ROGER |
B E A U J O L A I S A Q U I N T E T |
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You can buy the Roger Beaujolais Quintet CD's "Blue Reflections", "Sentimental", "I'll See You Tonight" & "For Old Times" over a secure credit card line: Blue Reflections Sentimental I'll See You Tonight For Old Times |
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Roger
Beaujolais Quintet: Blue Reflections Released 2008 on StayTuned Records. Catalogue No. ST 007 |
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All tunes written by Roger Beaujolais except where stated. |
Featuring: Produced
& arranged by Roger Beaujolais. |
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Roger
Beaujolais Quintet: Sentimental Released 2005 on StayTuned Records. Catalogue No. ST 006 |
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All tunes written by Roger Beaujolais except where stated. |
Featuring: Produced
& arranged by Roger Beaujolais. |
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Roger
Beaujolais Quintet: I'll See You Tonight Released 2003 on StayTuned Records. Catalogue No. ST 005 |
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All tunes written by Roger Beaujolais except where stated. |
Featuring: Produced
& arranged by Roger Beaujolais. |
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Roger
Beaujolais Quintet: For Old Times Released 1999 on StayTuned Records. Catalogue No. ST 001 |
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All tunes written by Roger Beaujolais except where stated. |
Featuring: Produced
& arranged by Roger Beaujolais. |
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| Reviews | |
| Review of "Sentimental" from The Observer (13 November 2005) by Dave Gelly: The vibraphone is capable of great tonal variety, from the tinkling of icicles to a warm, pulsating cloud of sound, and Roger Beaujolais deploys it all with consummate skill and delicacy. Most of these 11 pieces are his own compositions, some cast in the form of duets with other instruments and each one has a distinct mood and character. All of them are attractive and some, such as 'Chasing a Dream', with its light, pebbles-in-a-pool feeling, are quite magical. His timing is so good that each isolated note lands fractionally later than you expect, but when it does, it sounds just right. The complete quintet appears only on one track, the standard 'What's New?', but each member has some telling exchanges with the vibraphone, especially pianist Robin Aspland and bassist Simon Thorpe. There is a quiet assurance about this whole set that characterises the best contemporary British jazz at the moment.
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Review of "Sentimental" from The Guardian (21 October 2005) by John Fordham: British vibraphonist Roger Beaujolais made a mark over a decade ago as part of the local acid-jazz movement, but this is an unflinchingly straightahead jazz album, with a few standards and plenty of originals. Beaujolais' mix of firm emphasis and mellow tone, coupled with a shapely sense of improvised melody, gives much of it an unexpected richness and bounce; even a well-travelled standard such as You Don't Know What Love Is reveals haunting new turns, with a good deal of spin provided by the excellent pianist Robin Aspland. Polar Bear's Mark Lockheart plays on three tracks, and the keening sound of his soprano on the wistful Brief Encounter and Parodious comes surprisingly close to a John Surman atmosphere. Beaujolais' empathy with a rhythm section is powerfully demonstrated in his unison groover with Simon Thorpe and Winston Clifford on Mr Non PC, while Lockheart shows his romantic side on What's New. Those old dancefloor habits are occasionally apparent in how upfront Beaujolais makes the sound of Simon Thorpe's bass. Straightahead maybe, but not remotely formulaic. |
| Review of "I'll See You Tonight" from The Guardian (14 March 2003) by John Fordham: Maybe it's his name, but the British vibraphonist Roger Beaujolais has trouble shaking off a frivolous, party-on jazz image with the more sober of enthusiasts. Beaujolais has been a club success from the acid-jazz era onwards. Elements of pop & R & B are powerful features of his work, he has close links with Ray Gelato & the Chevalier Brothers & he still makes acid-jazz albums today. But this set represents straightahead Beaujolais with a superb jazz rhythm ensemble including Mark Lockheart & drummer Winston Clifford, & it supports Gary Burton's contention that the Briton could now frighten any vibes virtuoso on either side of the Atlantic. Beaujolais' glassy-toned vibes-playing is agile, fresh & inventive, but the arrangements - as well as the Beaujolais originals - are also very distinctive. The upshot is an album of considerable panache.
