AMG Review of Like Life

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Django Bates, a colorful and often humorous British jazz musician who plays piano, keyboards, and Eb horn, won the prestigious Jazzpar Prize in 1997. This CD, which teams him on various tracks with the Danish Radio Jazz Orchestra and a large band called Delightful Precipice, was recorded in Denmark when Bates was receiving the prize. With the exception of a witty remaking of "New York, New York," all of the selections are Bates originals, including such colorful titles as "The Loneliness of Being Right," "The Importance of Boiling Water," "Peculiar Terms or Physical Intimacy," and "Nights at the Circus." In addition to Bates, key soloists include Iain Ballamy on alto and soprano, tenor-saxophonist Tomas Franck, and guitarist Chico Lindvall. Well worth checking out.