21st October 2013: Reviews from The Jazz Breakfast and Bebop Spoken Here for Matt Ridley’s Debut Release ‘Thymos’

Bassist and composer Matt Ridley recently released his debut solo album Thymos on WWR. Today we have in some of glowing reviews from The Jazz Breakfast and Bebop Spoken Here, with The Jazz Breakfast noting the release as “an attractive debut release from a leader and composer with real character.” The release has also received airplay on Radio Cardiff on 7th October.

Matt’s debut originated from working alongside oud player Attab Haddad (featured on the album) and Azeri violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva (joint composer of the track ‘Hijaz’) in a band featuring pianist Mercury Award Nominated artist Kit Downes and percussionist Vasilis Sirikis.

The core of the album features the Matt Ridley Trio, with the award-winning pianist John Turville and the highly musical (not to mention fiercely virtuosic) drumming talents of George Hart as well as special guests saxophonist Jason Yarde, oud player Attab Haddad and percussionist Vanasilis Sirikis.

In the words of Matt himself “I envisaged a sound encompassing the exotic flavors and emotions of Middle Eastern music with the jazz sensibility of improvisation on complex structures.”

To hear the release and to purchase please visit the album page, and featured below we have the album promo video for Thymos.