Paul Tynan and Aaron Lington collaborate on their second
Bicoastal Collective project with a completely different approach than the first. The instrumentation has been cut in half, and the focus has been shifted to yet another coast: England. The relationship between Tynan and Lington began while in school at The University of North Texas but has since been spread from San Jose, California to Ontario, Canada--hence the name of the project. The center of attraction on the CD is a suite based loosely on traditional English folk tunes titled
The Ravenspurn Collection. This collection is a delicate arrangement of
Six Etudes in English Folksong for Cello and Piano by English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. Lington keeps intact only the melodies, while releasing the rest to his own interpretation and imagination. As a jazz listener, the excitingly energetic tune
She Borrowed Some of Her Mother's Gold seems to be the marvel of this collection and has been the most frequented on this reviewer's playlist. While intimate enough to hear even the smallest of noises, such as Tynan's loose valve caps on the flugelhorn, the baritone saxophone recording quality seems a bit too abrasive and harsh to complement the compositions and overall concept of the recording. Both being products of the acclaimed jazz program at UNT, it is clear that Tynan and Lington have unique similarities and differences while approaching this project. Each complements the other in just the right way, while still showing a true command of his instrument with a very studied and soulful essence.