Kidney
(Pinnacles Music)
Rating: ***
With an unprecedented wave of highly talented Australian recordings currently arriving on the jazz scene, the quality stakes are extremely high. Not that Brisbane quartet Kidney lacks talent.
The players, especially guitarist James Sherlock and saxophonist Graeme Norris, have much to offer in performance and composition, but the ensemble’s overall effect is often predictable.
Perhaps the inclusion of a bass would have assisted. As it is Steve Newcomb on organ is obliged to run a bass line with the lower end under-recorded.
Nevertheless there is some fine soloing from Norris and Sherlock and smart drumming from Joe Marchisella. The Sphilkes is a blues with a catchy theme and some standout guitar, while Oblong is of a slower ballad tempo, wandering dreamily with organ work introducing double-timed solos from alto and guitar.
Marchisella’s drums feature well in That’s Plumb, the guitar works well with chordal support behind a racing organ solo, and the best drum work is on a rhythmic post-bop track, Redhead.
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This review first appeared in The Weekend Australian and is republished with permission.
