Don Mather, Jazz CD Reviews
This is a very talented band of young musicians, led by Shanti Paul Jayasinha who lives in London and has played with Tim Garland, John Etheridge, Michael Garrick and many others. He has also played on many ‘pop’ records and works as a musical educator.
The tunes reflect many styles and the music of many countries and every composition is entirely different. It makes for stimulating listening, although in some parts the jazz content is subjugated to allow for the unusual rhythms. It does not happen very often and I found the music well worth the time invested in listening to it.
Although it is not mentioned on the sleeve, Shanti plays some very nice flugel on some tracks. On track 4 voices are used to back the leader’s theme statement and there are several nice solos on this Latin-based composition. I particularly liked Patrick Clahar's tenor solo.
The rhythm section is good throughout; they play neatly, but never forget to swing at every opportunity! The title track is an interesting composition: it has a calypso feel and it has a familiar sound which helps the listener greatly on a first hearing. It would make a good standard for any jazz outfit wanting to include something with this kind of rhythm into their programme. Track 7 is an attractive jazz waltz; Shanti plays a fine controlled solo with excellent tone and execution and he is well supported by the excellent rhythm section. He is followed by John Crawford whose piano playing is a delight all through the record.
This record will stay on my player for some time. This is a very fine band and for once the original compositions are not just an excuse to avoid paying royalties! Shanti, you have my congratulations, this is an excellent album that I recommend without hesitation.
Jazz CD Reviews
Review by Paul J. Youngman - KJA Advocate for WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET
Shanti Paul Jayasinha is a trumpeter, composer and arranger who on his debut CD, leads his band through a cross continental musical journey. His new release, Round Trip - A Soundscape of World Jazz Rhythms explores many Latin jazz genres ?” blending, bending and blurring the lines, adding elements of Mid-Eastern and western rhythms to make for some entertaining, yet safe listening. Taking a conservative approach in composing the tunes, Jayasinha limits the bands high potential. The album is made up of ten tracks, all original tunes, composed and arranged by Jayasinha. My favorites are the songs that go outside the conventional lines and blur categorization. A splash of eastern rhythm with tabla by Yousef Ali Khan, sounding more like a Dumbeck and providing the pulsing bottom line in the enchanting “Sufi” featuring beautiful saxophone playing that weaves picturesque melodies of distant lands care of saxophonist Patrick Clahar. The song “A Caballo” an African meets Flamenco flavored march like rhythm with spirited trumpet playing ?” a clean full tone, smooth lines, safe notes and well thought out phrasing. The song grabs for attention with catchy rhythms and a pleasing melody. Solid bass playing from Andres Lafone, percussion by Jim Le Mesurier and drums by Davide Giovannini propel the rhythm section forward and immerses you in a trance like state, hypnotized by the enchanting piano playing of John Crawford. A big band performance of an original tune entitled “Outono,” twelve musicians perform this smooth Latin jazz Samba with passion and spirit. The song never gets completely off the dance floor with burning energy but it allows for some serious blowing by trombonist’s Trevor Myres and Tim Smart. Mid-way through the song a trumpet feature comes on with muted, growling intensity, somewhat reminiscent of a Miles Davis break. The credits indicate guest trumpeter Walmir Gil plays on this track, it’s not clear who plays the featured solo. The song also features some blazing saxophone playing with an exciting tenor solo by Tim Garland. The rest of the reed section adds a full and passionate sound. Paul Booth, soprano saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock, alto saxophone, Patrick Clahar, tenor and baritone saxophone and Julian Siegel tenor saxophone. Round Trip - A Soundscape of World Jazz Rhythms by Shanti Paul Jayasinha is well worth a listen for the fine musicianship of all the participants.
*** (Candid)
John Fordham, The Guardian, Friday November 2, 2007
Shanti Paul Jayasinha is a bright-toned and nimble trumpeter who enhances various UK world-jazz and crossover bands - notably pianist Alex Wilson's, whose re-examinations of Latin jazz exert an influence here. Jayasinha's melodic fluency and elegance on the brisk shuffle of Joao reveal a strong improvisational personality within a familiar idiom. The brooding Sufi mingles Latin and eastern sounds (though Latin dominates, in the heat-hazy Morricone-like theme), there's an occasionally floaty, Astrud Gilberto-like feel or the clamour of a cut-down Orchestra Baobab, and the title track is a skittery boppish melody over gurgly but funky percussion. It's modest, and plainly recorded, but sounds like talented enthusiasts doing what they love.
Jack Massarik, London Evening Standard, 31 November 2007
… a first-class quartet featuring trumpeter Paul Jayasinha and pianist Phil Peskett. Paul Jayasinha, another Candid signing whose debut album, Round Trip, also launches this week, is a fast-improving player whose Afro-Cuban sessions have sharpened his technique. His sparkling trumpet and flugelhorn solos were the highlight of the evening.
Trumpeter Shanti Paul Jayasinha at Candid Jazz Fest - Soho, London
Shanti Paul Jayasinha - Published: November 20, 2007
By John Philips
November 1, 2007
Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Candid Jazz Festival has always showcased fine new talents from the label's roster, and this year saw trumpeter Shanti Paul Jayasinha on the list of recording artists under the Candid record label performing at Soho's PizzaExpress Jazz Club in a week of concerts from singers Mishka Adams and Cormac Kenevey, Canadian singer and saxophonist Sheila Cooper and The Blessing, and a new band formed by Portishead's Clive Deamer and Jim Barr.
