Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » David Preston: Purple / Black Vol. One

David Preston: Purple / Black Vol. One

By Neil Duggan
March 25, 2024
View read count

Guitarist

David Preston

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">David Preston, one third of

" data-original-title="" title="">Preston-Glasgow-Lowe, has previously released two recordings with that trio, exhibiting an intense fusion-based style. He is often found sharing on-stage credentials with musicians such as

Emma Rawicz

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Emma Rawicz and

Melody Gardot

guitar and vocals
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Melody Gardot. For Purple / Black Vol. One, his debut recording as leader, he has opted for a simpler, more distinctive soundscape which emphasises atmosphere and texture.

Despite this change of style,

Kevin Glasgow

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Glasgow remains as electric bassist and they are joined by two names which bring a sense of excitement to any recording, pianist

Kit Downes

keyboards
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Kit Downes and drummer

Sebastian Rochford

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Sebastian Rochford. The duo has been collaborating for a long time, most recently on the excellent A Short Diary, (ECM, 2023), reviewed here.

The opening track, "O. Winston," named after the pioneering railway photographer, O. Winston Link, begins with Glasgow's bass ostinato and Rochford's exhilarating drumming providing a relentless groove for Preston and Downes to build contrasting textures with their neat interplay. "Cassino Dream" is a hybrid of rock and jazz, and begins with the type of synth sound often associated with the '80s, before soaring guitar runs and rippling piano coil around Rochford's articulate rhythms.

"Urtext" is a short reflective interlude of gentle guitar and piano, before the title track slowly builds a sense of unease through effective guitar and piano combinations. Keyboards, organ and Rochford's mallets thicken and darken the texture. The abstract "Blues for Klemens" builds a dark soundscape through broken strands of piano and guitar melodies. In contrast, "Salem Ascending" has a gentle and optimistic melody. Downes provides an expressive solo while Preston's guitar phrases bring an Americana feel and may bring to mind

Bill Frisell

guitar, electric
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Frisell or

Daniel Lanois

guitar
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Daniel Lanois.

The brief but powerful "Prison Lullaby" is sparse, edgy and foreboding. That feeling is expelled by Downes' gentle repeating piano figure on "Shades of Shibuya." Another Glasgow bass ostinato underpins the contemplative "VHS Poem." This slowed-down version of a Preston-Glasgow-Lowe track allows Downes and Preston to take a right note, right place, approach which allows the track to shimmer.

The straight-ahead feel of "Susie Q's" gathers pace as cascading piano and bluesy guitar build the melody into an uplifting ending to the album. The small group interplay is intelligent and perceptive, capturing the poetry both of minimalist atmospheric tracks and the more up-tempo. Preston's imaginative song-like structures are compelling. His playing is thoughtful and imaginative and exhibits significant refinement in both sombre and intense moments. The good news is that this recording session generated enough material for two albums, so there should be more melodic invention from this quartet to look forward to in Vol. Two.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

O. Winston; Cassino Dream; Urtext; Purple / Black; Blues Klemens; Salem Ascending; Prison Lullaby; Shade of Shibuya; VHS Poem; Susie Q's.

Personnel

David Preston

guitar

Kevin Glasgow

bass

Kit Downes

keyboards

Sebastian Rochford

drums

Album information

Title: Purple / Black Vol. One | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Whirlwind Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

New Concepts in Piano Trio Jazz
< Previous

John Scofield 'Yankee Go Home' Dolom...
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.