Builders Brew

David’s follow-up album Builders Brew – recorded with the Jim Mullen organ trio – was described by The Times’ jazz critic as “The spirit of Sinatra”.

“Builder’s Brew helps to cement the impression of a singer with an emotional directness and lightness of touch.”

The Guardian

Review: Clive Davis, The Times

(First night Review @ Pizza Express)

If there was a Best Title category at the British Jazz Awards, David Tughan’s new disc would be a shoo-in. When Miles Davis plunged into psychedelic fusion, it was with the no-holds-barred experimentation of Bitches Brew. In contrast, the Irish born Tughan calls his latest polished swing-to-blues set Builders Brew, a neat example of very British understatement. The musical references themselves owe a lot less to Miles than to the spirit of Sinatra.

Tughan, a Guildhall graduate has a passion for Sinatra’s big band vocals which are unmistakable. Something’s Gotta Give and Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night of the Week, are his retro anthems. Given that towing an orchestra around venues is a shade uneconomic, he has found a clever substitute in the form of a quartet built around the muscular combination of Mike Gorman’s Hammond organ and the restless, bluesy solos of the guitar veteran Jim Mullen. On the album, which ends with a delightful version of Robert Burns’s poem Ae Fond Kiss, Tughan’s light voice and blue-eyed soul flourishes slip comfortably into the mix. The quieter pieces, such as Little Girl Blue, suited him much better. The Best is Yet to Come still possessed a Basie-ish swagger, and there was a lot of fun to be had in teasing out the cleverly updated lyrics that had been smuggled into that ancient song There’ll Be Some Changes Made. Feng-shui, WMD and dictators all raised their head. Unlike some of his peers, Tughan is not too reverential towards his material. There was more substance to You Don’t Know What Love Is, which hinted at the kind of boyish vulnerability that was Chet Baker’s trademark. Tughan allowed himself a little self indulgence later, celebrating his new-found marital status with an unabashed romp on Get Me to the Church on Time.

There was more substance to You Don’t Know What Love Is, which hinted at the kind of boyish vulnerability that was Chet Baker’s trademark. Tughan allowed himself a little self indulgence later, celebrating his new-found marital status with an unabashed romp on Get Me to the Church on Time.

Jazzwise – Review

I was a big fan of David Tughan’s fine debut, Just In Time, and Builders Brew is and even more assured and impressive collection. The languid opening of, ‘There’ll Be Some Changes Made’ is a nice trick,  as it subsequently kicks into the kind of bluesy tempo favoured by the singer. It also features one of many killer solos by Steve Kaldestad, who turned in a terrific performance on the singer’s debut.

Showing great vocal control on a bluesy reading of Rogers and Hart ‘Little Girl Blue’, the organ trio really holding back the reins and letting the lyric float on a minimalist texture of brushes, softly sustained Hammond organ and delicately thrummed guitar chords. Tughan demonstrates a more soulful side on ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ and effortless swing on Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night of the Week’. The arrangement of Robert Burns’ ‘Ay Fond Kiss’ provides the perfect send-off, its air of longing made all the more powerful by its subtly understated delivery, with Jim Mullen’s exquisite Solo going straight for the emotional jugular. Builder’s Brew helps to cement the impression of a singer with an emotional directness and lightness of touch.

David Tughan with the Jim Mullen Organ Trio plus Steve Kaldestad’s Tenor to add some extra spice, make one of the most swinging and delightful combinations imaginable.