Alan Tew - Drama Suite Part II

Alan Tew - Drama Suite Part II

It's the pair you've all been waiting for! FINALLY! Alan Tew's Drama Suite Part II.
What can we really say? Honestly? We guess the first thing that strikes you is how
clean the drums are. Almost impossibly slick but dripping so, so heavy with the neck-
snapping funk you'd expect from perhaps the most sought-after library funk set of
them all! The cheapest on Discogs is, currently, £1300+. Now's your chance to
remedy that. If you know, you know. And we think you know...

"The Rub" is a cool, low-slung heavy-funk roller with relaxed brass and alto flute
phrases. Up next, "Money Runner" is another edgy funk glider, its easy-tempo moving
in harmony with slinky rhythmic riffs and featuring a seemingly ad-libbed electric
piano solo. Strutting along after, "White Elephant Walk" is another laconic, deeply
stoned walking theme with electric piano and alto flutes. There follows a couple of
brief "walking" links before the brilliantly tense "Master Plan" slowly builds.

Expectancy grows to the main theme around a minute in and then a melodic theme
builds slightly to the 3 minute mark before floating down gradually and elegantly to
its climax. It's uterlerly fantastic. The smoky, after-hours "Night Watch" is a slow, cool
gem featuring alto flutes and synths.

Now we're talking, "The Fence (a)" is just sensational and worth buying this album all
on its own. It's likely the reason you're here, anyway. Another impossibly funky, slow
and easy tempo with a bass riff to die for, dramatic guitar with gorgeous electric
piano and alto flute phrases. It was sampled for "Action Satisfaction" by J5, way way
back. "The Fence (b)" is a slower, more deliberate version of the previous heater, but
it's no less essenTal. Indeed, it's absolutely jaw-drooping. Closing out this remarkable
side, "Surveillance" is another horizontal masterpiece of relaxed yet dramaTc jazz-
funk. Vibes ad-lib in centre secTon and give you an idea of how Roy Ayers making
library funk in the mid-late 70s might've sounded. Sensational.

Flip over for "Total Silence", a near-beatless and understated scene-stealer featuring
neat interplay of guitar and synthesizer themes over bass and hi-hats. The slow
"Eyes" follows, a brief gem with subdued electric piano solo and a light climax. The
fantasTc "Drama Backcloth (1a)" is up next, a repeTTve piano and bass refrain with
guitar figures over the top. Its creeping crime-funk vibe was pilfered for "Oula Town
Shit" by Ghosàace Killah in 2006. "Drama Backcloth (1b)" is a short, subdued version
without the guitar figure. "Drama Backcloth (2)" features an expectant, background
marimba figure over light rhythm whilst the cool "Drama Backcloth (3)" centres
around a relaxed riff and the angular "Drama Backcloth (4)" presents eerie
progressions with piano interjecTons. It's decidedly non-rhythmic!

We're then onto 14 (!) different half-minute "Scenechanges", all jazzy and funky,
some cool and dramaTc, some slow and rhythmic. All ace and groove-fuelled. The
aptly-Ttled "Final Statement" closes proceedings, a slow, pensive theme on guitar
joined by cool brass and a solo trumpet to its climax.

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Drama Suite Part II comes from the
original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon
Francis. And as usual, the sleeve reproducTon duTes were handed over to Richard
Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity. We're not quite sure what
else to say about this landmark record, other than, GET IT!

Tracklist:
A1 The Rub 2:27 A2 Money Runner 2:15 A3 White Elephant Walk 1:24 A4 White
Elephant Walk (Link)0:07 A5 Walking Link 0:18 A6 Master Plan 3:26 A7 Night Watch
2:12 A8 The Fence (Version A) 1:49 A9 The Fence (Version B) 2:11 A10 Surveillance
1:33 B1 Total Silence 1:26 B2 Eyes 0:4 B3 Drama Backcloth (1a) 1:38 B4 Drama
Backcloth (1b) 0:17 B5 Drama Backcloth (2) 0:59 B6 Drama Backcloth (3) 0:17 B7
Drama Backcloth (4) 0:24 B8 Scenechange (1) 0:17 B9 Scenechange (2a) 0:10 B10
Scenechange (2b) 0:24 B11Scenechange (2c) 0:25 B12 Scenechange (3a) 0:17 B13
Scenechange (3b) 0:17 B14 Scenechange (4) 0:15 B15 Scenechange (5) 0:21 B16
Scenechange (6a) 0:25 B17 Scenechange (6b) 0:21 B18 Scenechange (7) 0:10 B19
Scenechange (8a) 0:12 B20 Scenechange (8b) 0:30 B21 Scenechange (9) 0:51 B22
Brass Statement 0:05 B23 Final Statement 0:47

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