“Flood Tide” is saxophonist and composer Sam Crockatt’s keenly awaited follow up to “Howeird”, his 2009 release on the Loop Records label which won that year’s Parliamentary Jazz Award for best album. “Howeird” featured the pianistic talents of Gwilym Simcock, a factor that helped to bring the album a good deal of attention. Simcock’s increasingly busy schedule ensured that he was never likely to be a fixture in the Crockatt quartet and his place on this recording has gone to Kit Downes, a similarly talented (and these days almost as busy) player and composer. Crockatt’s regular rhythm section of double bassist Oli Hayhurst and drummer Ben Reynolds remain in situ and this new quartet configuration ensures that “Flood Tide” is a worthy follow up to its illustrious
predecessor.