Mark McKnight

“Overnight”

(ReMark Records)

Along with drummer David Lyttle Belfast based guitarist Mark McKnight is one of Ireland’s busiest jazz musicians. A versatile guitarist and a former Berklee student the twenty something McKnight currently runs an organ trio, The Mark McKnight Organ Group featuring two of the UK’s most talented young musicians in Ross Stanley (organ ) and James Maddren (drums). The trio have collaborated with American saxophonists Will Vinson and Seamus Blake for successful Irish tours in 2009 and 2010 respectively. In collaboration with Blake they have recorded an album, “Do Or Die” which is set for release on bassist Michael Janisch’s label Whirlwind Records later in 2011.

“Overnight”, McKnight’s début as a leader dates back to 2009 and was forwarded to be by Mark several months ago. My apologies to him for only just getting round to writing about it. The album, released on McKnight’s own ReMark label, was recorded in New York City courtesy of a generous grant from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and features McKnight leading a quintet of mainly American musicians including Vinson on alto and soprano saxes, Sam Yahel on piano, Euan Burton on bass and Mark Ferber at the drums. The material features six McKnight originals plus a version of the standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is”.

The group espouse a clean, sharply delineated, broadly post bop sound with McKnight’s warm guitar tone sometimes reminiscent of the style of Pat Metheny (McKnight cites Metheny and Pat Martino as key influences). He’s heard to good effect on the boppish title track which opens the record. McKnight’s smooth tone and slippery single note lines feature on the first solo of the album, he’s followed by the harder edged tone of Vinson, an expat Brit now established on the New York scene. American drummer Mark Ferber also features strongly in the tune’s closing stages.

The following “For The Longest Time” demonstrates McKnight’s easy way with a ballad. His languid solo is full of elegant, jazzy runs but he still retains the essentially reflective mood of the piece. He’s complemented by the lyrical but gently probing piano of Yahel, ironically a musician best known as an organist. There’s a strong narrative arc here, McKnight is an interesting composer who is capable of bringing structure and an understated drama to his writing.

“A Time And A Place” is a showcase for the alto prowess of Vinson, his dry, fluent tone representing an increasingly distinctive voice on the instrument. His gently probing solo is consistently interesting and he’s followed by the similarly eloquent McKnight on guitar.

“Wait For It” has a strong bop flavour that highlights the more obviously “jazzy” side of McKnight’s playing on a fleet fingered solo. Yahel and Vinson get to demonstrate their “bop chops” too with Ferber and Glaswegian bassist Burton providing suitably propulsive support.

McKnight’s imaginative arrangement of the standard “You Don’t Know What Love Is” is for the trio of McKnight/Burton/Ferber only and is a sensitive, elegant reading of the piece. Ferber’s precise and delicately detailed drumming is a particular highlight alongside the leader’s unhurried guitar.

“Motion”, by way of contrast, is a medium to fast shuffle that seems to owe something to the style of Wes Montgomery. McKnight and Vinson trade solos with Ferber’s imaginative drumming behind the latter also particularly impressive.

The closing “Stay That Way” is a final reminder of McKnight’s ballad skills. The piece opens with the serenity of Yahel’s solo piano and the rest of the group show similar sensitivity when they enter the proceedings. Yahel’s subsequent solo shows him at his most lyrical and he’s followed by the gently singing sound of McKnight. It’s a lovely way to end a very promising début album.

“Overnight” reveals Mark McKnight to be a highly fluent guitar soloist and an accomplished composer and arranger. Having said that there’s nothing earth shattering here and the overall feel of the album may be a little too polished for some tastes. However it’s a very enjoyable listen with much to commend it and it’s clear that McKnight is an artist with considerable potential.

The forthcoming Organ Group album “Do Or Die” should reveal a very different side of McKnight’s playing and will be awaited with interest.

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