Advertisement
Advertisement

Lupa: Sequences And Consequences

In brief:
"Lupa blends styles to great effect, from the warm, vintage sounds of the Rhodes and saxophone to the sharp, fizzing synthesisers and drum machine. As well as this, electronic effects are used throughout the album, adding a diverse and vibrant texture"

Latvian four-piece Lupa release their LP Sequences And Consequences, featuring six tracks of contemporary jazz, with a heavy electronic influence. Recorded entirely in analogue to tape, and without overdubbing, the album is sonically rich, capturing the musicians’ work in the quality it deserves. While the heavy use of synthesisers gives the album a definite electronic flavour, underpinning this is strong jazz harmony, adding great depth to the compositions.

On alto saxophone, Davis Jurka leads the band throughout, immediately demonstrating his proficiency with an extended solo on the eight-minute opener, Zebra. The second track, Skagen, switches to a more jazz-funk style, with Ritvars Garoza on the Fender Rhodes providing the main riff, over which saxophone and bass play a tight groove in unison, before crescendoing improvisation.

Advertisement

Lupa blends styles to great effect, from the warm, vintage sounds of the Rhodes and saxophone to the sharp, fizzing synthesisers and drum machine. As well as this, electronic effects are used throughout the album, adding a diverse and vibrant texture.

The fourth track, City, uses a filtered synth-chord progression in 7/8 to lay the basis for Andris Buikis’s complex syncopated drumming, over which the alto saxophone explores variations of a repeated melody. Bassist Valters Sprudzs stands out at several points for his use of harmonics on Seaside to the finger-picked arpeggios on French Song.

There is much to enjoy in Sequences And Consequences. The band’s vision for their music is clear, with the tracks varied enough to be interesting, but maintaining stylistic and instrumental unity. Lupa are certainly worth checking out for both their musical originality and skill.

Hear/buy Lupa: Sequences And Consequences at https://jersikarecords.bandcamp.com/album/sequences-and-consequences

Discography
Zebra; Skagen; French Song; City; Seaside; Sigourney (40.00)
Davis Jurka (as; syn); Ritvars Garoza (syn, elp); Valters Sprudzs (elb); Andris Buikis (d, elec). Latvia, 21-23 November 2018.
Jersika Records JRA 004

Latest audio reviews

Advertisement

More from this author

Advertisement

Jazz Journal articles by month

Advertisement

Kevin Hays and Chiara Izzi: Across The Sea

Encouraged by Quincy Jones, Italian singer Chiara Izzi moved to New York after winning the Montreux Vocal Competition. Izzi is backed on her breezy, pop-inflected...
Advertisement

Count me in… 04/19

During a recital at the Three Choirs Festival, I became increasingly annoyed by members of the audience who insisted on rising every 10 minutes...
Advertisement

Roy McCurdy: drumming royalty /2

The 86-year-old sticksman concludes by focusing on his time with the Adderleys, the first stirring of fusion and Cannonball's tragic demise
Advertisement

Tomasz Stańko, Desperado: An Autobiography

English translation of the 2010 biography by the Polish trumpeter who was notable for his lyrical approach yet dirty, almost bluesy tone
Advertisement

Sloane: A Jazz Singer

Songbook devotee Sloane was acclaimed at Newport in 1961 but then faced the onset of 60s pop, which she defied with typical tenacity
Advertisement

JJ 03/59: Andre Previn And His Pals – Gigi

Continuing in the current vogue for recording jazz versions of popular musical shows, Previn, Manne and Mitchell here turn out what to my mind,...
"Lupa blends styles to great effect, from the warm, vintage sounds of the Rhodes and saxophone to the sharp, fizzing synthesisers and drum machine. As well as this, electronic effects are used throughout the album, adding a diverse and vibrant texture"Lupa: Sequences And Consequences