Jayasinha has been making waves on the London scene for a while now, popping up here and there alongside the likes of Alex Wilson, Tim Garland, and John Etheridge's Zappatistas. His debut album, Round Trip, is aptly titled, since Jayasinha displays a great wealth and breadth of influences in his playing.
Sri-Lankan born and London raised, Jayasinha's brand of world-influenced Latin jazz was warmly greeted by the crowd. Opening with a lilting Cuban number that featured a strong solo from saxophonist Patrick Clahar, the trumpeter's band revealed an engaging mix of rhythmic ideas from within the Latin jazz idiom. Tunes such as “Sufi” and “Jamuba” displayed the group's versatility and gave the soloists chances to shine. Pianist John Crawford had several impressive spots with his light-fingered runs, occasionally straying from the overall tone, though not excessively so, then subtly blending samba with reggae in a striking combination of creative timing and diverse rhythms.
Jayasinha has a full, yet distinctively personal tone on both trumpet and flugelhorn, and his solos are measured and thoughtful. He showed admirable restraint in his playing by letting the notes speak for themselves rather than relying on their frequency or speed. The leader's economic statements acted as a nice counterpart to the sometimes over-reaching playing of the sax and piano, accomplished though they were. Some of the tunes lacked a certain cohesiveness and flow, with The Hidden One's use of changing time signatures feeling too deliberate for comfort. The carnival samba of the closer, “Round Trip,” strayed dangerously close to novelty territory, but generally Jayasinha wore his party hat well?”as did a couple of enthusiastic audience members (and the odd waiter who got roped in for a dance).
It was evident that in addition to being an impressive horn man, Jayasinha is an effective leader, anchoring his supporting cast while playing confidently and masterfully during the whole set. Some of his musical compositions might not have quite caught up to his stellar playing yet, but he nonetheless makes a very welcome addition to the Candid stable of artists.
Pizza Express, London
John Fordham, The Guardian, Thursday January 27, 2005
A catchline like “world grooves with a jazz attitude” can bode ill. It often means a heedless hurling of dancefloor beats into an ill-considered mix for which the only jazz attitude might be somebody jumping up and down blowing a repeated hook on a sax. But with the trumpeter Paul Jayasinha in the equation, the odds are on something more musical. Jayasinha has worked in some of the best world-jazz projects on the local scene, and his playing hovers between curiosity, thoughtfulness, originality and fire.
Jayasinha's band, Shanti JazzWorld, played with sax virtuoso Gilad Atzmon standing in for Patrick Clahar. Though Jayasinha is fascinated by the ambiguities and intricacies of (mostly Latin) rhythm, and his pieces can set even the most hard-bitten of jazz musicians visibly counting the beats, Atzmon looked characteristically unfazed by the challenge.
On a feature splicing a 1950s Cuban dance classic with the chord changes of John Coltrane's Giant Steps, Jayasinha opened with a sharply accented trumpet melody that swelled into a full-on Latin-dance blast, and Atzmon followed with a slightly tentative initial tiptoe along the tightrope of the theme before accelerating into a soulful roar across the chords. The saxophonist did the same on the Brazilian feature that followed; the pace of his double-timing playing blunted none of his power to turn harmonic corners in fresh ways.
Jayasinha came close to the lazily exuberant sound of Harry Becket on an unaccompanied intro to another groover, eventually picked up by the drums of Davide Giovannini. John Crawford's piano solo on the same piece was built around repeated single notes so deftly played that he seemed to be mimicking a horn.
Gilad Atzmon's fire lifts any band - but Shanti JazzWorld sounds as if it might be pretty uplifted anyway.
“skilled but chilled...” Alister Sieghart (Glastonbury Salsa Stage Promoter)
“Britain’s acknowledged no.1 sonero”. Snowboy ‘98
“There’s some fine horn solos from Jayasinha who darts between Miles mode and hints of Hubbard” Straight No Chaser ?” Summer 05
“Excellent trumpeter Paul Jayasinha … (his) scorching trumpet lines would have opened any club door in Havana to him”
John Fordham, Guardian 19.4.02
“In this band he lets rip, soaring into his upper register with short, choppy phrases in the best Afro-Cuban tradition, or creating moody atmospheres with his harmon mute” Alyn Shipton, The Times 18.4.02
“trumpeter Paul Jayasinha, a fiery high note hitter in the best Cuban tradition” Jack Massarik , Evening Standard ’01
“impressive improvisatory soloist . . Paul Jayasinha” Charley Dunlap, The Bath Cronicle 30.11.98
“if anything sums up the image of the ‘New Musician’ it was the sight and sound of Paul Jayasinha … stepping down to the front of the stage to play some absolutely first class jazz trumpet” Brian Blain, The Musician ‘98
“An embarrassment of riches in the soloing department ?” stand up and take a bow Paul Jayasinha on trumpet.” Glasgow Herald ‘95
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