Why is Big Band jazz a proposition that many swerve? Is it seen as too close to trad, too much of a historically significant relic. In truth the Big Band may have increasingly become a peculiarity but it’s always been at the cutting edge. Think Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, think Mingus, think Art Ensemble, think Carla Bley, think Sun Ra – when Jazz and large ensembles meet, ideas fly to undiscovered places.
And, thankfully, the beat goes on. In the UK the Big Band heritage stretches back with Tippett, Brotherhood Of Breath and Loose Tubes and still occasionally looks forwards with outfits like Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band (or FIBB for convenience). Set up by Fergus Quill in Leeds, FIBB were originally put together to play at a Sun Ra tribute show but the big band bug had bitten. Now they’ve rooted themselves as part of the Northern UK scene, clocked up a couple of albums and turned heads at the London Jazz Festival. So album three ‘The New Atomic’, released on Trash City Records, could seem like a big deal if Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band fretted about trajectory but there’s no compromising here. FIBB deliver a spontaneous blast of musical energy and full-powered punk-jazz commitment.
From the first bass pulse and tumbling horn lines you can sense that J Surfing On Saturn is going to teeter on a dramatic edge. There’s a tense Bernstein atmosphere in these rumbling rhythms, massive brass shocks, raucous shouts, hoots and whistles, which teeter closer to a big city cacophony. Calm does descend momentarily, a twinkling piano woven with purring trumpets, before we’re off to a lurching Klezmer stomp. A final garage rocking, guitar shredding stretch mops up any doubts. Trusted John Zorn collaborator Sam Eastmond’s ingenious arrangement allows FIBB to arrive in a wild and dangerous style.
With a cast list of twenty-five plus players, this is a band which at full tilt leave you stunned. Do The Right Thing expands loping Hot 8 Brass Band funk to the max. Sharp fret-chops and wah-wah, trumpets pushed to piercing point, scribbly guitar and synth squabbles, a tune that seems to tangle itself up then magically unwind. Finishing on a mighty sax blow-out, it’s a raw, live presentation that imprints itself on your ‘must-see’ list. Playin’ The Names is another FIBB foot-down cut, a romping drum ‘n bass stampede of sharp notes, speed riffs and John Barry horn stabs. The song shows the quirky individuality which makes Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band even more loveable. As Quill has revealed “the tune basically wrote itself ” as the players followed the process of pitching their parts according to the letters of their name. Cage-like aesthetics or absurdist shenanigans maybe, there’s even a roll call of names shouted out by the band mid-tune. Whatever it’s great fun.
As ‘The New Atomic’ unwinds you sense the spread of influences and inspirations which feed FIBB music. From a Big Band perspective film and soundtracks naturally inject a raft of ideas. Theme from ‘The New Atomic’ may have that familiar Klezmer lilt but multiplied to an orchestral scale with quivering viola, yearning sax, and dawning chords all rolling along. As the melody gets drawn out slowly there’s an aura of zen-like Don Cherry wafting around. iBesszilla! sees the Imaginary Big Band dream up their own Kaiju scenario. Featuring Bess Shooter on doomy baritone sax, the tune stomps along at funereal pace, very Big Easy but with improv noise swirling around the edges. Echoes of a movie trailer come with the OTT narration, “she came from LS6 she consumed every last of hope from the city…a new feature length film from the avant garde fingers of Fergus Quill”, before a final breakneck Boredoms meets Melt Banana noise ruckus.
At times you wonder whether FIBB skirt too close to being labelled a novelty band but their wit is far from frivolous. There is a surreal, anarchic seam running through them, satirical and biting, a lineage derived from the likes of Lord Buckley, the Bonzos and Rip, Rig +Panic. They seem to glory in the unorthodox, just when you think you know which direction things are taking they cover Love Sick, Dylan’s ‘Time Out Of Mind ‘torch song, sticking close to the original’s desolation but injecting a seismic soul blast to the hook.
Neither should FIBB’s genre fluid approach be dismissed as an attempt to cover all bases. Their rollercoaster ride through jazz, rock and pop is an authentic expression of the band’s fervent love of music. Long may it not be supressed by music industry optics. Fittingly ‘The New Atomic’ closes with their own trad swing ballad Same Sky and a nod to Ellington/ Basie melodics. Here Amy Clark’s deep set vocal brilliantly dredges at the emotions.
Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band defiantly capture their collective spirit on ‘The New Atomic’, there are no ‘stars’ here. Quill’s name may front the band and he writes most of the songs but his role is credited on the cover as “various”. You sense that input from all the players in this no-charts, improvised soundscape is equally valued. FIBB still practice every other Monday and welcomes newcomers. So it’s perfect that they finish the album with a version of I Shall Not Be Moved which begins acapella, the whole band, one voice, then rises to an emotive brass filled finale. This is a Big Band who are on the move together, edgy, political and fiercely independent. They make noise which shouldn’t be ignored.
Get your copy of ‘ The New Atomic’ by Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band from your local record store or direct from Trash City Records HERE
