RICHARD GLASSBY QUARTET
‘Eclipse’ is the debut album by the Richard Glassby Quartet. An exciting exploration of the jazz idiom, ‘Eclipse’ features all original works by Glassby written whilst being a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and receiving the 2020 George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition with these pieces. The music is Glassby’s personal take on the classic quartet sound and is a reflective expression of his time in Glasgow.
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Simon Herberholz is a gifted tenor saxophonist who received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music before arriving in Glasgow. Ewan Hastie on Upright Bass is a rising star in the Glasgow Jazz scene, having previously featured with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland and Fife Youth Jazz Orchestra. Pianist Fergus McCreadie completes the quartet. One of Scotland’s premier jazz musicians, McCreadie’s album ‘Turas’ recently won the Parliamentary Jazz Award for Album of the Year as well as ‘Best Album’ at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2019.
ALBUM REVIEWS
Dave Jones
This is Glassby’s debut album as a leader, and it’s an excellent one. His nicely varied set of compositions is a suitable vehicle for the band. ****
The leader's sheets are stocked with fun melodies and playful rhythmic drive, drawing lively interplay out of a quartet, whose youthful spirit unearths the occasional bar of conventional playing, too close to the books, but in the main makes for a fresh set, inviting the listener on a journey through familiar turf dressed in new colors.
Jim Gilchrist
Yet another impressive emergent ensemble from Glasgow’s fecund jazz scene plays material which won drummer Glassby this year’s George Duncan Prize for Jazz Composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. With tenor saxophonist Simon Herberholz, bassist Ewan Hastie and award winning pianist Fergus McCreadie – all fellow or former RCS students – this is a strikingly mature-sounding quartet. ****
Nick Lea
Throughout the album there are many moments that surprise and delight, unexpected twists in the tunes that keep the both the quartet and listener on their toes, and introduce another group of fine young musicians that are making music at an exceptionally high level.
Chris Ince
Once in a while one comes across inspired music. ‘Eclipse’, a debut album of vibrant compositions by young Scottish jazz drummer Richard Glassby is one such example to be released on 9th October. There are so many tones and emotions in this album it is almost a narrative for our times with the Coronavirus-17 Pandemic. This is music to absorb and enjoy, enriched by the superb talents of Simon Herberholz (Tenor Saxophone), Fergus McCredie (Piano),Ewan Hastie (Double Bass) and Richard Glassby (Drums).