Darrel Sheinman's Gearbox continues to promote the talent of young jazzists, fueling the so-called N-Jazz scene of the United Kingdom. Ten years after Binker & Moses, “Dem Ones”, the unmissable debut, last March 28, the LP of the Knats debut was published. Ten songs that mix the love for the Weather Report's fusion and the dedication for the elegant and veined jazz of Soul by Joe Henderson.
The Knats come from Newcastle Upon Tyne, where the two founders of the group, Stan Woodward (bass) and King David-Ike Elechi (drums) were born and raised. The quintet is completed by Ferg Kilsby on the trumpet, Cam Rossi at the tenor saxophone and Sandro Shar on keyboards. With this formation, the Knats are opening the concerts of Geordie Greep (ex-Black Midi) around Europe, enjoying an unexpected success. Merit of a brilliant and engaging sound that the Knats managed to immortalize even on their debut disc.
“One for Josh” in Inzio Scaletta plays as an otherworldly dialogue between Jaco Pastorius and Joe Zawinul: a groove Stellar lights the night while trumpet, saxophone and electrical plan begin to chase each other as in the best evenings of the last Miles Davis. The young Swiss accordionist Anatole Muster enriches the harmonious plot of the following “Miz”, a soft bucolic and sunny funk. Halfway through the scaletta, the reinterpretation of Joe Henderson's classic “Black Narcissus” shows Stan Woodward's skill in imposing as the undisputed leader: the low lines always remain high in the mix and mark the times for the solos of the other tools.
The passage in the most spectacular territories of the fusion is not lacking in the appeal, thanks to the thom Ford thunder guitar, a guest in the abundant six minutes of “Se7en”, who, like a new Frank Gambale, illuminates the jazz-rock circus of a thousand iridescent colors.
22/04/2025
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM