tenderlonious: still flute
Francisco Espregueira
Ed Cawthorne has proven time and again to be one of the most versatile and uninhibited artists in contemporary music realm. His work, essential for the new jazz aficionados, but somewhat still unknown to the general public, combines different genres and demonstrates an absolutely virtuous easiness in approaching different instruments (analog and digital). Despite that, the style of Tenderlonious (Cawthorne's alter-ego) is always present. Whether with their band, Ruby Rushton, exploring the immense world of fusion jazz, or participating in Hindustani classical music projects with the Pakistani quartet Jaubi, or in waves of deep house, electro funk and ambient music, all trademarks of his solo productions. His discography already accumulates a remarkable catalog of releases and collaborations that reveal a musician continuously dedicated to discovering and exploring the unconventional.
His new album, Still Flute, is an amalgamation of Tenderlonious' work since 2013. Over ten tracks, he is able to create a scenario of his own, mixing moments of deep presence with spiritual raga feelings. Late night sensibilities and meditative rituals. Withe his flute omnipresent, he guides us on a journey that goes from deep house, present in “Song for My Mother” and “Still Flute”, to the spiritualism of “Journey to Thra” or “Seti Khola”. Once again, the connection of his favorite instrument with a diversity of sound choices, represented through a variety of synthesizers, is very well accomplished, allowing Tenderlonious to showcase a palette of sounds that rightfully belongs to him - in the depths of jazz. Available on vinyl via 22a, this is one of the albums of the year in the genre.