The Tomorrow Band

“2 To Get Set”

(Rehab Records REH009)

Here’s another album that I’ve meaning to look at for ages. It was given to me by the group’s bassist Ben Markland following his quintet’s hugely enjoyable gig at the Harmonic Festival in Birmingham earlier on in the year. The other two members of The Tomorrow Band alto saxophonist Chris Bowden and drummer Neil Bullock were also in Markland’s Quintet at Harmonic, the band being completed on that occasion by young tenor saxophonist Lluis Mather and guitarist Pete Harris.

I saw The Tomorrow Band support E.S.T. at Birmingham Symphony Hall in 2007 and at that time they were using electronica to enhance their sound as both Bowden and Markland deployed laptops and played occasional keyboards. The results were not always convincing and the trio’s experiments suffered in comparison to E.S.T.

On “2 To Get Set” the trio eschew such methods and go for a purely acoustic sound. They may call themselves The Tomorrow Band but this album is a contemporary sideways look at jazz’s illustrious past with the bulk of the selections being songbook standards or modern jazz classics. There’s one original composition by Markland among the six outside selections. Recorded in 2008 it represents the band’s second album following “3 To Get Ready” which was released a year previously. Both albums appear on the Birmingham based Rehab record label.

The Tomorrow Band is essentially Bowden’s project. He’s a powerful but fluent improviser and his playing has something of the bite of Jackie McLean or the UK’s own Peter King. Funk players such as David Sanborn have also had a discernible influence on his style and he was a prominent figure in the Acid Jazz boom of the 80’s and 90’s.
Markland meanwhile is arguably the best bass player in the city of Birmingham. He has a huge tone and is a skilled accompanist and a gifted soloist. He acts as bassist and musical director for singer Sara Colman’s band and together with drummer Neil Bullock he forms the rhythm section for trumpeter Bryan Corbett’s hugely popular quartet.
Bullock is a powerful drummer with a palpable rock influence but in recent years a greater degree of subtlety has become apparent in his playing. He is first call drummer for a wide variety of Midlands based bands. 

“2 To Get Set” commences with the familiar theme of Miles Davis’ “Freddie (The) Freeloader” from the classic “Kind Of Blue” album. The trio’s version is enjoyable enough with Bowden’s alto skipping smartly above Markland’s implacable bass walk and Bullock’s neatly energetic drumming. There’s a feature for Markland too in which he demonstrates his considerable ability as a soloist and a series of engaging drum breaks from Bullock. It’s pleasant enough but rather predictable and ultimately somewhat superfluous.

Next they tackle A.C. Jobim with a breezy but imaginative take on “Chega de Suadade/No More Blues”. Bowden soars but I particularly like Bullock’s colourful polyrhythmic drumming and Markland solos effectively again too. Good stuff.

Two “Great American Songbook” standards follow, Burke and Van Heusens “Like Someone In Love” and Jerome Kern’s “The Song Is You”. Both are played well enough with Bowden probing the harmonies on “Like Someone” above Bullock’s colourful drum undertow. Markland then exchanges phrases with the saxophonist in a sax/bass duet. It’s all pleasing enough but hardly essential listening.
The Kern tune is taken at a fast clip, clearly inspired by Charlie Parker and the whole bebop aesthetic. Bowden’s garrulous alto receives strong support from the busy drumming of Bullock with Markland’s bass pulse holding altogether. Bullock’s considerable abilities are heard on a lengthy solo drum feature. Energetic and rather fun.

Markland’s “Ben’s Blues” does just what it says on the tin and is a smouldering, slow burning blues that incorporates a feature for the composer. Markland is also prominent on Rodgers & Hart’s “My Romance” weighing in with a particularly resonant solo as the trio move the tune up through the gears. Bowden begins with his most overtly romantic playing on the record but following Markland’s feature the mood ant tempo change considerably.

Wayne Shorter’s “Isotope” completes the set, a less familiar item and all the more rewarding for that. This features some of the trio’s most interactive playing and concludes the album strongly.

There’s also a bonus DVD track which I was unable to access, a version of Billy Cobham’s “Red Baron”.

Ultimately “2 To Get Set” is enjoyable but inconsequential. This material is undoubtedly fun for the guys to play but much of it is already highly familiar and the group don’t do enough with it to make it significantly different for the listener. All three are fine players but the level of group interaction that distinguishes the best trios isn’t quite there, too often the pieces become a procession of solos and individual features.

It may well be that The Tomorrow Band in this mode are best enjoyed in a live situation. Bowden is an impassioned soloist and I have a high regard for Markland’s sturdy yet agile bass playing. The group name doesn’t help, with a moniker like The Tomorrow Band I was expecting something rather more forward looking.

What I’d really like to hear is a set of Markland originals by his quintet as I really enjoyed his slot at Harmonic. Maybe it’s something Rehab could think about for a future release. 

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