Gabriel Latchin Trio

“Viewpoint”

(Alys Jazz AJ1504)

Gabriel Latchin – piano, Jeremy Brown – bass, Joe Farnsworth – drums

London based pianist and composer Gabriel Latchin first came to my attention in 2016 with the release of his self explanatory début album “Introducing Gabriel Latchin Trio”, recorded with bassist Tom Farmer and drummer Josh Morrison. This represented an impressive start to Latchin’s career as a band leader and featured a mix of jazz standards and Latchin originals. Review here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/gabriel-latchin-trio-introducing-gabriel-latchin-trio

Latchin followed this in 2019 with “The Moon and I”, another trio recording, this time featuring Morrison and new bassist Dario Di Lecce. Again the programme featured a mix of jazz standards and Latchin originals. Review here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/gabriel-latchin-trio-the-moon-and-i

In 2020 the Latchin trio, again featuring Morrison and Di Lecce released “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, a collection of seasonal tunes that avoided the usual Christmas clichés and which actually stands up to repeated listening. Here’s what I had to say about the album at the time;
“Gabriel Latchin & his trio are to be congratulated on an exceptional achievement, a Christmas album that can be enjoyed on its musical merits, whatever the season. Emphatically a ‘proper’ jazz record.”
Full review here;
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/gabriel-latchin-trio-ill-be-home-for-christmas

Besides his own trio recordings Latchin has also been reviewed on this site when accompanying vocalist Sara Dowling, and as part of the MJQ inspired quartet led by vibraphonist Nat Steele.

One of Latchin’s most prestigious engagements came in December 2016 when the great American bassist, composer and band-leader Christian McBride selected him as an accompanist at a major one off event at London’s Wigmore Hall, a concert that also featured the voice of opera singer Renee Fleming.
Others with whom Latchin has worked include saxophonists Ronnie Cuber, Jean Toussaint, Grant Stewart and Alex Garnett, trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Steve Fishwick and vocalist Salena Jones.

Latchin has also played with large ensembles such as the London Jazz Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He has also acted as Musical Director for the “Let There Be Love”  theatre show featuring vocalist Claire Martin and saxophonist, vocalist, band leader and all round entertainer Ray Gelato.

As a young teenager Latchin was introduced to the piano by his grandmother, Dorothy Paton, and turned on to jazz by the playing of Oscar Peterson.  He has also cited Bill Evans, Barry Harris, Nat King Cole, Ahmad Jamal, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton and Bobby Timmons as being among his other pianistic heroes. Other musical influences include saxophonists Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane, trumpeter Miles Davis and drummer Billy Higgins.

Initially Latchin followed an academic career, graduating with a first class honours degree in economics from Edinburgh University. After performing on the Edinburgh jazz scene he moved to London to study jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music, again graduating with first class honours. His musical mentors include leading pianists such as Aaron Goldberg, Peter Martin and David Berkman plus guitarist Peter Bernstein and saxophonist Grant Stewart.

Latchin is acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading mainstream jazz pianists and his love for, and knowledge of, the jazz tradition is obvious. That said “Viewpoint”, his fourth album release as a leader signifies something of a change of direction. It introduces a new trio comprising of bassist Jeremy Brown and the American drummer Joe Farnsworth and also features Latchin’s original writing exclusively for the first time.

Latchin’s album notes explain the reasons behind this new approach;
“For some years I have wanted to present an album of my own compositions. ‘Viewpoint’ felt like the right time to take this creative step, both musically and personally. It is a collection of songs which captures this moment in my artistic journey. All eleven pieces represent, or have been coloured by my own experiences and this chapter of my life”.

Latchin continues to write and to play in a straight-ahead or mainstream style, as typified by album opener “Says Who?”, a piece inspired by George Gershwin’s “But Not For Me”. Introduced by Farnsworth at the kit the piece also features the former Wynton Marsalis sideman on a series of lively drum breaks as he exchanges ideas with leader Latchin. A vivacious, swinging start.

