Clark Tracey - Stability - Hi Fi News

Son of the renowned pianist, composer and arranger Stan Tracey, Clark began playing regularly with his father's bands as far back as 1978, and over the years has developed to become on of the UK's most experienced drummers. This SACD recording sees him joined by a wealth of talent. The album opens with a paired down for 6 players, not the full 'big band' - Gil Evans arrangement of Gershwin's Gone from "Porgy and Bess". This works well, the number driving even harder than its full band ancestor and with players of the calibre of Andy Shepherd and Iain Ballamy on hand, it's little surprise that it works so well. Lounge Blues highlights some superb piano work from Gareth Williams, also some great bass playing from Arnie Somogyi. Thelonius Monk's Ugly Beauty sees Symogyi and Guy Barker on trumpet joined by the Locrian String Quartet. Fine atmospheric stuff. And so on: throughout the album Tracey has featured different soloists to take the lead on each track, assigned according to the mood of each piece. This is a well recorded, well judged CD.