In 1999, British saxophonist
Tim Garland replaced Bob Sheppard in
Chick Corea's band Origin. Here he makes his Stretch Records debut, in the company of trumpeter
Gerard Presencer, pianist
Geoff Keezer, bassist and Origin bandmate
Avishai Cohen, drummer
Jorge Rossy, and vibraphonist
Joe Locke. The first nine tracks comprise a suite commissioned from
Garland by the London Jazz Festival, with each movement dedicated to an influential figure in
Garland's life. Throughout the suite,
Garland demonstrates his skill at incorporating international folk elements into his adventurous jazz writing. Highlights include "Gentle Nemesis," a sweeping, beautiful song to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks; "Pablo," for Pablo Neruda, exotically flavored by Karen Street on accordion; and "Traveller, Your Gootprints Are the Only Path," a rubato bass clarinet ode to Scottish musician and poet Don Paterson, with whom
Garland led the Celtic-influenced band Lammas for many years.