Email: ...folk provides the theme but jazz determines the style Landermason Reviews
April 2003HADLEIGH COMMUNITY NEWS
Review of Ebony launch concert
Coming Of Age? Suffolk duo LanderMason launched their new EP "Ebony" on Saturday 22nd February at Priory Hall in Hadleigh. The event was a sell-out well beforehand on the strength of their 2001 CD "In A Dream" and their ever-growing reputation in East Anglia. The lucky 120 people present were treated to a sublime evening of music. Support came from Ben Walker another local singer-songwriter whose inventive set showcased his talents clearly - as evidenced by the healthy sales of his own CD after the show. It was clear from the moment LanderMason started into their opening number "On The Level" that they had made major strides in their song-writing. The duo, Fiona Lander and Paul Mason, assisted by percussionist Keith Bleasby and bassist Nick Aynsley played with the impressive fluency that only a close-knit group can achieve. Identifiable influences are many. There a frequent hints of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in places in some songs. Paul Mason's guitar plays with hints of Iain Anderson in places such as in the intro to Only One Way Left To Go. Other flavours remind one of early Genesis, Tommy-era Who, Peter Gabriel amongst others. If the above suggests that LanderMason are trapped in an early Seventies time warp then nothing could be further from the truth. Fiona Lander's piano playing is strongly jazz influenced, particularly on The Mirror, one of the stand-out tracks on "In A Dream". Greatest prominence was given to "Ebony", which richly deserved its place as title track on the new EP. The studio recording repays repeated playing with new-found delights and subtleties on each listening. The live version was every bit as good. From the dream-like piano intro coloured with building but measured guitar, to Paul Mason's vocals entering a richness reminiscent of Peter Gabriel's "Intruder" and Fiona Lander's cool lilting tenor sax solo. The 'feel' was perfect. The lyrics of Cumbrian farmer Mike Naylor featured in three of the songs. Though superficially lyrics of heartbreak and loneliness there beats a very warm, human heart at their core, leaving the listener uplifted rather than subdued. Older favourites such as "The Rainbow", "Question Over Love" and "Somalia" nestled in between the new material. It was great to hear them anew in the spectacular surroundings of Priory Hall and with the new "rhythm section" complementing and developing the familiar songs. In all a very exciting and even inspiring evening. LanderMason have set a mark and have redefined the standard to which other local musicians must aspire.
