feature for soprano, 'How Deep is Your Love'.As the only horn, Ben Castle assumes plenty of responsibility. On fleeting acquaintance, he has appeared a talent deserving some of the raves bestowed upon other saxes and that view gets underlined here (he has this very minute won a British Jazz Awards gong for rising star, so I'm not alone in approving). Less harsh than one often hears from tenors coming after Michael Brecker , his tone perhaps rests somewhere between those of Grover Washington and Joshua Redman - the latter's way with ballads is recalled to an extent by the attractive 'Flowers Open to the Kiss of Dawn', and he also builds tension gradually within a solo by pushing toward the higher register.
As bassist - leader, Gascoyne paces himself in the manner of Charlie Haden. There's a big-toned, unaccompanied feature on 'Tribulation' and suitably enough , a bass-tenor opening to 'Moanin'. Elsewhere he lays a solid foundation for the rhythm section, with Steve Brown kicking the faster pieces such as 'Dave's Form' and 'The Ego has Landed'. Jim Watson solos on both of these, single lines dashed off with the kind of crisp attack that rather disappeared once the impact of Bill Evans took hold. The fact it all doesn't sound especially British is meant here as a compliment.


Ronald Atkins - Jazz Review Magazine May 2001

Catch Georgie Fame at Ronnie Scott's this week and you'll find the pick of London's session stars on the bandstand. The sage of Soho has always had a good ear for a jazz soloist and takes care to employ the best he can find, so it's significant that his bassist of choice is Geoff Gascoyne. Fans first sat up and took notice of Geoff at the Royal Festival Hall two years ago, when he stepped up at short notice to rescue Dianne Reeves, whose bassist had missed the plane. So well did Geoff cope with the unfamiliar arrangements that the relieved and impressed singer made him take a special bow at the end. Naturally, he also solos like a dream and, like most jazz professionals today, writes and arranges for his own groups. This one is his best so far, something that can be said of this album, his third.
On tenor and soprano saxophone is Ben Castle, a brilliant young musician whose failure to win either the Rising Star or Best Instrumentalist categories at the recent BBC Jazz Awards was surprising, not to say scandalous, and only proves that these 100-judge events recognise popularity more readily than talent. Ben, son of the late trumpeter-entertainer Roy, is the most impressive new-comer for years, a fluent improvisor in the class of established stars as Joshua Redman and Eric Alexander, who has a warm, slightly hoarse tone that is recognisably his own. His meaty playing adds authority to an album that bears comparison with the best mainstream-modern music around. Pianist Jim Watson and drummer Steve Brown, two other deft, crisp young players, cobine well and read Gascoyne's wily arrangements faultlessly. Three of Geoff's nine originals- 'Dave's Form', the ballad 'Kiss of Dawn' and 'Kirkland', his tribute to pianist Kenny- are particularly good, but all are natural vehicles for improvisation. "I'm proud of this record" he says. "I do so many other things- sessions, film scores, TV - but this is the first really focused quartet album I've made."It surely won't be the last.


Jack Massarik - Evening Standard Hot Tickets Magazine Sept 2001

Voices Of Spring

Accomplished London low-ender Gascoyne boasts admirable touch, time and tone. From bop to trad to fusion, Geoff smokes on acoustic and electric.
Gregory Isola - BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE (USA) May 1997
Voices of Spring showcases Gascoyne's elegant playing and writing and the smart, unfussy methods of a stalwart group of British musicians. The 4 horns each have excellent cameos, with the saxophonists in particular showing strong individual colours, and Martin and Shaw have a distinctive song a piece. Old salt Mullen lends some nonchalant fire and the leader has the wit to feature himself only sparingly. The excellent studio sound ices the cake


Richard Cook - PENGUIN GUIDE TO JAZZ ON CD

Albums led from the bass are still something of a rarity so it's good to report a debut for Geoff Gascoyne. Equally at home on acoustic and electric basses, Gascoyne splits the set between self-penned material and standards. In a thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable effort, he is joined by a selection of Premier League Players including Jim Mullen, Tim Garland, Gerard Presencer and Jeremy Stacey as well as vocalists Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, who get one song each. Clearly, and understandably on the strength of this recording, a musician held in high esteem by his colleagues.
Peter Martin - JAZZ UK MAGAZINE

Years back, the leader of this ensemble chose the bass over the paint palette as his career, and the results show the influence of Stevie Wonder, Charlie Parker and Wayne Shorter. Gascoyne bounces electric and acoustic bass, effectively reflecting the heritage of each instrument. There are jawdropping stylistic leaps when Gascoyne jumps from the bossa nova beat of 'Pao de Acucar' to the swing arrangement of standard 'John Brown's Body' to his quirky take (bouncing between 4/4 and 5/4 time) of 'On The Street Where You Live.' While some players excel by digging deep into one particular style, others, like Gascoyne, flash the same degree of creativity across loads of stylistic borders. This is the musical equivalent of a neon sign advertising the bassist's prowess in a number of musical genres, held together by a unique composing and arranging style.
Dave McElfresh - CADENCE MAGAZINE March 1999
A highly promising debut from this UK bassist/composer, consisting chiefly of attractively accessible contemporary mainstream fare played by a whos-who of younger UK practitioners, including saxophonists Tim Garland, Andy Panayi and Mark Lockheart, and pianists John Donaldson and Gareth Williams.


Chris Parker BBC - Music Magazine Feb 1997
Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland is a Christmas album and among the prettiest of its
genre, mostly duets between Gascoyne and Churchill, with the melodies
surviving a modest element of improvisation.

Richard Cook - Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD