Paul Dunmall Quintet - Soultime Again (2024)

Paul Dunmall, the celebrated saxophonist and improvisor, releases his latest recording of original music this February, Soultime Again, featuring his compelling quintet alongside the powerful dynamic of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Big Band.

Marking his 70th birthday this year, and still very much immersed in a prolific performing, writing and recording career, the title track jumps back to the 1960s and Paul’s teenage years. “Soultime goes back to my earliest times on gigs aged 15 when I was in a soul band playing the music of Otis Redding and the Stax label. I thought everyone might assume I would be playing free improvised music, so I thought I’d give them something to think about by opening with this piece!”

Featuring the much-admired trumpeter Percy Pursglove, with Glen Leach (piano), Dave Kane (bass) and Miles Levin (drums) - son of the eminent drummer and long-time Dunmall collaborator Tony Levin – Paul’s quintet is joined for this live recording by the 14-strong Big Band from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with intriguing new arrangements of his music for the band by Ed Puddick. “Ed and I discussed how to go about this project, and I thought that at the core we must allow the quintet to play freely, with the written music arranged around them, with the band almost like a sixth member of the group, which is exactly what Ed did so brilliantly.”

With nine pieces played to a packed house in Birmingham in May 2022, the performance and recording ends with Dunmall’s Sacred Hymn. “I did suggest to Ed that I wanted to end the concert with Sacred Hymn as it is such a powerful and uplifting piece and seems like the perfect ending, which hopefully leaves everyone with a good feeling.”

Now recognised as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, with the ‘Paul Dunmall Invites’ concert series running throughout the year with a series of notable and eclectic guest artists, Paul stayed true to Brummie customs and conceived the record over a balti, also echoing how Stoney Lane Records began a few years ago! “The big band idea came about after my quintet concert a couple of years ago – in the restaurant Percy (Pursglove) mentioned it would be great to get my written music arranged for big band, and recommended Ed. And here we are!”

Soultime Again is released on February 2nd 2024 on Stoney Lane Records, available on CD and digitally, with artwork also by Paul Dunmall.

Paul Dunmall - tenor/alto saxophone Percy Pursglove - trumpet
Glen Leach - piano
Dave Kane - bass
Miles Levin - drums

RBC Big Band:
Ed Puddick - arranger/conductor
Rebecca Wing - alto sax
Nathaniel Evans - alto sax
Ben Partridge - tenor sax
Matthew Maidment - tenor sax
Luke Chakrabarti - baritone sax
Timothy Rabbitt - trumpet
Robin Skerrett - trumpet
Charlie Humphrey-Lewis - trumpet
James Routledge - trumpet
Henry Hanssen - trombone
Ollie Plant - trombone
Elsaid Juka - trombone
Edward Simons - trombone
Alexandra Hamilton - tuba