Gareth Lockrane Big Band Fistfight At The Barndance Vinyl

In his most ambitious artistic undertaking yet, respected British flautist, composer and educator Gareth Lockrane brings his debut big band project to Whirlwind to interpret eleven original works on an exciting, cinematic scale in ‘Fistfight at the Barndance’.

Known for his considerable work with smaller ensembles such as Grooveyard (with saxophonist Alex Garnett), as well as being a familiar sideman on the UK

scene, here Lockrane distils all of his experience into leading a 20-piece which sparkles with ebullient expression.

The album title is a tribute to Lockrane’s late father, whose 6/8 blues harp riff of the same name (in which he jocularly envisaged the implosion of a convivial barndance) is the basis for the call-and-response between flute and brass at the centre of the title track’s bustling maelstrom. Pianist and organist Ross Stanley’s commanding soul-jazz Hammond grooves are often at the heart of the leader’s creations (influenced by the likes of John Scofield, Eddie Harris and Behki Mseleku), including high-energy “Stutterfunk” with Ryan Trebilcock’s pulsating electric bass inspiring sassy horn licks and effervescent flute and sax improv, and country-blues rock-out “Roots”.