By Sammy Stein
If you think you know what a banjo sounds like, think again.
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Stephen Godsall’s Tingling Skin, Buzzing
Wires presents the banjo in different ways, accompanied by flugelhorn,
tenor sax, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond organ, piccolo, and more. Using
combinations of instruments helps Godsall demonstrate the banjo’s potential
and how we should perhaps look at this underrated instrument with new eyes
and ears. The banjo, in the right hands, is presented as both an ensemble
and solo instrument, and Godsall finds impressive methodology to plumb the
depths and take the banjo into new territories. The musicians accompanying
Godsall on this album do well to assist him on his quest. They comprise
Laura Taylor on vocals, Steve Waterman on flugelhorn, Ian Ellis on tenor
sax, Richard Godsall on Wurlitzer piano and Hammond organ, Andrew Godsall on
drums, and Diane Annear on piccolo with Stephen Godsall on banjo, ukulele,
guitar, bass, synths, and percussion.
Of the recording, Godsall comments, “When I’ve wanted to highlight a melody
in a new piece, I’ve been drawn increasingly to the banjo. The clangorous
tones, rhythmic incisiveness, and relative unfamiliarity give it a stand-out
character. It seems to me that the banjo is very underused in modern jazz
and improvised music, particularly in Europe. And it’s very expressive –
different tones, articulations, and string bends.”
The opening track, ‘Erratic’ sets off at a pace. It is a trio for banjo,
bass, and hand percussion, with the concept of ‘sprung rhythm’ that combines
swing and tempo modulation. Electronics open out the soundscape, with echo
effects that shift pitch and speed as they fade away. There is a beautiful
quirkiness, both in the reverberation of the banjo and the steadfast bass
line that underpins the track.
‘Helium’ is a soft-rock, gentle melodic number with the banjo setting an
eight-bar theme, across which the flugelhorn sings. The banjo plays both
accompanying rhythmic chords and intricate diversions.
‘Deciduous’ features Ian Ellis on saxophone and is a gorgeous duet between
banjo and saxophone – a combination that might not spring readily to mind
but works well. The melodic playing of the saxophone, supported by gentle
banjo, is beautifully emotive, with Ellis’s unbridled improvisation working
wonders.
‘Outside’ features vocalist Laura Taylor and is a number that takes the
listener outside to find the wonders of the natural world in all its wonder,
the lyrics supported by the ensemble, and an engaging middle section. This
track connects us to nature and something bigger. It features the core band
of banjo, piano/organ, and drums, and is a new take on the ‘Wuthering
Heights’ story, according to Godsall. “Sometimes you have to step outside to
see which way the wind blows.”
‘Welsh Highland’ is a journey both figuratively, with train noise at the
start to help you with the imagery, and musically, as the ensemble gives the
listener a variety of sounds, tempos, rhythms, and colour, evocative of the
title. The banjo, played now in melody and now slightly off kilter, adds to
the sensation of journeying and being slightly unsure of the destination.
The featured element is counterpoint, which emanates from all directions.
Gorgeous and intriguing. The woodwind is a delight on this track.
‘Hitting The Small Time’ is aptly named and has drums duelling with the
banjo in a collision of riffs, rhythm changes, and worked chording with the
bass line underpinning everything. The drum solos are delirious while the
banjo counters with its own solos and quirky grooves which develop and eddy
back on each other to create spirals of sound.
A duet for flugelhorn and banjo, ‘The Last Hillwalker’ explores the concept
of a changing world with the flugelhorn soaring, accompanied by some
‘campanella’ style arpeggios. It is thoughtful, spacey, and the flugelhorn
is perfectly pitched to grab and keep the attention of the listener.
Waterman uses the ascending rises to give a sense of soaring and rising
above, as if to observe the changes from an airborne perspective.
“The Force” develops into a powerful track with drums and bass pitching 7/8
time against 4/4. Godshall’s notes comment that on this track, “the banjo
drives chiming chords over the top; imagine a cross between hip hop grooves
and Hot Club jazz.” I would not argue with that but would add that the
driving lilt and the tripsy timings of the track only enhance the groove.
‘Forest Fugue’ is an interesting combination of strings with banjo, nylon
guitar, and ukulele in an acoustic number, which demonstrates another sonic
exploration. The clashing sounds create a sound that is at once melodic and
gentle, yet simultaneously slightly jarring, with a folksy underlying
influence. As a creative piece, it works well and certainly awakens the
senses.
“Beacons” has an Eastern feel, with sitar-like vibrations from the banjo and
delicately plinked strings alongside steady melodic rolling tunes that
change tempo, driving the music forward with relentless energy and
alternating emphasis.
‘Sea Song’ is an interesting track combining ukulele with banjo, and the
rare combination feels fitting for a song inspired by crashing waves and
journeying. There is calm in the music, but also hidden depths and
surprising currents to take the listener unaware, with percussive insertions
that emphasise the off-beat rhythms of an unpredictable sea.
‘Birthday Yodel’ closes out the album and is a play on the familiar number
of ‘Happy Birthday’ but with ukulele and banjo trying various yodelling
techniques in a jokey combination of traditional English and Austrian tunes.
This album proves the banjo fits just as well into an ensemble as it does
when it is a solo instrument. It is an experimental album that works a treat
in most places and is a find and a half for anyone who wants to explore
combinations of instruments and the banjo. It elevates the humble banjo to
new heights and is fun and intrinsically musical.
Godsall describes the album as ‘the shock of the banjo untamed,’ and with
that, I might argue because the instrument is in the hands of this
explorative musician, and he has worked with understanding and equally
explorative musicians.
Together they create musical soundscapes that take the listener beyond this
world and into who knows where with a mind more open than before hearing the
music.
The album includes extensive sleeve notes and artwork illustrating the story
behind each track. Available on Jazz Halo Bandcamp