Tom Hewson, a young English pianist, on
his debut album on the Roman label presents his “Treehouse” project with
an exceptionally unique ensemble, featuring Lewis Wright on vibraphone
and Calum Gourlay on double bass. This trio has already proven itself
in live performances at various British clubs and has finally released
its first CD. John Taylor, a fellow countryman, as well as a fellow
pianist and distinguished predecessor on CAM JAZZ roster, labelled
Hewson’s playing style as “ravishing and daring”, and also called him a
“sublime composer”.
A CD that is definitely jazz, yet the
kind of modern jazz that is able to reach everybody and has assimilated
many other languages. It consists of enlightened, full-fledged,
suggestive, well-structured pieces, not a simple task or, at least, not
obvious, if one considers the unusual, unique trio Hewson has assembled.
Thus, from the opening track, “Sparticle”, to the closing one,
“Beanie’s Bounce”, a wide range of moods is delivered, with stunning
solos flowing in the moment and excellent interplay. Hewson has the
leading role, having written most of the songs here. Wright’s
contribution includes “Lifting”, a less-than-a-minute, improvised
nugget, and splendid “Silver Strands”, while Gourlay composed
“Lingering”, a short, solo experiment for double bass.
