Stand Still is something of an epic and stylish offering of natural jazz. The weight of the chords and melodies chosen really has a striking impact throughout, there’s a definite structure to the piece and this means that there are as many moments of subtlety and calm as there are bigger ones of slightly more excitement and drama. You get a genuine ‘big band’ vibe from the sound and the set-up, the journey throughout is detailed and forever changing, never getting complacent, and never predictable – as is the essence of jazz.
That’s the most wonderful thing about this music in some ways, aside from the superb musicianship and skill – the creative freedom of it all. These ongoing audio experiences offer genuine escapism from our day-to-day lives. This piece in particular really transports you to some other place in your mind, making you feel as if you’re right there, soaking up the scenery and the good vibes in a smokey jazz bar on the other side of town, or the world for that matter. In another instance, however, you could quite easily find yourself surrounded by nature, appropriately standing perfectly still in an open park or field as the sounds and sights of the natural world play out around you. The magic is in the possibility, the freedom of the sound.
As always, Donald Wiles brings his effortless musicality and enhances the soundscape in a beautifully natural manner. His innate awareness of the particular emotions or vibes featured on the track means that everything is tightly connected, every moment is focused upon and embraced. The music is always about the sound as a whole, as a united entity, and never about the singular musician and their abilities to shred or show off.
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