Huw V Williams, a young Welsh double bassist and composer, has written a collection of original jazz themes that would sound good played by almost anybody. In the hands of trumpeter Laura Jurd, pianist Elliot Galvin, tenor saxophonist Alam Nathoo and drummer Pete Ibbetson, however, they’re irresistible. Williams’ thinking often reflects the genre collisions of Chaos Collective stalwarts like Jurd and Galvin – such as the strutting Skardu’s Missing, with its from-the-hook lurchy mid-tempo Cuban dance vibe. Nathoo’s tenor sax on 77806 is snortingly evocative of Evan Parker, and he and Jurd recall the squalls of the Ayler brothers on their closing exchange. The punchy, groove-heavy Mugs emits an infectious verve and energy, the Ornettish melody of Slumps shifts to a swaggering bop-walk, and the title track unfolds as a pretty theme between its bell-pealing intro and Galvin’s Wurlitzer-keys excursion. It’ll be a strange oversight if this compositionally intrepid set doesn’t make the UK jazz end-of-year lists.
