nathaniel cross: the description is not the described
Francisco Espregueira
The magnificent arranger and trombonist Nathaniel Cross has been a prominent force behind the UK jazz scene for several years now. His skillset has seen him perform and record with a wide range of luminaries including Solange, Emile Sandé, Zara McFarlane, LCSM, Swindle and Macy Gray to cite a few, additionally to working on both of Moses Boyd's albums. No wonder that Rolling Stone dubbed him as "the Quincy Jones of Catford". His long-awaited debut EP came out last friday. Via First Word Records, The Description Is Not The Described is a beautiful mark in Nathaniel’s journey of two decades - from the first time picking up the trombone to the release of his own compositions into the world.
The Description Is Not The Described is a four-track instrumental opus that falls within the cracks of contemporary jazz, whilst encompassing a wide-range of black music sub-genres that influenced Cross bringing up in a British-Caribbean household. We listen to well crafted approaches to broken beat, calypso, dancehall, neo soul, hip hop, gospel, Afro-Cuban and West African music. Including a wide range of topics, from grief and loss; to overcoming the trials and tribulations of life; to remaining positive in challenging times; to looking for validation internally instead of externally, The Description Is Not The Described flows with a mesmerizing musicality and originality.
As the title indicates, it’s not fair to describe the music present in this EP. The best solution is to hear it and feel it. Available on vinyl for the jazz heads, collecting precious pieces.
“The title is a reflection of where we are in the world today. So many of us are caught up in labels and descriptions that we end up looking at people for WHAT they are, rather than embrace them for WHO they are. No matter how detailed the description is, it will never capture the essence.”