Release Date: 18 December 2008
Label: Miles Music
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 640999908224
Genres: Jazz  
Release Date: 18 December 2008
Label: Miles Music
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 640999908224
Genres: Jazz  
Description
The British alto saxophonist Peter King's playing was firmly rooted in the bebop idiom and he was recognised as one of the UK's leading jazz musicians. He was also a masterful composer and on 'Janus', King takes on the challenge of writing for jazz and string quartet.
'Janus' features the Peter King Quartet with Gordon Beck on piano and the Lyric String Quartet, recorded live at the Purcell Room in 1997. The Janus suite applies the influences of Bartok's rhythms, folk melodies and harmonies to jazz composition and the Lyric String quartet plays superbly both in their solo sections and during the passages when they are scored with the jazz group. King's rhythmic writing means that the strings add texture and line without interfering with the improvisations of the rhythm section and soloists.
In addition to the five movements of Janus, the album is completed with three originals, featuring the musicians of King's quartet without the strings, and which demonstrate what a superbly integrated group it is. Alan Barnes in his liner notes sums up the album when he says "this recording is surely Peter King's masterpiece."
Peter King: alto & soprano saxophone
Gordon Beck: piano
Jeremy Brown: bass
Stephen Keogh: drums
Lyric String Quartet: Patricia Calnan, Harriet Davies: violin, Nick Barr: viola, Dave Daniels: cello.
Tracklisting
Gareth Williams
Guy Barker Quintet
Tubby Hayes Quartet
Peter King Quartet
Peter King Quartet
Tommy Whittle & Alan Barnes
Alan Skidmore Quartet
Bernard Miles
Peter King Quartet
Peter King Quartet