We're All Together Again

‘Virus’ is the culmination of a musical thought experiment which started with the ‘Vector’ writing sessions in 2017 and holds intriguing potential for the band’s future, as vocalist Ross Jennings explains, “whilst ‘Virus’ can absolutely be enjoyed as a stand-alone work, it is thematically and conceptually linked with ‘Vector’, so our intention is to perform both albums back to back for a special performance someday”.

Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker should have been on cloud nine after the release of their exquisite 2016 album Overnight. It was the pair’s first for Rough Trade after self-releasing their previous albums and the reviews were nothing short of glowing. And yet things didn’t pan out quite how they’d hoped. Overnight sold only modestly and, wondering if they might not get a second chance with Rough Trade, Clarke and Walker were pitched into a period of soul-searching. Were all the sacrifices and disappointments and emotional turmoil really worth it in order to pursue their dream?

Recorded in 1962, this album comes from the heart of what I believe was Basie's most productive period. There are many noteworthy names among the sidemen, including Thad Jones on trumpet, Grover Mitchell on trombone, Sonny Payne on drums, and my favorite Basie sax section: Marshal Royal and Frank Wess on alto, Eric Dixon and Frank Foster on tenor, and Charlie Fowlkes on baritone. All of the tunes were composed and arranged by Neal Hefti, who also wrote the original liner notes (reproduced in miniature on the inside cover). ~ Amazon