Barney McAll – Graft

Eastside Radio’s Album of the Week is Graft by Barney McAll.

Recently nominated for Best Jazz Album at the 2012 ARIAs which take place in a few weeks, Graft is the seventh album from the man from Melbourne who now calls New York home.

Graft sees Barney further foray into experimental jazz territory. Featuring vocals from Gian Slater, Sia Furler, the mesmerising 16 piece choir Invenio and Dan Weiss on drums, McAll takes us on a voyage of natural and virtual Jazz music.

The entire project is brilliantly bold and executed with exquisite finesse. As one would expect Gian Slater’s Invenio perform with angelic purity, yet McAll goes against the grain and juxtaposes this with morphed electronic samples, warped bass twangs, and glitch beat pops and clicks. This all further transcends from McAll’s serene piano and vibraphone escapades offering harmonious relief from the electronic obscurity. Wild crossfires of improvisation and composition throw down vivacious soundscapes conjuring a modern musical aura. The experience at times can be quite enlightening.

Graft is incredibly forward thinking and evolved music, yet the key to its success lies in its accessibility. McAll skilfully manages not to get lost in his eccentricity, and where the introduction of electronic samples and glitches can sometimes damage the soul and essence of music, not for one second do those thoughts encroach on one whilst listening to Graft. The soul is very much alive in McAll’s futuristic Jazz  and it is for this reason that he and the album should be celebrated.

Graft is a release by Jazzhead Records. For more information go to jazzhead.com

Stay closely tuned to Eastside as we are giving away a copy of Graft to a listener every-day this week!