In the last five years UK jazz seems to have come alive with groups like Polar Bear, Portico Quartet and this band, the Neil Cowley Trio. Now I’m sure that there are many other great UK groups and individual players that don’t see the light of day (in exposure terms) in comparison with the above-mentioned plus USA, Canadian, European and Scandinavian jazz musicians, however, these relatively new UK groups bring something quite new and accessible to the table. And they are not without their admirers:

Neil Cowley Trio

“Like all good music that is not commercial or mainstream I stumbled on this trio after reading a review in the Sunday Times & listening to some clips of tracks on the internet. This album is magically impressive if you enjoy jazz, funk & rock because this band combine all three elements in my opinion. Funked up hard bopping jazz, very percussive and power driven but with some subtle melodies thrown in to break up the relentless pace. This is not safe, smooth jazz but has an edge and a tension. Kind of reminds me of EST but different enough to sound different and Pat Metheny Group in their heavier guises but without the electrics. An album of undoubted energy, verve, funk and enough melody to keep it all together. Not late listening but more for those moments when you want to let it bleed and rock. I’m more than pleased I bought this outstanding album.”

“Neil has two projects on the go: `Pretz’ and the jazz trio here, he also played keyboards for Zero 7. Busy man, right? I get an overwhelming feeling of monumental euphoria during the umpteenth time listening to the chords and the dynamic of `Degree In Intuition’, it REALLY is that good. Being a complete and utter fan of piano led trios, it is an enchanting, funky and delicate experience listening to `Displaced’ which marks the debut, rehearsed in one week and recorded in one take at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios. That in itself is pretty unique. Cowley is one of the UK’s brightest stars and bursts into life hunched over the ivories in what is the best scenario for his creative expression: trio. He doesn’t just play the piano, he extracts every ounce of life from it. Together with Richard Sadler and Evan Jenkins, they give the whole live experience that emotional energy best heard with closed eyes. Impeccable and dazzling compositions. Witness the creation of beautiful, melodious, joyful music. Dudley Moore would be proud!”

My own review of Neil Cowley Trio’s new album (RADIO SILENCE) was unconditional in its praise, and I strongly suspect will be in line for a Barclaycard Mercury nomination, with a more than even chance of winning if the judges at last agree to go for quality instead of hype. So, I welcomed the opportunity to witness the trio perform live last Saturday, along with a small audience at an annex of the Liverpool Philharmonic Theatre called ‘The After 8.’ I noted that amongst the 100-plus capacity audience was a healthy mix of ages going from mid-20s to around 60, although I regretted the absence of teenagers…

Background

Neil Cowley began as a classical pianist. He performed a Shostakovich piano concerto at the age of 10 at Queen Elizabeth Hall. In his late teens Cowley moved into being a keyboardist for soul and funk acts Mission Impossible, Brand New Heavies, Gabrielle and Zero 7. He also appeared as a co-composer and session musician with the jazz-rock group Samuel Purdey. In 2002, he formed the duo Fragile State with Ben Mynott; after its end, the Neil Cowley Trio. In 2006 he released an album called Soundcastles under the name Pretz.

Cowley soon began to find the experience of extracting music from a computer chip unbearable, so set forth with his dear friend the piano and a renewed enthusiasm to present creativity without technological hindrance. Cowley began composing and eventually realised a long-standing vision, and formed the Neil Cowley Trio with Richard Sadler on double bass and Evan Jenkins on drums.

In June 2006 Cowley formed his own label, Hide Inside Records, and released the trio’s debut album DiISPLACED, an album of original recordings that established him as a dazzling pianist and composer. Through his examination of the possibilities of the acoustic piano trio, Cowley created a unique trademark sound that delivered, powerful music of massive dynamic range and contrasts - where ferociously forceful, hook laden melodies sit side by side with reflective, tender pieces capable of heart shattering tenderness. The album was released to huge critical acclaim, and won the 2007 BBC Jazz Award for Best Album.

In February 2007, the Neil Cowley Trio undertook their first full UK tour, revealing Cowley’s instinctive flair and ingenuity as an entertainer. At the heart of their captivating live performances is Cowley’s mischievous humour and solid rapport with his audience. In the summer of 2007, the trio recorded their follow-up album, LOUD…LOUDER…STOP for the indie jazz label, Cake. Fizzing with the energy of rock and the surging dynamics of dance music, Cowley solidified his sound, yet stretched the envelope further. Released in March 2008, it placed him and his trio at the forefront of the British ‘Post-Jazz’ movement, and earned them critical acclaim from across the musical spectrum. Mojo hailed the recording as a “Modern Classic”, and listed it in their ‘50 Best Albums’ of that year. The trio became noted for blurring the boundaries between jazz and other genres, and, dubbed ‘Jazz for Radiohead fans’, they found themselves with a diverse touring schedule that would take them from Glastonbury and the iTunes Festival to the infamous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. A TV appearance on Later with Jools, a Mojo cover- mounted CD (a celebratory reworking of the Beatle’s Revolution), and a Guinness commercial inched them further toward crossover status.

In the meantime, dedication to his trio would see Cowley decline various invitations to appear as side man on other projects. However, his contribution to the platinum-selling 19, the debut recording from Adele, and in particular his poignantly expressive intro to the stand-out ‘Hometown Glory’ is now legendary. More recently, Cowley has collaborated with the Stereophonics on their current album, KEEP CALM, AND CARRY ON.

RADIO SILENCE is Cowley’s third album and undoubtedly his most cohesive recording to date. It is released in April 2010 on one of the UK’s most exciting Indie labels, Naim Jazz, and though the recording does not stray too far from the Cowley template, it represents the sound of a band fully comfortable in their unique sonic skin.