Martin Speake - Intention

The Guardian 80

(Ubuntu)

There was a time, not all that long ago, when the sound of Martin Speake’s alto saxophone – smooth, round and well modulated – tended to be judged insufficiently forceful or gritty. It’s true that vehemence has never been his style, but when you can say so much in a reasonable tone, there’s no need to shout. This album’s 11 tracks cover a lot of ground, from almost free improvisation to Dancing in the Dark by way of Charlie Parker. It’s hard to imagine a more resourceful or eloquently played set.

A fair share of the credit must go to pianist Ethan Iverson (late of the Bad Plus) for coming up with a stream of ideas, often counterintuitive, that help to keep the whole thing airborne. With bassist Fred Thomas and drummer James Maddren completing the quartet, it’s a superb example of team togetherness. If I had to pick one track, I’d choose Hidden Vision, a typically catchy Speake tune, taken for a bracing run, with brilliant solos by the two principals. It’s clever, tuneful, good humoured and makes perfect sense.