For Gareth Lockrane, music is inseparable from community. His reputation as a flautist, composer and arranger ensures that he’s in constant demand for a wide range of top-end musical projects, from international touring stars to Hollywood movie soundtracks, but he’s equally renowned for his dedication to education and mentorship, teaching at all the London conservatoires and supporting emergent voices. It’s an attitude of total engagement that somehow also includes time for a constant process of exploring, writing and arranging his own music. The Gareth Lockrane Big Band has been the vehicle for that music since the band’s formation in 2008. Following on from their 2017 debut Fistfight At The Barn Dance the new album Box Of Tricks was honed on the bandstand and recorded in a single day in Livingston Studio. It presents the all-star band romping through a set of original compositions that effortlessly blend the sincerity and freedom of improvisation with an intricacy of detail and precision of delivery that delights and astonishes at every turn. “I love writing for an ambitious project like this that’s big enough to combine all my favorite influences, and I never get over the thrill of a big band roaring away with the unique voices of the soloists shaping the music – it never gets old.” says Gareth. 

All the tunes balance rich, deep arrangements with spontaneous improvisation from the array of star soloists. Gareth’s own distinctive, effortlessly virtuosic flute playing adorns the uplifting rootsy gospel feel of ‘All The People,’ which develops into towering solos from trombonist Mark Nightingale and Ross Stanley on Hammond organ. By contrast the pulsing rhythm and wide-canvas chords of ‘Box Of Tricks’ create a sophisticated harmonic background for Mike Outram’s burning guitar. Nadim Teimoori and Graeme Blevins lead a twin tenor tear up on ‘Dennis Irwin’ named for the bassist who supported two of Gareth’s favorite inspirations: the Village Vanguard Big Band and legendary guitarist John Scofield ‘It’s a bass-driven gospel feel but with a healthy dose of Joe Henderson’s intervallic approach as well.’ Pat Levett’s chromatic harmonica leads the touching personal tribute ‘Memories In Widescreen,’ with the lush chordal textures evoking family trips to the cinema with Gareth’s dad who also played the instrument.

The insistent Latin flavored rhythm of ‘Grooverider’ provides a setting for some impressive drum pyrotechnics from Ian Thomas, who demonstrates the full range of his supportive musicality across the gently waltzing ‘Plan B’ and the odd-number meter of ‘Leviathan’ alongside beautifully structured improvisations from Michael Chillingworth. ‘Captain Kirkland’ and ‘Lockup!’ explore different iterations of classic big band swing with Sammy Mayne and Trevor Mires playing up a storm across the complex yet satisfyingly melodic charts and Gareth’s flute providing a last dazzling statement on the final tune.

Box Of Tricks is a state-of-the-art modern big band record that’s also deeply personal, combining Gareth’s favorite influences from Eddie Harris to Louis Cole, Quincy Jones to Wayne Shorter, and bringing together a genuine community of players into a compelling whole. “A lot of the tunes or germs of the tunes come out of a playing/practice process for me, consolidating ideas or soaking up influences that leads naturally to writing and personalizing all the ideas that I’m working on as a player. And the players are a multi-generational mix of my own peer group, older musicians I’ve always admired and people I’ve been taught at the colleges over the last 15 years – incredible talents who are now taking their place on the scene. I’m really happy with how this record turned out.”