Three Players, One Clean Electric Pulse
A debut from a trio that treats piano jazz like it has a drum machine's heartbeat.
Fanfares is the 2012 debut from GoGo Penguin, the English trio that spent the next decade blurring the line between acoustic jazz and electronic dance music. The band is built around Chris Illingworth on piano, Grant Russell on bass, and Rob Turner on drums, and on this record the rhythm section does a lot of the defining. Turner's drumming is tight and forward-leaning, often driving the tunes with a pulse that feels closer to club music than to a standard jazz swing, while Russell's bass lines anchor the pieces without ever sounding stiff.
Illingworth's piano writing is melodic and clean, with repeated figures that give the tracks a hypnotic quality. The mix of acoustic instruments and an electronic feel is what sets the album apart, and you can hear the band working out the approach that later became their trademark. Some tracks lean more toward lyrical melody, others toward the drive of the rhythm section, and the album moves between the two without much friction.
As a debut, Fanfares is a strong statement of intent rather than a finished vision, and it is best approached as the first chapter of GoGo Penguin's career. Its nomination for best jazz album at the Worldwide Awards the following year showed the record had found an audience beyond the usual jazz circles. Listeners who like their piano trios with a modern rhythmic edge will find plenty here.
Who's playing
Grant Russellbass
Chris Illingworthpiano
Rob Turnerdrums
