Colour Yes – Matthew Halsall

Colour Yes is the second studio album by Matthew Halsall, a work that cemented the foundations of the characteristic sound of Gondwana Records. The 2019 special edition, remixed and remastered from the original tapes, stands as the definitive testament to this early stage of the trumpeter’s career in Manchester.

The album brings together a select group of musicians, including Nat Birchall (saxophone), Rachael Gladwin (harp), Adam Fairhall (piano), Gavin Barras (double bass), and drummers Gaz Hughes and Marek Dorcik. Together, they explore a sound palette that balances modal introspection with arrangements of overwhelming delicacy, avoiding any electronic manipulation to rely fully on the acoustic warmth of their instruments.

It is, in essence, a bridge between the legacy of Kind of Blue and the urgency of the new jazz scene in the United Kingdom.