A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Pyne has been building an impressive CV over the last 15 years, working with a whole truckload of distinguished musicians including Zoe Rahman, Brigitte Beraha, Nikki Iles and Martin France, a roll-call that bespeaks her flexibility. Nature Is A Mother is her second album as leader (the first being 2018’s Dancing Shadows) but she has previously recorded with Ilario Ferrari, Yazz Ahmed, Interchange and Katy Birtill.
Pyne describes this album as “an exploration of my life so far, as a woman, a mother and someone working in the creative industry”. She says “I really feel like I’ve found my voice with this album.” Certainly her playing and singing is instantly engaging and full of personality.
The same can be said of the band she has put together, and of the compositions, designed to illustrate that Mother Nature “breathes vitality into every corner of the world”. They’re sometimes bright, pretty and delicate, sometimes spiky and a little disquieting, always worthy of respect. The admirable solos also reflect these qualities. Most of the tunes were written with Pinkstone in mind, and Dunachie and Patterson are old pals, so it is small wonder that the band gels so well. I’d say that the answer to track two’s question is affirmative.
Discography
On The Shore; Am I Doing It Right?; Blackberries; A Fistful Of Keys; Sisters; KP’s Parrot; Solstice; Nature Is A Mother; Gratitude (49.44)
Luke Pinkstone (ss, ts); Liam Dunachie (p); Pyne (b, v); Katie Patterson (d). Sutton, London, 31 August 2023.
33 Records 33JAZZ302
