Corey Mwamba

Chatting with Corey, either verbally or musically, has been one of the greatest joys of my playing career. Whether sat in the passenger seat whilst we drive home from a gig late at night, or grinning over his vibes at me having spun out yet another improbably brilliant line, Corey has repeatedly entertained, inspired and challenged me. We've met in my quartet (where he would occasionally sub for pianist Alexander Hawkins), in my trio Our Own Decay (with drummer Simon Roth), but it's as a duo that I've felt we've connected most deeply. After a gig in St George's Bristol, I thought it would be a real shame not to document properly what was happening so I asked engineer Alex Bonney to record this album of improvised duets. I feel it is a beautiful document of a musical and personal friendship, with elements of combat, playfulness and celebration, all emanating from a deep mutual listening, and from brotherly love and respect. In my opinion one of the finest improvisers the UK has ever produced, I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to make music with Corey; I hope that this album will bring people half as much fun as he's been to play and hang with over the past ten years! Nick Malcolm - September 2020