Tara Minton & Ed Babar - Two For The Road (2022)

Australian harpist Tara Minton and British double bass player Ed Babar are to release a their new alum, Two For The Road, on January 28th 2022, on Jazzizit Records. The release serves as a follow up to Tara’s 2020 solo album, Please Do Not Ignore The Mermaid, on which Ed provided bass, and features a specially commissioned piece of art for the album cover by Paya Lehane.

In January 2021, inspired by the great jazz duo albums, Tara and Ed resolved to record their own contribution to the art form: ‘Two For The Road.’ The repertoire was carefully selected from The Great American Songbook and the modern British Jazz Canon to capture the pair’s love of travel and life on the road. A notable composition chosen was Dave Holland’s ‘Dream Of The Elders’ whose spiritual lyrics Tara greatly admired. Originally penned by Norma Winstone, Tara was granted special permission by Norma and Dave, to record them under the new title, ‘What We Have To Be.’

Tara connected with Geoff Gascoyne and asked if he would like to direct and produce ‘Two For The Road’, adding a musical heroes to the creative team. Around the same time whilst hiking, the duo happened upon British saxophone legend, Stan Sulzmann, resulting in an invitation for him to guest. Lastly, Tara and Ed invited Bulgarian percussionist, Lilia Iontcheva to guest on three songs, thus completing the all-star lineup. The album was engineered by David Holmes and recorded over three days on board Lightship 95 studio at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

In ‘Two For The Road’ Tara’s harp style has matured with a richness of language and melodic fluency that is rare on her instrument. Director of Camac Harps, Jakez François says, “There are so few harpists who push the phrases and harmonies to this level, the kind which can compare with piano and guitar. I am so happy and proud to hear that on a harp at last.” Ed’s versatility as a bassist is given plenty of space to shine with intricate solo lines, beautifully crafted bass solos and stunning bowed passages, whilst Tara’s vocal performance is both intimate and powerful, urgent and reflective.