Guitarist Tim Rose has a wide selection of credits to his name, from West End musicals to work with established performers such as Toyah Wilcox and Al Martino. Fact & Opinion is Rose’s latest solo album, the second after Outlook, which was released in 2016.
Rose leads the quartet as they move through a series of modern jazz compositions. From the start, the band combines complex melodies and arrangements with spacious room for improvisation and exploration.
The first track, Minus Touch, features guitar and trumpet in unison through a tight, winding melody that is supported by reserved bass and soft yet energetic drumming. Trumpeter Graeme Flowers provides gentle improvisation following Rose’s John Scofield style solo with the addition of smooth legato flourishes.
In contrast, the third track, The Spider, is a more fusion-based composition, with dissonant harmony and driven guitar lead, and following this, on No Poultry the quartet switches to a funk arrangement, with syncopated drums, sharp, strummed chords and a bright, punchy trumpet melody.
Changing direction again, on the sixth track, Ergonomics, the band begin with a slow, repetitive melody to form a composition that is in a more traditional jazz style than the rest of the album, with a clean electric solo from Rose.
Overall, the quartet achieves a lot considering the presence of only five instruments, as Rose provides additional keyboards. Merging a range of styles, and covering each with skill and originality, the outcome is an interesting and contemporary album that is a rewarding listen with plenty of material to enjoy.
Discography
Minus Touch; Only Enemies; The Spider; No Poultry; Another Challenge; Pat; Ergonomics; Langdale (49.48)
Rose (elg, kyb); Graeme Flowers (t); John Humphrey (d); Phil Donnelly (b). London, 2018-19.
Tim Rose Music TRCD0001