Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tim Garland: ReFocus

Tim Garland: ReFocus

By Ian Patterson
October 1, 2020
View read count

Strings and

Tim Garland

clarinet, bass
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Garland have always resonated well together. A leading figure of British jazz since the early 2000s, Garland emerged from a classical background, having studied classical composition at the Guildhall School of Music. His dual idioms have converged persuasively on albums such as If The Sea Replied (Sirocco Music Limited, 2005), Libra (Global Mix, 2009), Songs To The North Sky (Edition Records, 2014) and Weather Walker (Edition Records, 2018), with anything from chamber ensembles to full-blown orchestras shaping the saxophonist's adventurous concepts. Beyond category, these albums are touchstones of contemporary music where improvisation and extended composition meet. ReFocus continues the trend—but with one significant difference.

If Garland's orchestral colors have often reflected the influence of Michael Tippett, Benjamin Britten and Henri Dutilleux as much as Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky or B��la Bart��k, ReFocus pays personal homage to

Stan Getz

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Getz's album Focus (Verve, 1962), which featured three violins, viola and cello, and secondary roles (in the main) for pianist

Steve Kuhn

piano
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Kuhn, bassist John Neves and drummer

Roy Haynes

drums
1926 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Haynes. Composer Eddie Sauter left the melodies free for Getz to improvise, and it is an approach that Garland adopts here, basing his solos, in part, on Getz's own themes. Whereas Getz bewitched with an aching lyricism reminiscent of

Lester Young

saxophone
1909 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Lester Young on Focus, Garland's brand of romanticism is darker, more muscular and, not surprisingly, having absorbed another half century of music, more contemporary sounding.

Apart from the faithful rendition of Sauter's "I'm Late, I'm Late"—with percussionist Adam Kovacs replicating Haynes' dynamic brushwork from that 1961 session—Garland is more attuned to the spirit of adventure that Focus represented in an era when jazz would splinter into Third Stream, free improvisation and avant-garde experimentalism —a world of possibilities. Getz' embrace of strings on Focus, however, had little to do with jazz ensemble play, with the jazz musicians no more than bit-part players. By contrast, drummer

Asaf Sirkis

drums
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Asaf Sirkis and bassist

Yuri Goloubev

bass, acoustic
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Yuri Goloubev are cornerstones of Garland's rhythmic edifice, while guest musicians

John Turville

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">John Turville on piano, and

Ant Law

guitar, electric
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Ant Law on acoustic guitar enjoy sparkling cameos on the unreservedly cheery "Jezeppi," where Garland also shines, on soprano saxophone.

The saxophonist's virtuosity aside, it is his ability to harness the strings to conjure an array of moods and textures that most impresses. From the reflective melancholy of "The Autumn Gate" and the brooding tensions and unfolding drama of "Dream State," to the rhythmic panache of the exhilarating "Night Flight," ReFocus is an emotional journey more than anything. While the string ensemble's elegant legato phrasing, lively pizzicato and thrilling riffing score the big points, there is also devil in the detail, with harpist Lauren Scott's subtle interventions—her swirling cascades and sly pulses, the percussive splashes and moody arpeggios—coloring the arrangements significantly.

Instantly gratifying on multiple levels, ReFocus strikes a fine balance between classical sophistication, earthy rhythmic drive and improvisational flourish. To the patient, however, the music unveils its most satisfying riches—its nuances and layers—with the repeated listening that it merits.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

I'm Late, I'm Late; Maternal; Thorn In The Evening; Dream State; Past Light; Night Flight; The Autumn Gate; Jezeppi.

Personnel

Tim Garland

clarinet, bass

Asaf Sirkis

drums

Yuri Goloubev

bass, acoustic

Additional Instrumentation

Tim Garland: piano; Ant Law: acoustic guitar (8); John Turville: piano (8); Thomas Gould: violin; Ben Hancox: violin; Magdalena Filipczak: violin; Rakhi Singh: violin; Simran Singh: violin; Robin Ashwell: viola; Juan-Miguel Hernandez: viola; Cecilia Bignall: cello; Lauren Scott: harp; Adam Kovacs: percussion (1-2).

Album information

Title: ReFocus | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Edition Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Mike Jacobs
< Previous

New Big Band Music and Experimental ...
Next >

Tim Garland Concerts

Nov 12 Wed

Tim Garland Lighthouse Trio Feat. Gwilym Simcock &...

Ronnie Scott's
London, UK

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.