The Printmakers, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, 09/05/2015.

The Printmakers is a stellar, cross-generational sextet led from the piano by Nikki Iles and featuring the combined talents of vocalist Norma Winstone, guitarist Mike Walker, saxophonist Mark Lockheart, bassist Steve Watts and drummer James Maddren. Originally assembled to perform a commission at Manchester Jazz Festival the group has since taken on a life of its own and last toured the UK in 2013 as part of Iles’ fiftieth birthday celebrations.

I was fortunate enough to witness a concert from that tour at Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre, a performance that is reviewed elsewhere on this site. Since then the band have recorded their début album “Westerly”, issued on May 11th 2015 on the Basho record label and dates scheduled throughout the year will support this long awaited and keenly anticipated release. Tonight’s performance at the Arena drew heavily upon the material to be heard on “Westerly” and although there were inevitably duplications the set list differed substantially to that of the Birmingham show.
 
The Printmakers band name comes from the concept of “those who make (or leave) a mark” .Their repertoire includes original material from within the group, mainly the music of Iles and the words of Winstone, but they also excel in imaginative and highly effective interpretations of both jazz compositions and popular songs. Winstone is a brilliant exponent of the art of vocalese, adding her own words to already extant melodies and we were to hear several examples of this during two sets that covered a wide musical, emotional and dynamic range that drew upon a variety of genres. Throughout the performance the band’s shared love of song, words and literature was a constant, a touchstone to which they kept returning.

Iles’ unaccompanied piano introduced “A Breath Away”, also the opening track of the band’s new album. She was quickly joined by the shimmering sound of Maddren’s mallets on cymbals and Winston’s breathy wordless vocals. The composition originally appeared as an instrumental piece on guitarist Ralph Towner’s 1995 album “Lost And Found”. Winstone has a particular affinity for Towner’s music and subsequently added words to his tune which she delivered exquisitely here alongside sparkling instrumental solos from Lockheart on tenor sax, Walker on piano and Iles at the piano.

Another example of “vocalese” followed with Winstone adding lyrics to the delightful melody of “Stars” written by the American pianist and composer Fred Hersch. This song was also performed at Birmingham but unfortunately didn’t make it on the new CD. The instrumental honours again went to Lockheart with a warm and fluent tenor solo and Walker who demonstrated his versatility with a warm and conventional guitar feature that was very different to his often high octane playing with The Impossible Gentlemen.

Winstone recorded with Towner for ECM during her tenure with the Azimuth trio featuring pianist John Taylor and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. Towner’s tune “The Glide”, originally written for the quartet Oregon has become something of a modern standard and has had words added to it by Winstone.  Her playful, tongue twisting lyrics are enhanced by the already infectious and memorable melody and the band had great fun with this one with Maddren grinning his approval throughout Winstone’s scat vocal solo. Lockheart featured on mercurial soprano sax as Iles impressed with both her unaccompanied piano introduction and her later solo.

The adaptations of jazz pieces by composers such as Towner and Hersch were skilful and impressive but Winstone’s interpretations of songs by writers such as Paul Simon possessed a more direct emotional appeal and impact. The singer brought out the true poetry of Simon’s lyrics on the sextet’s version of “I Do It For Your Love” , her beautiful and emotive singing complemented by the gentle lyricism of Iles’ piano solo.

A relatively brief first set concluded with the John Taylor piece “O”, a two part composition that began with the ethereal sounds of Winstone’s wordless vocals in dialogue with Lockheart’s soprano sax and shadowed by Walker’s guitar atmospherics. Winstone’s singing briefly explored the world of extended vocal techniques but if the first part of the piece was experimental the second was positively joyous as the music took flight with effusive but probing solos from Lockheart on soprano sax and Walker on warm toned, Metheny like guitar. Iles expansive but always lyrical piano solo was followed by a spectacular drum feature from Maddren that helped to close the first half on an energetic note.

A lengthier second set began with the impressionistic “Tideway”, a tune written by Iles following a visit to Winstone’s house on the Kent coast. The music was also inspired by the singing of the Brazilian vocalist Elis Regina but the evocative sea imagery of the lyrics is pure Norma Winstone. Lockheart’s breathy tenor and Walker’s guitar FX helped to recreate the eerie atmosphere of the fogbound coast and both musicians also delivered effective, elegantly understated solos.

Walker’s composition “The Clockmaker” was originally written for The Impossible Gentleman and he had previously performed it at this venue with that band. A solo guitar introduction eventually morphed into the familiar melody, a great vehicle for Winstone’s wordless vocals, her lines occasionally coalescing with Walker’s guitar and Lockheart’s tenor to great effect. Instrumental solos came from Iles, Lockheart and Walker with the saxophonist and guitarist also delivering some highly creative dialogue and interplay between their respective instruments. 

