Led Bib is an exciting London based quintet made up of Mark Holub on drums, Pete Grogan on alto saxophone, Chris Williams on alto saxophone, Liran Donin on bass and Toby McLaren on keyboards. They play an agile brand of music that is a mixture of jazz, fusion and progressive rock that is never pretentious, but fun and exciting to listen to. This band's forward looking mix of jazz and rock 'n' roll makes it unsurprising that they were nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2009. The opening tracks “Moth Delima" and “Is That a Woodblock" show the band at their hardest rocking with Donin and Holub laying down an excellent throbbing pocket for the horns to swirl and agitiate. “Hollow Ponds" and “Service Stop Savior" slow down the music and fill in some abstract patient improvisation as a contrast to the more up-tempo blasting numbers. “Engine Room," appropriately anchored again by the strong bass and drums brings the band back into overdrive leading up to the big finish. This is a very accessible album especially for rock 'n' roll fans looking for an entry point into jazz. The music is strong and intricate but never pretentious and having a full band working together for several years leads to a tight and accomplished ensemble. Bring Your Own—amazon.com
Send comments to Tim.
Send comments to Tim.
