Led Bib, The Good Egg

I am playing catch-up again today, getting some space to cover an LP-only release by the avant rocking UK-based jazz improv outfit Led Bib. The Good Egg (Cuneiform) starts and finishes in high gear. They are a band with a manic energy that only lets up for a few quiet moments and you don't want it any different once you get on their wavelength.

The band consists of bandleader Mark Holub, drums; Pete Grogan, saxophone; Chris Williams, saxophone; Liran Donin, double bass and Toby McLaren keyboards/piano. Donin's very strong double bass and the highly electrical jolt of the music gives everything a rather heavy patina in common with avant prog-rock yet there is the freedom and solo jolt of avant jazz.

The music was recorded at two different live venues and gives you the kinetic charge a good live session should have. Chris Williams wrote one of the numbers; Mark Holub the rest of them. They are intricate and driving springboards for a good deal of together reed work and some prominent keys. The bass-drums rhythm team has clout and creative thrust.

If an electric charge in open avant jazz-rock is something you dig this album gives you all of that and some distinctive ways of going about it all that sound great after a few listens.

Recommended!