JUMP INTO AUTUMN

Fair Wind Pleases provided me with two of my favourite releases of 2021. Jump Into Autumn is described on the Bandcamp page as the third Fair Wind Pleases album, and second live album, but this is slightly misleading. The Wind of the Season, released at the beginning of the year, was largely recorded live. Only the guitars and bass clarinet for that album were recorded afterward (and in the case of the guitar, this did show through somewhat, as I alluded to in my review). For the performance captured on Jump Into Autumn, the drums and percussion are retained from the second album (absent from the debut), but the guitar features only on the last track (taken from a different performance than the remainder of the set, so in effect a bonus track of sorts). This means that each of the three Fair Wind Pleases albums released so far have a different dynamic and sound, which is quite neat. But the prominence and importance of the clarinet in this avant chamber prog group is what remains most enjoyable for me.

With three albums released in just over a year, and all originating from recordings of live performances, it's quite impressive that there is very little repetition. In fact, this is the first album that contains a track from a previous release (7, from second album The Wind of the Season). Preceding this is La Gentilezza, which is described as a Roz Vitalis cover. While true, it's almost overstating the fact, because (as far as I'm aware) La Gentilezza has only appeared as a piano solo leading into the following track on the Great Expectations Live album, where it worked almost as an extended introductory piece. Admittedly, this version is augmented by additional instrumentation, and approaches twice the length of the Roz Vitalis performance, so it is far more of a number in its own right. Following these two tracks is probably my favourite of the album - the second part of the title track. It has a martial beat that sounds more like children playing at being soldiers than the actual thing, reminding me a little of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, even if it doesn't sound like that in any shape or form.

The same is almost true of the next track, a cover of one of Le Orme's most famous songs. Fair Wind Pleases' cover approximates the shape and form of Amici de Ieri, but it's only just recognisable. I have to say I far prefer Fair Wind Pleases' interpretation and arrangement, which provides both elegance and edge that the original lacked. It's at this point that I have my only real complaint about the album, as the final track really does feel tacked on. The album could have ended beautifully with Amici de Ieri, and the transition to the next track - from a different performance, with a different line-up - is really quite jarring. It's a shame as the number itself (Impacted by Difficult Summer) is really quite beautiful. I guess I'd rather have heard this track with more from the same performance than added to the one that makes up the majority of Jump Into Autumn. I do like the contrast, though, between this track (with guitar but no drums), compared to the remainder (with drums, but no guitar). So my complaint is a small one, and this is another fantastic release from Fair Wind Pleases. I can't wait for the next one!

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