Knee-Deep in the North Sea by Portico Quarter (2007)
“On its debut album, Knee-Deep in the North Sea, Mercury Prize-nominated combo the Portico Quartet delivers an unusually meditative brand of world music-influenced jazz that matches a minimalist classical music vibe with a pop/jam band-informed compositional sense. Centered on repeated figures played on the hang (a type of steel drum) and soprano saxophonist Jack Wylie’s Wayne Shorter-esque improvisational explorations, Portico Quartet’s music should appeal to fans of Weather Report and the Dave Matthews Band alike.” – AllMusic Review by Pemberton Roach
This record has a distinctive sound that elicits the sensations of a wintry afternoon spent beside a washed out seascape. A remarkable brand of January jazz.