12th June 2015: Latest reviews for George Crowley’s ‘Can of Worms’ including 4* from All About Jazz and The Jazz Mann and news on forthcoming performance at ‘Jazz In The Round’ Monday 27th July.

Can of Worms explores that happy and unpredictable space where written and improvised worlds collide, diving deep into group improvisations and compositions featuring taut, tense grooves, wailing sax-confessionals and all-out glorious free-jazz.
The album features a razor-sharp, interactive line-up of some of the most distinctive musicians on the burgeoning London scene consisting of fellow tenor saxophonist Tom Challenger (Brass Mask, Dice Factory), and rhythm section Dan Nicholls (Strobes, Vula Viel), Sam Lasserson (Jeff Williams, Julian Argüelles) and Jon Scott (Kairos Quartet, Mulatu Asktake).

George will be appearing at ‘Jazz In The Round’ on Monday 27th July (details).

In the meantime, Can of Worms continues to collect favourable reviews from the music press. Here are the highlights:

“Free-form, muscular sounding jazz with plenty of exchanges between tenor saxes.”
Jazz Journal (website)

“A twin tenor album this might be but don’t expect those hard bop or swing contests, such as we’ve known from the classic encounters. Crowley has found a whole new context for this line-up and while there are some moments when the two saxophones are intertwining their lines in compelling fashion there is a lot more five-way interaction.”
The Jazz Breakfast (full review)

“Album of the week”
Jazz UK (feature)

“The conversation between the horn men is fertile and free of platitudes, energetic and intellectual but, and most importantly, accessible to everyone with an ear tuned to simulating, discursive interplay.”
Jazzviews (full review)

“… varied and artistically exciting territory. It all bodes well for the future, with Crowley’s development as a player and writer promising much.”
4 Stars, All About Jazz (full review)

“Crowley’s strongly melodic themes provide the jumping off point for vigorous group interaction and the balance between the written and the improvised and between the accessible and the abstract is excellent throughout.”
4 Stars, The Jazz Mann (full review)

Here’s a full length version of ‘Terminal’ from Can of Worms