23rd April 2015: “Donkin has waited for the right moment with a debut straight from the top drawer.” 4* from Jazzwise amongst latest reviews for ‘The Gate’ plus 4* from Music OMH and reviews from Jazz Podium, Musik Review and more…

The Gate is the debut album from Phil Donkin, one of the preeminent bassists of his generation in jazz and improvisation-based music.

Featuring Grammy-award nominated saxophonist Ben Wendel, drummer Jochen Rückert and pianist Glenn Zaleski, The Gate is a debut of depth and maturity with ten original compositions and two covers (Thelonius Monk and Dmitri Shostakovich). With plenty of wit and intelligence the pieces are navigated expertly by the four members, displaying myriad textures and emotions.

We have had a whole raft of reviews in for The Gate and we present the highlights here. Scroll down for photos of the CD launch party at Pizza Express last month.

“Magnificent set… These are musicians adept at creating different environments, of responding to each other and of pushing the whole ensemble to higher levels. This makes The Gate a thoroughly absorbing listening experience and hopefully a big step towards Donkin becoming more well known as a composer and leader.”
4 Stars, Music OMH (full review)

“Donkin has waited for the right moment with a debut straight from the top drawer.”
4 Stars, Jazzwise Magazine (website)

“The troup demonstrates how vibrant and exciting acoustic jazz can sound in the 21st century. The ten original compositions of Donkin score with crisp bass lines, catchy melodies and intricate rhythms. A solid work from the stars of tomorrow.
Jazz ‘n’ More (website)

“As a leader, Donkin supplies thematic counterpoint, quietly accompanying voices and his solos are a tour de force… Let’s hope that his work with the international jazz elite will still allow him enough time to create more music such as on The Gate.”
Jazz Podium (website)

“Donkin’s musical tastes are broad, and this comes through in the most natural way on The Gate.”
Jazz Thing Magazine (website)

“Donkin intersperses elastic-rhythmic accompaniment and his solos are virtuosic. The album is very successful at being expressive music that is not too highly suspended in the intellect so that it can be enjoyed by all lovers of music, and it’s full of energy and playfulness.”
Music an Sich (website)

“The Gate is Donkin’s debut; an album with a lot of depth and experience.”
Medien Info (website)

“This is simply good music. The Gate raises Donkin’s profile to new heights.”
Nachrichten

“A beautiful and above all always surprising album.”
Musik Review

Images Lena Ganssmann