“Collblanc” is not merely a new digital EP, but a significant mark of Joe Webb’s renewed sonic adventure, flanked by the formidable Will Sach on bass and Sam Jesson on drums. With an anticipating sequence of EPs and a climactic album to drop in 2024, “Collblanc” stands as a watershed moment — the juncture where Joe records for the first time with his new trio and interlaces his recent infatuation for stride piano in his own unique way.
Joe Webb, is the pianist of the moment, the very embodiment of jazz’s current zeitgeist. An avant-garde virtuoso possessed of relentless exuberance, Webb stands on the brink of revitalising the blend of traditional and modern Jazz piano with his unparalleled prowess and audacious, almost rockstar-esque swagger. Conjuring a magnetic meld of orthodox piano brilliance with an unyielding love for the anthems of ’90s guitar bands and the beautiful game, Webb charts a course as a singular genius — boldly subverting the status quo and pushing the envelope of Jazz Piano.
Spellbound by the ageless reverberations of jazz titans such as Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and Teddy Wilson, Webb felt an epiphany that propelled him on a path less trodden. A serendipitous encounter with stride piano heralded an unforeseen trajectory, and a deviation from the expected journey of a contemporary Jazz maestro. Joe Webb is carving out a sonic niche that resists any textbook classification, where the energy of Oasis and the ethos of Britpop meld with the quintessence of classic Jazz.
Enter Edition Records, an establishment with a formidable reputation for championing the cause of visionary musicians. Their endorsement of Joe Webb’s audacious vision is hardly surprising. Webb’s renegade spirit, paired with a mastery of the ivories, signifies a challenge to the established canon. Imagine a tapestry where the unbridled vigour of Britpop, an undying affection for football, and the sacrosanct traditions of Jazz piano entwine — it’s a spectacle poised to bewitch aficionados and stir global ardour.
As Webb readies to make his mark on the world stage, Edition Records beckons listeners to keep their ears to the ground for imminent releases and transcendent recitals that promise to reimagine the quintessence of Jazz piano, promising to leave an everlasting resonance across the global soundscape.
Music composed by Joe Webb, Will Sach and Sam Jesson except Silently, composed by Joe Webb
Recorded in Crowe’s Nest Studio, Stoke Newington, London on the 25th & 26th July 2023.
Recording engineer, mixing engineer and mastering engineer: Alex Kilpatrick
Mixed & Mastered at The Hackney Cockpit on 12th September 2023