If the opening concert of the Dublin Jazz Week at Whelans last night is any guide, then the capital is in for seven days of quality music. Given by TIME - The Improvised Music Ensemble - it also provided the premiere of Ronan Guilfoyle's four-part suite, Sundials, and marked the launch of the octet's debut album of the same name; in fact, the programme included all seven compositions on the CD, along with an additional piece. In the process, it was an impressive demonstration of the ensemble, solo and writing resources available to the group, underlining the value of such a unit to both players and composers on the jazz scene here.
They opened with Brendan Doyle's Back Door, a swinging, ebullient piece which got solos to match from Gerry Godley (baritone), Justin Carroll (piano), Michael Buckley (tenor) and Conor Guilfoyle (drums). Hugh Buckley's A Strange Time was an atmospheric minor composition, notable for the lovely writing and an exquisite soprano solo from Jim Farley, while further contrast was provided by Ronan Guilfoyle's straightahead Sostenuto, and excellent contributions from Farley (on alto this time), Mark Bradley (trumpet) and the composer on bass guitar.
At this stage the band was getting into its stride. They proved it with a fine performance of Michael Buckley's lovely ballad, Indecision Time, with the lead shared by the composer's tenor and Bradley's flugelhorn; not for the first, or the last time, Carroll came up with a memorably-judged solo. The first set closed with Brian Wynne's This Piece Has Been Brought To You By The Letter W, a modal chart which provoked driving solos from tenor and trumpet.
The final set produced some of the best music - Mike Nielsen's difficult but rewarding For All Time, slow and very exposed, contained some of the loveliest writing of the night, and David Whyte's Winter Waltz, with splendid solos from Karl Ronan (trombone), tenor and piano, was both gorgeous and full of contrast. But the premiere of Ronan Guilfoyle's four-part suite, Sundials, was the highlight. It revealed a work of variety and sheer authority which not only stretched the octet and made the most of its individual and collective abilities, but also marked Guilfoyle's command of writing for a group such as this, and, not incidentally, brought the concert to a fitting climax.
Dublin Jazz Week continues until Sunday. To book for most events contact Ticketmaster on 01-4569569; to book for events at the National Concert Hall and the IFC, call 01-4751572 and 01-6793477, respectively.
