The Impossible Gentlemen – Same (2011)

This Anglo-American supergroup could be seen as a canny way of raising the international profile of two of Britain’s most inventive jazz musicians.

These gentlemen first assembled in 2009, with pianist Gwilym Simcock and guitarist Mike Walker backed by flashy US drummer Adam Nussbaum and veteran bass legend Steve Swallow. The latter has now been replaced by another American, Steve Rodby, and the lineup has been expanded to feature Iain Dixon, who multitasks on reeds and synth. But the focus remains on the guitar/piano pairing of Simcock and Walker.

The two write most of the material, which often suffers from the curse of so much contemporary jazz in that it is overwritten, packed with tricksy chord changes and byzantine, unnavigable melodies. (theguardian.com)

And here´s is their first album:

Last year, this world-class Anglo-US quartet (touring the UK until 23 June) first unveiled the breadth of its appeal – from byzantine contemporary bebop to raw, Hendrix-like guitar blues by way of Pat Metheny’s lyricism and Gwilym Simcock’s mercurial compositions and piano virtuosity. Simcock, Salford guitar master Mike Walker, bass guitarist Steve Swallow and drummer Adam Nussbaum sidestep every supergroup pitfall by sounding as integrated and mutually responsive as if they’d been together for a decade. Graceful, Methenyesque groovers such as Walker’s Laugh Lines buzz with call-and-response swaps between piano and guitar, and the same composer’s When You Hold Her begins as a piano ballad, develops through soft chords and harmonics, and turns slowly into a punchy guitar solo full of vocal-like tone changes. Simcock’s uptempo You Won’t Be Around to See It is a slew of flying motifs, passing references to Charlie Parker and Monk, choppy backbeats, some brilliant soul-blues guitar, and a dazzling passage of countermelodic piano improv in Brad Mehldau’s league. Play the Game is another Simcock sprint full of uncliched solos over Swallow’s relaxed bass-walk, and Walker is at his soul-guitar best on Nussbaum’s fiercely bluesy Sure Would Baby as the finale. (John Fordham)

Personnel:
Adam Nussbaum (drums)
Gwilym Simcock (piano)
Steve Swallow (bass)
Mike Walker (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Laugh Lines (Walker) 5.11
02. Clockmaker (Walker) 9.18
03. When You Hold Her (Simcock) 11.05
04. You Won’t Be Around To See It (Simcock) 7.35
05. Wallenda’s Last Stand (Walker) 7.30
06. Gwil’s Song (Simcock) 8.44
07. Play The Game (Simcock) 7.37
08. Sure Would Baby (Nussbaum) 6.28*
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The official website:

The Impossible Gentlemen – Live At The Funkhaus Studio (Munich/Germany) (2016)

This Anglo-American supergroup could be seen as a canny way of raising the international profile of two of Britain’s most inventive jazz musicians.

These gentlemen first assembled in 2009, with pianist Gwilym Simcock and guitarist Mike Walker backed by flashy US drummer Adam Nussbaum and veteran bass legend Steve Swallow. The latter has now been replaced by another American, Steve Rodby, and the lineup has been expanded to feature Iain Dixon, who multitasks on reeds and synth. But the focus remains on the guitar/piano pairing of Simcock and Walker.

The two write most of the material, which often suffers from the curse of so much contemporary jazz in that it is overwritten, packed with tricksy chord changes and byzantine, unnavigable melodies. Where this is sometimes a problem on record, it becomes less of an issue tonight, as so many songs become vehicles for melodic and textural improvisation. (by www.theguardian.com)

And here´s a superb and excellent FM broadcast recording … The Impossible Gentlemen on tour through Germany to promote their third album called “Let’s Get Deluxe” from 2016.

A guitar and piano frontline is not the easiest line-up to manage. Those of us who saw the Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau band in Symphony Hall a few years ago will know that even for two musicians of such standing, it is by no means plain sailing. There are icebergs lurking dangerously out there. Pat and Brad could learn a lot from Gwil and Mike. They never got in each other’s way, neither did they inhibit each others’ natural style.

And, in a world where some jazz musicians can still be a little too cool, what a joy to be witness to the clear warmth and mutual respect of all the musicians on the stage. (by thejazzbreakfast.com)

That´s what I call a supergroup !

In other words: Let´s hear Jazz deluxe !

Personnel:
Iain Dixon (saxophone, keyboards)
Adam Nussbaum (drums)
Steve Rodby (bass)
Gwylim Simcock (keyboards)
Mike Walker (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Let´s Get Deluxe (Simcock/Walker) 5.52
02. You Won´t Be Around To See It (Simcock) 9.28
03. Announcement by Gwylim Simcock 0.26
04. It Could Have Been A Simple Goodbye (Simcock/Walker) 10.37
05. Clockmaker (Walker) 9.50
06. Dogtime (Simcock/Walker) 10.07

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