Mind over matter: review from Jazzwise magazine
Review from the May 2012 issue (163) of Jazzwise magazine by Andy Robson
Phil Miller (g), Mark Armstrong (t, flhn), Paul Booth (ts, as, ss, fl), Peter Lemer (kys), Fred Baker (b), Mark Fletcher (d). Rec. 13 and 29 November 2009, and 25 January 2010
Things may come and things may go but like the Art School Dance, Phil Miller goes on forever.In Cahoots may have said sad farewells to the late lamented like of Pip Pyle and Elton Dean, but Miller’s signature sound continues, as recognisable now as in Matching Mole days. Mind Over Matter features, as you might imagine, plenty of free flowing rock jazz. There’s also a funky undertow as on the opening joyful groove of ‘Medley’. It’s big, it’s epic and it may sound like 1975 all over again, dripping as it is with Lemer’s splendidly old school synths, but that’s no criticism. This is music to be enjoyed rather than questioned, and with stellar contributions from Paul Booth and the fiery trumpet of Armstrong, notably on ‘Pent Up Part II’, there’s plenty to remind you that a dash of blaring brass and a fuzz bass break can still make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.
Andy Robson
Mind over matter: review from Musica Jazz
The following review for Mind over Matter appeared in Musica Jazz magazine, vol. LXVIII n. 6, June 2012.
Un chitarrista troppo jazz per essere rock e troppo rock per essere jazz: forse è anche questo paradosso a rendere Miller un musicista unico e per certi versi inimitabile ma,probabilmente è pure il motivo della sua ingiusta marginalizzazione dal panorama che conta. In effetti un talento del genere non poteva che dare il meglio di sé in gruppi borderline come Matching Mole, Hatfield & The North e National Health. Ma Miller non si è mai dato per vinto e con questa nuova frizzante uscita prosegue imperterrito il cammino dei
suoi longevi In Cahoots, con i quali continua ad architettare un godibilissimo jazzrock dove gli assoli dei vari Armstrong, Booth e Baker (senza ovviamente dimenticare i suoi, al solito molto variopinti) si inseriscono in un solido telaio compositivo in cui l’elemento virtuosistico ben s’accorda con la scrittura davvero creativa del leader.
Giorgio
Here is my rough translation into English:
Too jazz for rock and too rock for jazz, a paradox that makes Phil Miller unique as a guitarist and probably the reason for his unjust marginalisation. A talent that provided borderline groups such as Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North and National Health their best moments. Miller continues his journey, unperturbed, with this sparkling new output from the long-lived In Cahoots, where he continues to engineer enjoyable jazz-rock, with solos from Armstrong, Booth, Baker, and of course himself, embedded in a brilliantly written, virtuousic composition. A truly creative leader.
Listen to samples of each track on Mind over Matter HERE
Mind over matter: review from IO magazine
Issue 108 of the authoritative IO Pages contained the following review of Mind over Matter.
Beneath is an attempt at translation:
In the first fifteen years of his career, Phil Miller wrote history, as one of the architects of the Canterbury scene, within the relatively short lifespan of bands such as Delivery, Matching Mole, Hatfield and the North, National Health and Gilgamesh. With his own band In Cahoots, the overlaps with the Canterbury sound, can be clearly heard, and particularly in Mind Over Matter which appeared at the end of 2011.
The long-held, symphonic sounding keyboard chords of Peter Lemer are reminicent of the jazzy horns of National Health’s D. S. Al coda. The first part of the more than eighteen-minute Medley is exemplary in this regard. The second part contains a wonderful swinging, moog-like solo, along with the brilliant, often fretless bass work of Fred Baker, the broad drumming of Mark Fletcher and, obviously, Miller’s own inimitable guitar solos and should have the hearts of many Hatfield fan beating faster. Saxophonist-flutist Paul Booth and trumpeter Mark Armstrong are two fresh recruits to the band, of which the former has the thankless task of following in the footsteps of the late Elton Dean.
Nearly five years since Conspiracy Theories Phil Miller brings us another great chapter in the jazz side of the rocking Canterbury scene.
Rene Yedema
Listen to samples of each track on Mind over Matter HERE
Music samples are now available
We now have samples of all the tracks on Mind Over Matter available on its page. Have a listen and please, tell us what you think.
Soon we will have samples from all the albums.
Mind Over Matter Released
We are excited to announce that Phil and Inca’s latest album, Mind over Matter, has been released and will be available to buy from here on Saturday (14th Jan).
Not only that, but samples of all the tracks will be available too on Saturday, and one or two will be available before then.
The album consists of seven tracks, with over seventy minutes of music.
The full line up includes Phil, Fred Baker, Pete Lemer, Mark Fletcher, Paul Booth and Mark Armstrong.