“Prim and Proper” is dedicated to Latchin’s young daughter Mairi, nicknamed Primrose. It’s a suitably playful piece that swings gently and effortlessly and which sounds as if it could have been recorded in the 1950s or 60s. Again the rapport between Latchin and Farnsworth, an experienced campaigner who has performed with many of America’s leading jazz musicians, is key. There is an also extended feature for leading British bassist Jeremy Brown, whose warm, round swinging tone is also crucial to the success of the album as a whole.

The ballad “A Mother’s Love” was written for the birth of Latchin’s second son, Oscar, and is a particularly special tune to the composer. It shows a gentler, more lyrical side of the trio, with Farnsworth deploying brushes throughout.

“Train of Thought” draws inspiration from the recently deceased Ahmad Jamal and is based around a Latin-esque piano vamp. It features some crisp stick work from Farnsworth and the fleet fingered piano soloing of the leader.

The similarly lively “A Stitch In Time” features Latchin’s bebop inspired keyboard pyrotechnics allied to Brown’s rapid bass walk and Farnsworth’s brisk brushes. The latter also enjoys a vigorously brushed drum feature.

I assume that the title “Bird In The Hand” draws inspiration from the influence of Charlie Parker, although the music is less frenetic than one would expect. Nevertheless there’s an underlying bluesiness behind the languid swing with Latchin stretching out expansively during the course of a fluent solo. Brown and Farnsworth are right on the money throughout and bassist Brown is also featured with a highly dexterous solo.

“O Mito”, the title translating as “The Legend”, is dedicated to the memory of the Brazilian guitarist and composer Joao Gilberto (1931-2019), who had been a profound influence on Latchin and his music. Latchin’s tribute is a lively, Brazilian flavoured celebration of Gilberto’s talent with the composer in sparkling form at the piano, deftly supported by Brown and Farnsworth, with the latter a busy, impish presence behind the kit. Farnsworth also enjoys an extended drum feature, rich in terms of energy, colour and detail.

Cedar Walton is the dedicatee of the self explanatory “Mr. Walton”, Latchin’s tribute to another of his major influences. Delivered in a broadly Walton-esque style the piece also serves as a reminder of Latchin’s own considerable abilities as both a composer and as a piano soloist.

“Rest And Be Thankful” is centred around a recurring motif, variously played by piano or bass. It also embraces an easy, elegant swing which forms the basis for Latchin’s intelligent piano soloing. It represents one of the album’s stand out tracks.

Farnsworth leads off the Latin-esque “Just The Ticket” and the drummer continues to exchange ideas with Latchin as the piece unfolds, eventually adopting a more supportive role as the pianist solos more expansively.

The album concludes with “A Song For Herbie”, Latchin’s tribute to the great Herbie Hancock. It’s a gently lyrical piece that moves away from the 50s / 60s mainstream template and is the most contemporary sounding item on the album. As such it suggests future avenues for Latchin to explore and implies that he is more versatile as a musician and composer than some had previously imagined.

“Viewpoint” is a worthy addition to Latchin’s catalogue and the album has been well received by the jazz media. Latchin’s admiration for his musical heroes finds expression in the numerous homages that feature on the album and his love for his family members is expressed in the tunes written for them. 

The rapport between the members of the trio is exceptional with Farnsworth an innately musical presence behind the drum kit. His playing is full of detail and nuance but is also vibrant and swinging. The musical relationship between piano and drums is essential to the success of the recording but bassist Brown also plays a vital role, both as anchor and as occasional soloist. His dexterity, rounded tone and sense of swing are again apparent throughout.

Latchin’s music may be unashamedly rooted in the past but it is played with a skill, warmth and vitality that also locates it very much in the present.

Album launch gigs 2023:

26th of April - Pizza Express, London
27th of April - Peggy’s Skylight, Nottingham
18th of May - Blue Lamp, Aberdeen
8th of August - An Tobar, Mull

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