Former Portico Quartet member Nick Mulvey has spent the past few years forging a role as a solo performer with a more modern approach than the somewhat staid territory of the jazz coming from his former outfit.
Mulvey cut his musical teeth in Cuba at the age of 19 where he studied music and set while jamming with other students and finding a taste for rum. After a couple of EPs, First Mind is the debut album from the UK multi-instrumentalist.
The well-travelled performer is served well with guitar in hand, as a flurry of picked notes and irregular timings show the Eastern influence in Mulvey’s tunes. The title track plays like a modern folk song that borders on the territory of JoséGonzález without the beguiling accent. Inspired by the D.H. Lawrence poem, Cucurucu, Mulvey begins in spoken word before instruments join in and the song becomes as much about creating a groove as it is telling a story.
Mulvey has made an effortless transition from quirky jazz chap to the modern troubadour. His unique strumming and smooth voice are sure to get heads turning, with First Mind being a more than solid debut.
3.5/5.
