Taylor Griffin: In Green (digital outlets)

Auckland drummer Taylor Griffin is well connected and well travelled with New Orleans, New York, London and Italy on his CV.

He's of a new generation, but has a strong connection with Nathan Haines who co-produced the six pieces on this, Griffin's debut, in Auckland.

Haines also guests on flute for the driving Latin jazz-funk of the ascending title track and soprano sax for the swirling rhythms of Magnetic.

It's a measure of the regard in which Griffin is held that among the other players are guitarists Geoff Ong (pop and rock in his quiver) and Robert Picot, a music teacher and honours graduate from the jazz school at the University of Auckland.

Others across this sometimes boiling debut include the gifted vocalist Rachel Clarke (also a jazz graduate who has lead her own groups) and the soulful Saia Folau. Polish-born Rhodes/synth player Michal Martyniuk's Resonate album was a finalist in the jazz category at the 2020 music awards.

With trumpet from Guy Harrison (of the acclaimed collective Circling Sun) and sax by Charlie Isdale -- a member of tabla player Manjeet Singh's Indo-jazz crossover outfit Takadimi -- In Green is accomplished music of considerable depth.

It dives headlong into jazz-rock for the aggressive Pot Shot with Picot unleashing the kind of firepower Al Di Meola deployed in his fusion days, and that reference point in the jazz-rock crossover of the Eighties is also evident on the Latin-influenced Catch which features popping bass, horns, Ong's fluid but restrained guitar solo and Clarke leaning towards the entrancing, wordless style of a soaring Flora Purim.

The final 75 second track Fly Away – snippets of studio chatter before a short drum part – is unnecessary and although none of these pieces breaks new ground, as a sophisticated calling card for all the players, notably Griffin for his writing and playing, In Green certainly grabs and rewards attention.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here

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