Andre Canniere Group: Forward Space

Although the United States may still lay claim to be the home of jazz and its largest commercial market, there are still plenty of musicians from that country who choose to leave for pastures new. Trumpeter Andre Canniere is one such: a young player and composer from the US who is now based in London. As with so many of his fellow emigré players, he's a talented musician with some original compositional ideas, and Forward Space demonstrates that the USA's loss is the UK's gain.

Canniere studied at the Eastman School of Music, worked with players such as Maria Schneider and Donny McCaslin and released his debut album, As Of Yet (Omatic Records, 2006), before moving to the UK in 2008. From the opening funk-meets-rock groove of "Crunch" to the trance-like repetitions of "Forward Space," the bombastic drive of "Cure" and the spacious, considered beauty of "September Piece"—which has something of the Nordic sound about it—Canniere demonstrates an ability to mix and match influences from different genres to create an original concoction all his own. This is accessible music, with some ready hooks and some engaging melodies, but this accessibility is never the result of over-familiar themes or banal, simplistic writing.

The tough, effervescent, rhythms on Forward Space burst out of the speakers. Bassist Ryan Trebilcock is the key player here, working in tandem with either Jon Scott or Chris Vatalaro on drums. Both combinations give Canniere and Hannes Riepler the security of a solid heartbeat over which the trumpeter and guitarist can weave their inventive lead lines. Riepler and keyboardist George Fogel are equally adept at lead and rhythm roles; Fogel's electric keyboards work particularly well in establishing the mood of a piece. Canniere plays trumpet across most of the tunes, but also proves to be something of a multi-instrumentalist, playing everything on the gently flowing "Song For J," dedicated to his son Jonas.

Canniere takes his inspirations from world politics and economics as well as from his own family, rendering Forward Space never predictable, but always played from the heart.

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