Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Polar Bear: Dim Lit

Polar Bear: Dim Lit

By Andrew Hunter
July 2, 2025
View read count

When

Polar Bear

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Polar Bear released Dim Lit in 2004, shortly after being nominated for Best Band at the BBC Jazz Awards, it was clear that the British quartet led by drummer

Sebastian Rochford

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Sebastian Rochford were going to make some waves.

Mark Lockheart

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Lockheart (sax) was already in the middle of a successful career, having played with

Django Bates

piano
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Django Bates and been part of the seminal 1980s British big band

Loose Tubes

" data-original-title="" title="">Loose Tubes.

Pete Wareham

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete Wareham (sax) was playing with Rochford in

Acoustic Ladyland

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Acoustic Ladyland.

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Herbert added bass to the unusual dual-tenors frontline (with Wareham occasionally switching to baritone), and Polar Bear began a career as a band that was to last the next ten years and more. The collected contributions of the band to jazz projects before and since is formidable. This long overdue vinyl issue from Edition affords a good opportunity to review an album first released over twenty years ago.

The sound of the record, and of the band, is distinctive. The opening bars of "Heavy Paws on the Purple Floor" sound like, well, heavy paws on a purple floor. The sound is lumbering yet nimble; bass-heavy but lightened by the frenetic rim-work on Rochford's kit. As the record unfolds, that core sound will remain and, if you listen for it, so will the ponderous, limber sounds of a polar bear. It is neat. Standing out amidst the other excellent musicians here, Rochford's playing is a thing all of itself; at times the thudding toms and clacking rim and stand shots sound like nothing so much as a pile of bones dancing in an oil drum.

One of the many remarkable things about this record is how a band can cover so much ground and never sound like anything other than itself. There is surprise and delight at every turn. "Polar Bear Standing and Ready" begins with a simple three- note motif played first by one sax, then the other. The bass repeats it, then all three play it together and, after the slightest pause, they are off into a full-tilt, post-bop workout that would make

Dexter Gordon

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Dexter Gordon giddy. Once they have smashed through the head, with the scene set for a ripping sax solo, the band instead takes a breath and the bass and drums go for a stroll, leaving the listener wrong- footed.

"Urban Kilt" is a wonderfully loose and edgy number that allows the band plenty of room to stretch out and dip a toe into free jazz. The playing throughout is excellent, with the musicians tumbling around each other in sometimes hectic conversations, playing under, over, with and in-between each other. This is a jazz record without doubt, but there are hints of ska, of punk and of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Including a single vocal number is an interesting decision which could easily have upset the balance of the record, but "Snow" works brilliantly.

Julia Biel

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Julia Biel's voice is a good fit for the tonality of the ensemble. The band temper their rumbustious playing to sound restrained but still recognizably the same band as elsewhere, and the result is lovely. What could have been a track to skip is instead a track to look forward to.

On "Wild Horses" they make a bigger and more beautiful sound that by rights they ought to be able to. While one horn is stating the theme, the other is skittering away in the background. Cello and viola blend seamlessly with the horns in glowing chords. Later, something, who knows what, makes a sound remarkably like seagulls crying.

Charming, challenging and joyous throughout, this is, simply, a wonderful record. The vinyl edition adds nothing to the track listing (thankfully) but does allow the music to really breath. Pound for pound, investment in a good vinyl system is likely to offer greater separation and a wider, deeper sound stage which makes listening, certainly in this case, more immersive, putting you in the middle of the music rather than in front of it. It could have shown up any weaknesses in Rochford's original production, but on the contrary, it sounds better than on CD. The difference is subtle, but it is there.

This is a tremendous record, and one that changed the course of British jazz. Although generally modestly paced, it bursts with energy and invention. As a direct influence on other musicians, and as a springboard for the careers of the musicians here, especially Rochford, it must be a contender to be amongst the most important jazz releases of the first quarter of this century. Although they have surpassed this record since, it remains indispensable.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Heavy Paws On The Purple Floor; Not Here, Not Near; Eves Apple; Polar Bear Standing And Ready; Urban Kilt; Snow; Underneath You Can See Too Much; The Shapes In The Clouds Aren't Always Happy; New Dark Park; Wild Horses.

Personnel

Polar Bear

band / ensemble / orchestra

Sebastian Rochford

drums

Mark Lockheart

saxophone

Pete Wareham

saxophone, tenor

Tom Herbert

bass

Julia Biel

vocals

Ben Davis

cello

Adam Bishop

saxophone

Album information

Title: Dim Lit | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Ines Velasco, Fareed Haque, Lakecia ...
< Previous

Chapter Twelve: Toots is in Town
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.