Album Review: Allan Browne Quintet - Ithaca Bound

With Allan Browne’s death last month, Ithaca Bound has come into the office at a sad time. The late, great heavyweight of the Melbourne jazz community released this album just two months ago and continued playing until the day before his death. The album itself is full of emotionally-connected, atmospheric compositions, with Browne’s drums providing a textured backdrop for the other musicians to work off. 

Homeric in influence, the album’s post-bop sensibilities gives each solo musician a wide leeway to create their own journeys over each song. The horn interplay between Eugene Ball and Phil Noy is a prevalent feature in the album, and the personalities seem to feed well off each other. Geoff Hughes’s guitar lines are often serene and unobtrusive, particularly in Calypso, and though atmospheric in nature, there are a few nice moments where the tight rhythmic pulse between Browne and bassist, Nick Hardwood is satisfyingly played out.  

With some heartbreakingly optimistic liner notes it’s a touching, great end to an amazing career from Browne and a must-have for fans who followed his work. Vale, Allan Brown.

Originally published in X-Press Magazine