Graham Collier has built a considerable legacy as a sophisticated composer of considerable depth, and this release builds on that foundation with further evidence of his extraordinary talents. While
Collier remains an underrated, little-known figure on the world scene, despite a not inconsiderable output, his recordings deserve respect and admiration. For this one, he joins two suites -- "Bread and Circuses" (tracks one through nine) and "Oxford Palms" (tracks ten through 13) -- each performed by the Collective, described by
Collier as "a 15-piece co-operative of Western Australia's finest musical talent which first performed in 1997." As a composer,
Collier is a colorist who expects the soloists to fill the gaps, which they do here impressively.
Collier paints with a broad brush, his shiny landscapes filled with quality extended chords and interspersed with surprisingly outstanding solos, in particular from Lindsay Vickery on soprano saxophone, Keiran Hurley on trombone, and Graeme Blevins on alto saxophone. While
Collier's arrangements often use traditional strategies, he lets his freer-style improvisers indulge in just left-of-center solos, giving the pieces a progressive tinge. The Australian Collective acquits itself well, with powerful contributions from many players and tightly focused ensemble performances. For breadth of composition, strong improvisations, and complex, largely conventional writing with a slightly leftward tint, there is very little around that competes with
Graham Collier at his best, and this album is among his finest. ~ Steven Loewy