COMPOSERS: Holly Slater,Various
LABELS: Ronnie Scott's Jazz House
ALBUM TITLE: Holly Slater
PERFORMER: Holly Slater (ts); John Critchinson, Mike Gorman (p); Leon Clayton, Romain Collard (db); Dave Barry, Richard Lucock (d)
CATALOGUE NO: JHCD 053
Tenor saxophonist Holly Slater’s debut album, The Mood Was There, is also astonishingly assured. The 24-year-old Slater was voted Sun Alliance Connections Young Jazz Musician of the Year 1996 and has, since then, played at Ronnie Scott’s in London (where these album tracks were recorded live), worked at the Blue Note in New York, and played many club, concert and festival dates in the UK and Europe.
Despite her slight physique, she produces a full, virile tenor sound with a rich variety of tonal inflections, ranging from gruff low notes to high harmonics. Her harmonic grasp is sure, her technique, timing and flow of ideas are all excellent. She’s a natural.