PRESENT NATURE is the project Jonny Woolnough has been
building towards all his life.
Cherry picked from Leeds’ nascent jazz scene – comprising members
who tour and record with K.O.G. (Later….Nov ’24) and Manchester jazz
royalty Matthew Halsall – PRESENT NATURE are musically so tight they
owe themselves a fiver.
With Bill Ryder-Jones lending his production chops to the sessions,
the magic of West Kirby and the acclaimed Yawn Studio surface in
a bath-like warmth that pervades much of the record.
Melding Woolnough’s songwriting with Ryder-Jones’ Midas touch
in the studio is a rare example of perfect alchemy.
Trademark searing strings punctuate and elevate, with Ryder-Jones
also playing lead guitar throughout. Without veering into pastiche
Woolnough writes kitchen sink vignettes with a nod to the realist
movement of the sixties.
Mini-dramas searching for hope amid tumultuous backdrops are
often framed around his hometown Headingley, Leeds
Think Shelagh Delaney scored by Burt Bacharach.
Whether chastising perpetual austerity under a failing Government in
MAN KNOWS, or channelling homelessness through the fragile beauty
of BLUEBIRD, there’s a quiet anger to the record.
It’s a summer sound with winter sensibilities.
A subtlety to the compositions that eschew broad strokes in favour
of gentle lyricism sees Present Nature cement Woolnough’s place as
a real writers’ writer.
Sonically it has been meticulously engineered harmonically, with
influences as broad as Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway to Brazilian
legend Arthur Verocai. Those with a promiscuous ear have cited
Prefab Sprout, Crowded House, Mick Head, David Berman and The Doors
as being gently nodded to.
Literary yet accessible, Virginia Woolf, Max Porter, Roberto Bolano and
Alan Sillitoe are all cited as influences.
Woolnough, a long-time Finley Quaye sideman, previously
fronted The Bazaars.
Grammy winner Richard Woodcraft, the sound sculptor of
Michael Kiwanuka and Last of the Shadow Puppets, along with being
a long-term Radiohead collaborator, produced The Bazaars and remains
a key champion of Woolnough.
Next came 6Music favourites Tomartys, until going alone with his solo
debut, 2022’s Mayurqa.
PRESENT NATURE, its follow up, is the culmination of a storied career now ready to take flight.