Bible-Black Church Music

“To begin at the beginning: It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black” (from Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas)



British jazz pianist Stan Tracey’s vibrant take of Under Milk Wood from 1965 is one slow moving gem that I always found myself returning to, especially (always?) at night time. Dramatic and mysterious, original and spellbinding. I first encountered this track a couple of years ago on Gilles Peterson's highly recommended two compilation set of British jazz from the 60's and 70's, appropriately titled "Impressed", and it was simply a love at first sight. While it perhaps is not the brightest spring music around it have fitted my personal moodiness of late perfect.

The contemporary duo Spring Heel Jack I had until recently only associated with the mid 90’s drum'n'bass scene and from remixes of my high school love, Tortoise. Last year however they came under my radar with something much more interesting than what I remember hearing back then. Their 2008 full-length effort “Songs & Themes” is simply a stunning set of slow moving atmospheric pieces where the duo have laid out "themes", a modal set up of parameters within which their collaborating musicians can move, often creating a beautiful droning motion.

To me, the majestic opener "Church Music", clearly draws inspiration from Tracey’s sensitive old school romantiscm at the same time as being a hazy beauty on it's own strenghts. I find this a solid album all the way through, entirely downtempo but still engagingly varied, without any “modern” arrangements, such as distinctively programmed drum breaks that you might expect from the group considering their background, in sight. Probably my favourite midnight mood music during this past months, and I look forward to seek out more releases from SHJ.

While listening to this later piece I come to think of my man in San Diego, Viktor Sjöberg, who are working with similar techniques of modal structures as SHJ, when he continues his New Jazz Ensemble project on the other side of the pond. Lately he have just offered up this promising snippet of what's to come.

Now I'm going to hop on my bike and roll home through a pouring spring rain. However, things might light up later since I'll try to catch fun-loving Daedelus in concert tonight at Strand. There is always some sun on the other side of the gloomy clouds!

UPDATE (27th of July 2009):

Exotica blogger Third Island recently posted a vinyl rip of a 1953 performance of Under Milk Wood, with its author Dylan Thomas in the cast!