Hyper-active jazz-rock from Vancouver on Plays Long (DRIP AUDIO DA02040) by Longhand…the leader and guitarist Tony Wilson studied with a composer named Peder Long in the 1980s, and long cherished the idea of recording an album of works by his mentor and friend. Net result is this highly accessible set featuring the violins (and electronics) of brothers Jesse Zubot and Josh Zubot to the fore, who work overtime as they carry most of the melodies and also – like rhythm section Russell Sholberg (bass) and Skye Brooks (drums) – are called on to execute rapid changes in time signatures, moods, styles and modes of attack.
“Long’s compositions are severely unpredictable,” we are informed, an observation which contains a grain of truth, but even as these tunes slide all over the road in a somewhat zany fashion, it soon becomes clear the road itself is not especially wide, nor does it take us anywhere. The technical prowess of the players has become proficient to the point of glibness; the music lacks any sense of adventure, even if track titles such as ‘The Exotic Popsicle’ or ‘Chicken Grease’ are shooting for a low-rent Zappa vibe. The Zubots never do anything to trouble Jean-Luc Ponty, bow frantically as they may; there’s just no expression in their slick work. We noted the Tony Wilson Sextet in 2009 with their album The People Look Like Flowers at Last, where he attempted to “jazz up” Benjamin Britten with his electric guitar. (20/06/2023)