2023
Magy's Farm are proud to present Linley Hamilton Quintet, live in session.
About the session
This was a special night for me as it was part of my Album launch tour for ‘Ginger’s Hollow’, my 6th studio album as leader…and what a band! So proud am I to have been able to do two albums with these incredible musicians Adam Nussbaum drums (Michael Brecker, John Abercrombie, and the rest…) and Mark Egan (Pat Metheny, Sting, Gil Evans, Michael Franks, Bill Evans and the rest…). Wow. I pinch myself every day, and what great guys they are. Mark is so solid and has a huge sound on bass but he makes instantaneous decisions when he plays that might alter pitch or even octave to increase the impact of his lines and grooves and at times attacks his solos with an intricate method of reworking sand developing the motifs he introduces in the moment. Adam has such a huge palette of styles and techniques in his armory- huge grooves, cut-time feels, hard-hitting undercurrents that are mind-blowingly technical, or suppressed dynamics that lead from the back, but create an infinite number of opportunities for the musicians playing with him to change direction or follow their temporary leader.
It is magical, and all the above happened that night at Magy’s Farm. We played a load of tunes from the album, but also tunes from ‘For the Record’, ‘In Transition’ and ‘Taylor Made’. What made it extra special was the impact of piano and sax. On sax, Dr. Daniel Rorke was so creative – a real listener who responds but has a massive technique and knowledge of advanced harmony to call on when required. His sound is so authentic and he was tight with me in the heads, producing a perfect foil when he followed my solos or when we displayed flexibility with the endings.
Pianist Rick Simpson was a giant on the night…what…a…player! He was at the farm before as part of Michael Janisch’s band, but here he was given free rein to impact the way he wanted to because the rest of the band knew the material so well. He was amazing…direction change, rhythmic intent, harmonic substitutions, and this remarkable ability to pace these so well, that the band could partake in an invitation to be a part and indeed contribute to his ideas in real time. Adam and Mark loved, we all did, but it brought us to another level and I personally have been chasing the feeling he gives me when I play with him ever since.
It was a magical night with Maggie doing the hosting on her own and a team of volunteers stepping up to the after-love associated with the gigs here. Thanks everyone x