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Special offer. Words Unspoken

John Surman (soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Rob Luft (guitar), Rob Waring (vibraphone), Thomas Strønen (drums)

Words Unspoken

Awards:

Surman’s quartet with effects-guitarist Rob Luft, vibraphonist Rob Waring and ethereal percussionist Thomas Strønen frame his darkly murmuring baritone sax and bass clarinet and poignantly airborne...

The Guardian

More reviews

Special offer. Words Unspoken

John Surman (soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Rob Luft (guitar), Rob Waring (vibraphone), Thomas Strønen (drums)

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This release includes a digital booklet

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Awards:

Surman’s quartet with effects-guitarist Rob Luft, vibraphonist Rob Waring and ethereal percussionist Thomas Strønen frame his darkly murmuring baritone sax and bass clarinet and poignantly airborne...

The Guardian

More reviews

About

The album title - Words Unspoken - alludes to the instant musical understanding found by the members of this nimble quartet assembled by great British reedman John Surman. "My idea was to put together some musical ideas that would offer a collective sense of purpose but still be open enough to allow each of us to suggest other ways of developing the material together. Everything fell into place immediately. But I soon realized it wasn't so much the musical ideas that made it work, it was the musicians." Surman and US vibraharpist Rob Waring - both residents of Oslo - had previously collaborated in John's Invisible Threads trio with Nelson Ayres, but the associations with Norwegian drummer Thomas Stronen and UK guitarist Rob Luft were new.

With these four quick-witted players, all debate takes place in the music, stimulated by Surman's strongly melodic themes and improvisational imagination.

John Surman: soprano and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet

Rob Luft: guitar

Rob Waring: vibraphone

Thomas Stronen: drums

Contents and tracklist

Surman: Pebble Dance
Work length6:18
Surman: Words Unspoken
Work length6:34
Surman: Graviola
Work length6:07
Surman: Flower in Aspic
Work length5:22
Surman: Precipice
Work length5:28
Surman: Around the Edges
Work length4:19
Surman: Onich Ceilidh
Work length8:06
Surman: Belay That
Work length7:22
Surman: Bitter Aloe
Work length5:11
Surman: Hawksmoor
Work length6:52

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

  • Jazzwise
    Editor's Choice
    March 2024

Surman’s quartet with effects-guitarist Rob Luft, vibraphonist Rob Waring and ethereal percussionist Thomas Strønen frame his darkly murmuring baritone sax and bass clarinet and poignantly airborne soprano sound on 10 mostly low-key but spaciously lyrical originals.

March 2024

Words Unspoken is a natural heir to Surman's Invisible Threads… The palette is not limited but contained, and we are left to discover our own resolutions.
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