When by Jim Rattigan

Jim Rattigan’s new album, 'When', features renowned jazz musicians Nikki Iles on piano, Michael Janisch on double bass and James Maddren on drums as well as the Tear Quartet (Julian Tear - violin, Alison Gordon - violin, Nic Barr - viola, and Nic Cooper - Cello).

“Having had a career in classical music and now playing jazz, I thought that I would write some music that would combine the two worlds,” explains Rattigan. “This is not crossover music but a juxtaposition - the two styles working side by side. I worked with Julian Tear for many years in the Academy of St Martin's in the Fields chamber orchestra and asked him to record the music with his quartet. The quartet becomes a quintet when I call on the double bass to play 'arco' and the French horn is a bridge between to the two genres.”

Most of the ten original compositions on the album were written five years ago. “They seemed a little sad and reflective at the time so I put them in a folder and forgot about them,” says Rattigan. “The irony is that the title When could be applied to the times we’re living in now.”

"Jim Rattigan plays the French horn and before turning to jazz played in leading symphony orchestras. Rattigan is also a composer with a canny approach when it comes to combining the sounds of various instruments. The distinctive voice of the horn soon becomes familiar as it weaves among the saxophones and trumpets and takes its turn among the soloists."
The Guardian