From an old piece to a new one, the Iles and Walker composition “Inner Way” or is that “In A Way”? - the title invites multiple interpretations and is reminiscent of the kind of wordplay that the late Kenny Wheeler (to whose memory “Westerly” is dedicated) used to love. This was only the second ever performance of the piece and although Winstone’s vocals were wordless Walker was nevertheless despatched to the green room in search of her glasses, the better to read her parts. Cue general hilarity among both band and audience. The wait was well worth it as spectacles located Winstone combined well with the lyricism of Iles and Walker on this beautifully impressionistic piece. I prefer the title “In A Way” as it then suggests a nod to Miles Davis and “In A Silent Way”, too.

I remember how effective “Two Grey Rooms”,  Joni Mitchell’s moving tale of romantic obsession and unrequited love, was at the Birmingham performance. It was no less beautiful here with Winstone conveying the atmosphere of quiet desperation superbly, aided by Lockheart’s keening soprano and Walker’s gentle guitar whine.

This second set ended with “High Lands”, an Iles piece that has gained a life of its own after first appearing as part of a suite, ” In All My Holy Mountain”, based on the life of Shropshire poetess Mary Webb. A celebration of Webb’s wedding day this folk tinged piece had a suitably upbeat feel and saw Winstone’s soaring vocals linking well with Lockheart’s airy soprano. Instrumental solos came from Lockheart, Walker and Iles as Maddren supported them with a superb drumming performance that was both colourful and propulsive. A word too for the undemonstrative but always supportive bass playing of the estimable Steve Watts.

The deserved encore was the sextet’s version of the song “City of Dallas” with words and music by the great American bassist and composer Steve Swallow, a musician with several connections to the Printmakers ensemble.  The band likes to end its shows with Swallow’s whimsical and charming tune with its faux na?ve lyrics (reminiscent of David Byrne) and country, blues and gospel flavourings. Walkers subtly bluesy guitar feature flowed seamlessly into Iles’ piano solo with Lockheart eventually taking over on tenor. Winstone’s singing of the closing lyric “sweet dreams while you sleep” seemed particularly appropriate and sent everybody home happy.

This was another delightful performance from The Printmakers that was greatly appreciated by an audience of around ninety at the Arena, a decent turn out although I was disappointed that there weren’t a few more people there to see it. Nevertheless the show brought a successful end to the second season of Jazz at Wolverhampton with the last two events featuring two of Britain’s greatest singers in their respective fields with Winstone, the doyenne of UK jazz singers, following folk diva June Tabor who had given a brilliant performance with the trio Quercus just the month before. The next season of Jazz at Wolverhampton will begin at the Arena in September 2015 with the programme set to include performances by Evan Christopher, Asaf Sirkis, Partisans and Theatre patron Zoe Rahman.

Turning back to the Printmakers it was the consensus of most listeners that the second set was more enjoyable than the first with the songs after the break generally being more direct and emotionally involving. Overall I felt it fell a little short of the Birmingham show which was longer and more varied. 

The album was recorded over two days at a house in the Lake District in November 2013 and has something of the warmth of a live recording. Most of the pieces featured in tonight’s concert but the album also includes “Canopy”, an Iles/Winstone composition inspired by the work of David Attenborough with Winstone’s wise words carrying a strong environmental message. The music features Lockheart on bass clarinet and the absence of the instrument may have accounted for its omission this evening.

There is also the title track which began life as part of the “In All My Holy Mountain” suite but was later given a fresh set of grimly humorous lyrics by Winstone who had been reading the book “Postcards” by E. Annie Proulx. The new words tell the tale of a cowboy who murders his wife and goes on the run, sending postcards home from his wanderings. Watts adds a little banjo to the track to give it an authentic Western edge.

Both of these pieces are well up to the standard we have come to expect from The Printmakers and as an album “Westerly” is highly recommended with the immaculate singing and playing an accurate reflection of the band’s excellent live shows. The album has already attracted a compelling amount of critical acclaim and its release ranks as one of the most significant jazz events of 2015. It’s an essential purchase for anyone who has ever attended a Printmakers show and for anybody with an interest in contemporary UK jazz.

The Printmakers

“Westerly”

(Basho Records SRCD 46-2)

Track Listing;
 

1. A Breath Away
7:37

2. Under the Canopy
6:34

3. I Do It for Your Love
6:07

4. ‘O’
7:53

5. Westerly
6:53

6. Tideway
8:51

7. The Glide
6:53

8. Two Grey Rooms
6:08

9. High Lands
5:57

10. City of Dallas
5.22

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