“The Mage”, pianist Greg Foat’s ninth album is his first for the Edinburgh based label Athens Of The North. Foat’s deft hand at composing and arrangements are in top form here as he weaves folk soundscapes with free jazz rhythms. “Of My Hands” is an atmospheric tune with soaring harmonies that features Trinidadian singer Kathy Garcia who originally recorded it forty years earlier. “The Magic Radish” starts out with a brooding bass line, hypnotic percussion and features Duncan Lamont on Tenor. Other notable contributors are veteran tenor Art Themen, guitarist Ray Russell, Malcolm Catto and the rising drummer Moses Boyd. Foat skillfully bridges the gap between the past and the present while solidifying his stature as a superb pianist and composer.
