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ConnectsMusic is thrilled to share the brand-new album from Robert Mitchell, Little Black Book Vol.1 Blueprint (Of An Infinite Gift), which will be released on October 31st (via Whirlwind Recordings), with the first single, ‘Touchstone‘, out now on all streaming platforms (released September 19th).
LISTEN TO ‘TOUCHSTONE’ HERE:
Diversity is at the heart of pianist/keyboardist/composer/poet Robert Mitchell’s remarkable career. His recent tenure as Artist in Residence at Morley College provided the setting for a new venture that builds on all his previous legacy while sounding quite unlike any of it. Drawing inspiration from the heavy fusion of Chick Corea and Allan Holdsworth, the psychedelic bluesy swagger of Jimi Hendrix, and the fearless multi-media explorations of Cecil Taylor, Little Black Book brings together three bravura players in an uplifting celebration. Laurie Lowe on drums and Zayn Mohammed on guitar bring the exact combination of power, accuracy and unbounded imagination to make the project come alive.
I’ve known Laurie and Zayn separately from my previous projects, but this is the first time we’ve all worked together and their affinity was immediate.
All the compositions were written specially with the trio’s unique blend of musical personalities in mind. “The word jazz can be so difficult and limiting. Zayn is so versed in different musics from across the Middle East and India as well as rock and blues and Laurie is simply one of the best drummers around: creative, superbly reactive and amazingly versatile whether with a specific arrangement or coming up with the best drum based answer to a musical challenge. For myself, I love the sounds of Geri Allen, Django Bates and Cecil Taylor well as the innovations of synth pioneers like D-Train. It’s all in there.” Heavy riffing, a tight backbeat, and vintage synth tones combine to spectacular effect on ‘Be the Change’ creating a bold statement of intent dedicated to Gandhi and other world changers. By contrast ‘Blueprint (Of an Infinite Gift)’ features acoustic piano on a gently swinging paean to peace that builds to a powerfully wide-ranging guitar solo. Both ‘Consensus’ and ‘I Greet the Universe In Person’ return to the dramatic landscape of towering riffs and heavy drums, and the drama reaches a climax in ‘Jimi @ Granada’ – a track directly inspired by Robert’s discovery that Jimi Hendrix once played at his local South London theatre, now sadly reduced to a Bingo Hall.
All three tracks showcase Zayn’s blisteringly sophisticated yet blues-heavy guitar soloing and the matchless intensity and precision of Laurie’s drumming across shifting metres, while Robert’s presence is always felt through the multiple textures of keyboards and his own brilliant improvisations. In complete contrast, yet also completely complementary, are Robert’s recitations of two of his poems ‘Peace In Mind’ and ‘Within The Storm.’ His powerful evocations of the themes of peace and justice, delivered in his uniquely measured tones against a backdrop of plangent piano, add an unforgettable dimension to the record, at once strikingly different yet fully integrated into the vision. ‘Touchstone’ tips a hat to Pat Metheny’s own unmistakable take on fusion, while ‘When Will We Let the Light In’ is a solo performance on Fender Rhodes that creates an oasis of calm reflection.
Little Black Book lives up to the sense of mystery and promise the title evokes, opening up new vistas of Robert’s creativity. “It’s been very exciting to explore the world of electronic keyboards, with the challenge of taking on multiple roles, from lead voice to bass, all live in the studio. And I’m fulfilling a long held dream to work more with guitar and realize the sense of excitement and exploration that it brings.” Little Black Book is the latest telling of a story in which every chapter is more intriguing than the last.