The delicacy of the vibes is a very effective contrast to Mark Lockheart's
rather sombre tenor-sax sound & a complimentary partner to his brittle
soprano, & there's a tempting choice of contemporary jazz standards
including Jobim's Dindi, Wayne Shorter's Night Dreamer, & Joe Henderson's
Black Narcissus. The soulful version of Carl Perkins' Grooveyard will
bring a tear to the eye of those who remember the decades-earlier account
by guitarist Wes Montgomery & his brothers. |
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| Review of "I'll See You Tonight" from Observer (23 Feb 2003) by Dave Gelly: The man turns up playing vibraphone in so many diverse contexts - salsa, acid jazz, R & B, pop - that it makes a nice change to have this CD by the "real" Roger Beaujolais. It reveals him as not only a masterly instrumentalist but a highly imaginative leader, drawing a wonderful range of tones & textures from just 5 instruments. His whole approach is fresh & original without straining for effect. The band itself contains some of the brightest sparks on the contemporary scene - saxophonist Mark Lockheart, pianist Robin Aspland, drummer Winston Clifford & the bassist with the least forgettable name in jazz, Orlando Le Fleming. |
Review of "I'll See You Tonight" from Independent on Sunday (16 Feb 2003) by Sholto Byrnes: Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive, & in contrast to some of his funkier past vintages this is a relatively straightahead affair, medium-bodied & with a clean finish. Beaujolais on vibes is joined in the front line by Mark Lockheart on sax, a cheese'n'grapes combination with great precedents. The rhythm section is typically British & understated, although Robin Aspland on piano loosens his collar on a couple of numbers. This album, mostly originals with Jobim & Joe Henderson thrown in, succeeds in its modest ambitions. Not a grand cru, but enjoyable everyday drinking. |
| Review of "I'll See You Tonight" from The Birmingham Post - (Feb 2003) by Pete Bacon: "....And here we are over 30 years on
with an excellent no-nonsense set from a vibraphone-led band of Mark Lockhart
on saxophones, Robin Aspland on piano, Orlando leFleming on double bass
and Winston Clifford on drums. |
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| Review of "For Old Times" from Jazz Review (Dec 1999) by Brian Morton: A debut release from StayTuned and an absolutely cracking jazz record. As so often - though small appreciation they get for it - it's the most musical of musicians who turn to the vibraphone with its complex harmonic and rhythmic requirements. Beaujolais writes crisp idiomatic themes, chooses his repertory material with great taste - Shorter's "Tom Thumb" up against Waldron's "Soul Eyes", "Old Devil Moon" balancing Grant Green's all too rarely covered "Jean De Fleur" - and he has assembled & drilled a band of real class. Lockheart's saxophone sound has broadened and grown ever more mature over the last couple of years. He's shed some (real or apparent) influences and emerges here as a formidable soloist. The rhythm section balances discipline & relaxation and the engineering - step forward, one Derek Nash - is exemplary. Check out the opening "Yes We've Met" and the beautifully constructed "Less Said" but above all check out Roger Beaujolais at the first available opportunity. Orphy Robinson may have laid down the torch. Beaujolais is more than fit to carry it.
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Review of "For Old Times" from Jazz UK (March/April 2000) - no author credited: Vibraphone wizard Beaujolais makes welcome appearances on plenty of other people's recordings, but this is his own first straight-ahead jazz album. It's a swinging affair, too, as you would expect from from Mark Lockheart (saxes), Robin Aspland (piano), Orlando LeFleming (bass), and drummer Winston Clifford. review of "For Old Times" from Jazzwise (February 2000) by Brian Priestley: This celebrates old times for vibist Beaujolais (and indeed for the reviewer) but there may be many listeners who've never heard him play straightahead post-bop, and the same may apply to their experience of front-line partner Mark Lockheart. The quintet assembled here (completed by Robin Aspland, Orlando LeFleming and Winston Clifford) prove excellent at sounding as if they've nothing to prove. The five catchy originals are mixed with Shorter's "Tom Thumb", Hutcherson's "Highway One" and other canny choices, and the whole session comes off relaxed as well as communicative. |
| From Musician - Musicians Union magazine - (March 2000) by Ben Castle: When I was asked to review vibist Roger Beaujolais' new album. I jumped at the chance, my incentive being a free copy of a CD that features some of this country's most accomplished and exciting jazz musicians, and an excuse to listen to it again and again. The album flows well as a whole, with a good choice of material. Faithful renditions of "Soul Eyes", Wayne Shorter's "Tom Thumb" and a great reworking of "Old Devil Moon", fit together well with Roger's own compositions. Completing the quintet are saxophonist Mark Lockheart, pianist Robin Aspland, with Orlando Le Fleming and Winston Clifford on bass and drums, all of whom along with their leader, are fantastic solo and ensemble musicians with their own voice and the maturity not to overplay. This album is not going to offend anybody, it is fairly relaxed, immaculately recorded and certainly bears many listens. |
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