John Horler - Free and Easy

The Guardian 80

(Trio)

Jazz and classical idioms live happily side by side in the benign and often surprising world of pianist and composer John Horler. It’s best not to try second-guessing him, just wait and enjoy what emerges. Among these 13 tracks, for instance are five “free pieces” which, if you had the usually chaotic free jazz in mind, would come as a very pleasant surprise. Each one is a miniature, less than two minutes long, concise and delicately presented. More elaborate are the improvisations on standard songs, notably My Ship by Kurt Weill, and Leonard Bernstein’s poignant Some Other Time. With these, Horler does what only the very best can do: he creates a version that is completely his own while also conveying the essence of the original.

His playing has a wonderful clarity which brings out the detail in the harmonies, and some of his boldest and most surprising ideas are quite simply expressed. Other numbers range from Count Basie to JS Bach, along with Piece for Poppy, dedicated to the pianist’s wife. In fact, the album was Mrs Horler’s idea, and she is listed as its executive producer.