31/05/2026
Happy banker Sunday folks. We are back doing what we do best next Wednesday in Raheny Inn from 8.30pm. This week we will have the formidable bass player Dave Redmond joining us as a special guest (read more below 👇🏻)
We hope to see you there, please spread the word 🙏🏻
DAVE REDMOND | UPRIGHT & ELECTRIC BASS
Bassist Redmond is yet another Irish jazz musician with an admirable pedigree – he’s already on some 35 albums with other established artists. So he clearly had the necessary chutzpah to attract a ‘world leading’ player of George Colligan’s calibre to join his quartet – whether as a one-off or for more continuous employment isn’t made clear. That said, it’s great that he’s here this time.
In fact, the quartet has quite an international air about it, with the Irish and American principals joined by Belgian altoist Mercier and Beckett, almost an American-by absorption, having lived in New York for 21 years and recorded with Colligan on one of his trio albums over there.
The opening short track in this classily presented release is by Redmond as are a further nine which follow, its mood contemplative and evocative, as Redmond suggests. This is before the real action begins, you could say, with ‘Inner Way’, this nifty, fast-moving piece inducing a tumultuous solo from Colligan that builds and builds, the very epitome of New York energy, with Beckett breaking up the beat, as Mercier takes the strain and Redmond solos ably, its mid-tempo groove high on interplay.
‘Windchill’ is another Redmond original that has a pleasing shape, Mercier’s light touch alto just right as Colligan energises the whole thing so well. It’s pleasing to observe Colligan’s sleeves-rolled-up approach throughout the album as he tackles these highly varied compositions, diving willingly into everything that is offered him and turning in solos of the highest quality.
‘Centro’ retreats to a ballad tempo, alto carrying its pretty theme, Colligan comping quietly, Redmond soloing, whereas ‘Faultlines’ is just by the trio, Mercier sitting out, so that Colligan can erupt without restraint. It swings too.
There’s plenty here – a matching of talents with four-star outcomes. Great stuff.
