Tim Garland: Moment Of Departure

For Tim Garland, the title, Moment of Departure, describes the "dive into the fresh unknown as improvisors, leaving the solid ground of what has been composed." Many of the tracks were inspired by the free-flowing artwork of Turkish painter Esra Kizir Gokcen. Her own migrant narrative provides the alternative meaning for the title.

This combination of musical control and liberty has been at the heart of the Lighthouse Trio, who will mark their 20th anniversary in 2024. The trio features Garland, whose 17-year stint with Chick Corea made him well-known internationally, playing soprano and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet. He is joined by leading drummer Asif Sirkis (Soft Machine, Dave Liebman, Dave Holland), together with Gwilym Simcock, perhaps best known for his stellar work with the Pat Metheny quartet. The first half of this double album focuses on tracks that show the improvisational skills of the trio. The strings of the Britten Sinfonia, leader Clio Gould, enhance three tracks and British trumpeter Yazz Ahmed adds flugelhorn. Garland does not play on most of the second half of the album. Instead, he focuses on his skills in arranging and conducting the strings of the London Studio Orchestra. They are led by John Mills and feature violinist Thomas Gould. Further texture is added by Rob Millett on cimbalom.

This ambitious project begins with "Winds of Hope" with trio and strings ushering in the fanfare melody. Simcock is fleet-fingered, Sirkis drives the rhythms and Garland's playing over the swooping strings is lyrical and lithe, making this a rousing opener. "No Horizon" has a pulsing piano motif and Turkish rhythms. Garland's playing flows and swirls before that piano motif returns making this one of the stand-out tracks. Ahmed's superb flugelhorn helps portray an ocean world in "Sub Vita." The trio excels with their interplay and in creating mood and atmosphere. The title track comprises of spontaneous improvisations with a score composed to fit.

The second half of the album prominently features violinist Thomas Gould. Initially joining the trio and the Britten Sinfonia in "Approaching Winter." This is derived from themes in the "Winter" section of Vivaldi's Four Seasons and uses this as a base for some thrilling improvisation. Gould also features with the strings of the London Studio Orchestra in Garland's concerto "The Forever Seed." This five-part pastoral composition based on the seasons has Garland conducting. There are further occasional nods to Vivaldi and Millett's cimbalom is accentuated alongside Gould and Simcock's contributions, as the composition moves between written and improvised phases.

This is the most high-reaching project of Garland's career. His compositions draw on a range of influences from jazz, classical, pastoral, Turkish and free-form and are displayed in trio and orchestral forms. His ability to compose, play and arrange musical narratives makes him one of the most accomplished musicians in contemporary jazz. There are many surprises along the way; these surprises only come from an artist prepared to take risks and put those risks front and center. There is an obvious rapport within the trio that fuels both their improvisations and their intricate interactions with their musical partners, making this a wide-ranging, stimulating and exciting listen.

Comments