Darren Pickering Small Worlds: Three
Rattle Records

Do an informal survey of the jazz landscape, and you'll find no shortage of quartets featuring guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums. In that regard, there's nothing exceptional about Darren Pickering Small Worlds. What separates his outfit from others, however, is the distinctive identity the group has forged and the impressive connection its members share. Four individuals participate in the performances, but the unit plays with a rapport that's truly special, so much so that it registers as a totally integrated quartet with each member vital to its sound.

The Christchurch, New Zealand-based Pickering clearly isn't interested in devising unusual album titles, with Three following the early volumes One (2022) and Two (2023). It's the content of the album that truly matters, specifically the nine compositions he created for it and its fluid coupling of through-composed material and improvisation. Pickering's music is personalized with his voice as a composer and through the incorporation of modular synthesizer textures into its mellifluous structures. Though only four musicians contribute, the group's sound is lustrous when said textures enhance the material vibrantly. Eschewing dissonance for a harmonious and cohesive ensemble sound, its music goes down smoothly.

While Pickering's established himself as a solo artist and group leader, he's amassed an impressive list of credits working with others too. Among those with whom he's played are William Parker, Bobby Shew, Iain Ballamy, and a host of New Zealand-based artists. Aaron Parks, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, The Cinematic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and others are cited as influences, but Darren Pickering Small Worlds possesses, as stated, its own identity.

Representative of Three is the opening “Green Blinking Light,” wherein chiming guitar figures cascade across a swinging base of piano, bass, and drums. A harder edge seeps into the music via Heather Webb's electric guitar, but the music's never grating; if anything, with synthesizer textures woven into the arrangement, the music radiates uplift and polish. Slowing the pace, the soothing ballad “What If” grants Webb a terrific showcase for her lyrical side, especially when Pickering's piano, Pete Fleming's bass, and Jono Blackie's brushed drums provide a warm foundation to emote against. With Webb again leading the charge, “Tauhou Waltz” exudes an appealing breeziness, the playing charged with urgency and drive. Whereas she takes the lead on certain tracks, Blackie animates “Hjartdal” with a crisp funk groove the others lyrically harmonize over at half the speed. “Soft Life” pursues a different tack in grounding its meditation in a lulling flow of unison piano-and-guitar patterns and prominent atmospheric effects, while a sense of quiet grandeur is achieved in the brief yet nevertheless lovely outro “Push Bliss.”

Pickering introduces “Randall” alone with soulful piano inflections before the others enter to deliver a characteristically engaging small-group statement. It's one track, however, that could do with a tighter focus as it can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a rock-driven expression or a breezy jazz workout. That's not the case with “Folly” when clearly articulated moods and melodic material brand the piece as a fluid, guitar-powered panorama with ominous overtones and generous solo space for Webb and Pickering. “Taylor Time” suffers no such confusion either when it swings with jazzy abandon and the musicians trade fours. In almost every case, the tracks present clear and distinctive identities.

It's tempting to single out Webb and say how lucky Pickering is to have a guitarist aboard whose style complements his music so effectively, but much the same could be said about Fleming and Blackie for the impact they have on the music. In general, the leader's fortunate to have such gifted and sympathetic partners to help render his music into physical being. Enhancing this fine release is Rattle's always attractive presentation, which sees the CD housed within a tastefully designed and sturdy hardcover case.

May 2025