Kevin Figes

Review Independent on Sunday 20 July 2008

KEVIN FIGES QUARTET

Circular Motion

EDITION
Alto-saxophonist Figes- who studied with Elton Dean and Keith Tippett- has an inclination to hard, rhythmical swing, and a contrasting gift for composing memorable, sensitive tunes. It’s this combination of rich writing with an outstanding band that gives Figes’s solo LP such distinction. Pianist Jim Blomfield, a star of jazz in Bristol and the West for a decade or so, shows an astonishing range, from the mad chromaticism of “Clutter” to the gospel romance of “Song for Sometime” , while bassist Riaan Vosloo and drummer Tim Giles offer the subtlest of support. Phil Johnson

Download this. ‘Song for Sometime’ as beautiful a ballad as you’ll hear.

Jazz UK December/January 2009 review

Kevin Figes Quartet

Circular Motion

Edition

Bristol-based altoist Figes appeared at Swanage this year and last and made quite an impact. Now comes this varied quartet CD with his regular companions , Jim Blomfield on piano, bassist Riaan Vosloo and drummer Tim Giles. As was evident when heard live, Figes has interesting things to say and this Figes-fest is a rewarding listen, bass and drums breaking things up in heroic fashion as he plants his Pepper-like imprint on a series of pieces, all but one of nine, his own. ‘Listless’ is far from, while ‘Song for Sometime’ is an elegiac piece, Blomfield eloquent as Figes sashays nicely around the melodic outline. This is poised, distinctive music. ‘Clutter’ is just that, a rackety thing with Ornette-like movements and boppish thrusts. ‘The Grind’ offers contrast, the theme shapely in Dankworth style, Figes’s sound quite delicate and assured, Blomfield’s gift for impactive, Hancock-ian outcomespleasingly apparent. Treat this as a calling card for Figes’s skills as soloist and composer. (Peter Vacher)

Jazzwise Review August 2008

Kevin Figes Quartet

Circular Motion
Edition records
three stars

Kevin Figes’ blossoming career is proof positive that it’s never too late. The Bristol-based composer and altoist didn’t pick up a saxophone until he was nearly 23 but mentoring from Elton Dean, Keith Tippett and Tim Garland among others has helped to mould him into one of the most interesting emerging talents on the UK scene. His debut release for the new Cardiff-based Edition records imprint serves as a boldly eclectic introduction to his skills as both writer and player. Straightahead, funk and free influences mix freely across the nine track, Figes’ sidemen (including stand-in sticksman Tim Giles from Fraud) proving themselves more than equal to the successive shifts in style; the gospelly ‘Song for Sometime’ acts as a prologue to the Ornette Coleman-ish ‘Clutter’, while proceedings draw to a close with Wayne Shorter’s ‘Lester left Town’, on which Figes gets to show off his distinctive tonal combination of post-bop grit and warm glamour.
Robert Shore

Vortex Jazz Club Review

Kevin Figes Quartet

Circular Motion

Edition Records

“Stuff that isn’t too impenetrable but has substance to its harmonies and rhythms….. Circular Motion represents different aspects of my background, whether it’s playing freer things with Keith Tippett or the funk side of my playing” thus alto player Kevin Figes on his debut album, which also features pianist Jim Blomfield, bassist Riaan Vosloo and drummer Tim Giles.
This is actually a perfect summing-up of the music, from the bright opener ‘Listless’ through the slightly gospelly ‘Song for Sometime’, the alternatively freeish and swinging ‘Clutter’, the lightly funky ‘The Grind’ etc.

Figes is a gutsy but thoughtful saxophonist and a skilful composer with his eye always on the musical resources available to him, which in the case of Blomfield in particular are considerable, whether he’s negotiating the tricksier time signatures(’Sevenup’) or simply digging into the juicier changes provided by his leader like Figes himself, he’s definitely a man to watch out for.

Overall, a lively, absorbing and attractively varied set from a fine band that should, given the evidence provided by this album, really deliver the goods live.
Chris Parker