🇫🇷 “Jim Funnell’s Word Out mixe tradition et modernité dans un néo-bop mélodieux et enjoué.”
🇬🇧/🇺🇸 “Jim Funnell’s Word Out’s melodious and playful neo-bop blends tradition with modernity.”
Bob Hatteau, Jazz à bâbord
🇺🇸/🇬🇧 “Word Out … takes its name from Rainer Maria Rilke’s observation that “most experiences are unsayable.” Even so, it’s a heck of a lot of fun when they can be played instead.”
🇫🇷 “Word Out … tire son nom de l’observation de Rainer Maria Rilke selon laquelle “la plupart des expériences sont inexprimables”. Néanmoins, quelle joie de pouvoir les entendre jouées à la place !”
Geno Thackara, All About Jazz
The arrangement of Tom Bahler’s hit song “She’s Out of My Life” that Jim Funnell contributed on saxophonist Philippe Lopes de Sa‘s debut album Woandering has been featured in a monthly playlist curated by the editorial board at Jazz Magazine, France’s foremost publication entirely dedicated to jazz.
2017-07
Philippe Lopes de Sa / Jim Funnell
She’s Out of My Life
“Not only are the eleven original compositions by this saxophone and piano duo remarkable, but this arrangement of Michael Jackson’s hyper-emotional ballad (“Off the Wall”, 1979) will not possibly leave you indifferent.”
Where? “Woandering” (philippe-lopes-de-sa.com / cdbaby.com)
Review (in French) of Jim Funnell’s Word Out’s second studio album Spirit of the Snail on jazz critic Guillaume Lagrée’s blog Le jars jase jazz (also available on paperblog.fr).
Jim Funnell’s Word Out
“Spirit of the Snail”
Produced by Jim Funnell
Released on Tuesday, 22 September 2015
CD release concert at the Sunside in Paris at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 22 September 2015.
Jim Funnell: piano and compositions
Oliver Degabriele: acoustic bass
Thibault Perriard: drums
Isabelle Oliver: harp
“Dear cosmopolitan and xenophile readers,
As you know, the EU motto is “United in diversity.” As far as politics are concerned, it remains to be proved. On the subject of music however, British pianist Jim Funnell, Maltese bassist Oliver Degabriele, and French drummer Thibault Perriard illustrate it perfectly every time they play together. I have already praised their music in concert and in the studio. On this album, the triad is augmented with the presence of harpist Isabelle Olivier. She is nor a feminine alibi for a masculine trio, neither a classical one for a jazz trio. Her harp sounds like the kora of a Mandinka master.”
“[ Jim Funnell’s ] music is the singular result of a thorough reflection on rhythms, sounds, and colors.”
“Whether you want to stimulate your ears, your brain, or get your limbs in motion, enter the Spirit of the Snail with Jim Funnell and his band!”
– Guillaume Lagrée
🇫🇷 “Il n’y a pas réellement de solo dans le jeu de ce trio. L’échange est permanent.”
Guillaume Lagrée, Le jars jase jazz
🇬🇧/🇺🇸 “There’s no real soloing in this trio’s approach to making music. The interplay is permanent.”
🇫🇷 “Il y a des pianistes qu’on n’entend pas assez, dont on ne parle pas assez et qui ont plein de belles histoires à raconter comme Jim Funnell. … Il faut aller le voir, l’entendre, l’écouter dès que possible.”
🇬🇧/🇺🇸 “There are pianists who aren’t heard enough, who aren’t talked about enough, and who have plenty of great stories to tell. Jim Funnell is one of them. … You have to go and see him, hear him, listen to him as soon as possible.”
Guillaume Lagrée, Le jars jase jazz
Review (in French) of Word Out’s eponymous debut album on jazz critic Guillaume Lagrée’s blog Le jars jase jazz.
Word Out
Self-produced, 2009
Jim Funnell: piano and compositions
Oliver Degabriele: acoustic bass
Thibault Perriard: drums
“Dear attentive and focused readers,
You may have noticed that I already praised Word Out in concert, when the trio gave a sneak preview of their freshly recorded upcoming album, Spirit of the Snail; I certainly will tell you all about its release in due time.
Meanwhile, since it’s never too late to do well, let me trumpet the delights and merits of their eponymous debut album Word Out, released in 2009.”
“Word Out does not claim to revolutionize the piano trio format. These young musicians are not conceited. They are simply fresh, alive, curious, open-minded, joyful, and listening to their music does heaps of good.”
“If I had to choose an excerpt from this album, it would be their version of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” (track no. 7). [ … ] Here, they take a classic, preserving its raw pop energy and conserving its British majesty while instilling a sense of swing typical of jazz music. A complete success from the first to last note.”
– Guillaume Lagrée
