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Benet McLean: Green Park

By Chris May
November 11, 2023
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Best known as a pianist, with four critically acclaimed albums behind him, on Green Park Benet McLean returns to his first instrument, the violin. The press release says he began studying the instrument at the age of 3, and Wikipedia tells us he was at some stage mentored by classical maestro Yehudi Menuhin. It stacks up. McLean can play. Green Park is a blast.

Along the way, as well as his own discs, McLean has, since the early 2000s, recorded on ranking albums by breakbeat pioneer, saxophonist

Sean Khan

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Sean Khan, Kevin Haynes' Grupo Elegua, hard-bop tenor saxophonist

Jean Toussaint

saxophone
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Jean Toussaint, trombonist

Dennis Rollins

trombone
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Dennis Rollins, singer

Laura Mvula

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Laura Mvula, the feted saxophone/bass/drums trio

Partikel

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Partikel, and with keyboards player

Ivo Neame

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Ivo Neame and guitarist

Ant Law

guitar, electric
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Ant Law in the delightfully monikered

Simians Of Swing

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Simians Of Swing.

McLean's band on Green Park is a new one other than for tenor saxophonist

Duncan Eagles

saxophone
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Duncan Eagles from Partikel. Eagles first recorded with McLean on the pianist's 2013 album, Live At The 606 (33 Jazz). The rest of band comprises young London lions

Liam Dunachie

organ, Hammond B3

" data-original-title="" title="">Liam Dunachie on piano,

Rio Kai

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Rio Kai on double bass and

Zoe Pascal

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Zoe Pascal on drums. It is a tight and kicking ensemble.

Overall, the music is joyful, melodic, rhythmically intense, up-tempo and visceral, taking in hard bop, fusion and points between. But McLean—who wrote all the tunes bar

Bobby Watson

saxophone, alto
b.1953

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Watson's "Fuller Love"—rings the changes. Track three, "Red," is delicate, slower paced, and track six, "The Pharoah," on which Eagles swaps the tenor for a flute, has neo-classical gravitas. Stand-out track on a consistently enjoyable set is the closer, "Jo," at 09:16 the longest track, which features some thrilling interplay between McLean and Eagles on tenor, first trading eights then engaging in extended simultaneous improvisation.

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Track Listing

Blue Fingers; Lucy; Red; Fuller Love; Mr Bap; The Pharoah; Jo.

Personnel

Benet McLean

violin

Duncan Eagles

saxophone

Liam Dunachie

organ, Hammond B3

Rio Kai

bass

Zoe Pascal

drums

Album information

Title: Green Park | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Sea Mammal Records

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