When ever I think of Paul Birchall I think firstly of his musical talent and secondly his killer dry sense of humour. Lately I think of his resilience too. Having some very significant connections in the music scene Paul toured the globe as both a keyboard player and on occasion as a musical director. His gifted musical prowess along with said sense of humour served to win over many an audience as well I know as I was in some of them. Tiring of the mainstream melee Paul put his talent towards paying homage to the musical roots he enjoyed, namely Prog. He set about forming a band playing Emerson Lake And Palmer favourites along with ex Camel and 10CC drummer Paul Burgess and then went on to form Combination Head, a tour de force if ever there was one. Having released three successful albums and an EP the band faded into the aether and as yet have not emerged.
Having recorded many piano pieces and posting them free on the web Paul recorded his first solo album Frangible which took a step away from the Progressive Rock idiom and took on a more experimental vibe. Unfortunately following such innovation fate struck a blow in 2018 with Paul suffering a stroke. Despite having little use in his left arm he managed to record his second solo album Conversing With The Mini Moog which to his credit maintained his determination and zeal for composing interesting and innovating work. This coupled with Paul’s artwork never ceases to astound me. Moving forwards to the closing months of 2024, Paul did it yet again with the third instalment of his solo musical career The Old Buffoon And Other Short Stories. The title is based on a chapter from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s book The Brothers Karamazov.
The Old Buffoon And Other Short Stories is an album of bite sized pieces put together using found samples and recordings with Paul playing all of the keyboard and guitar parts himself. There are thirteen tracks on the album many of which have an almost chill-out feel to them. One thing that all of the pieces have in common is that all of them have there own sonic palate and whilst musically they may not at first register, the listener will find it easy to become immersed rather than seeking all out impact. It is plain to see and hear that Paul Birchall is an artist as well as a musician in the way that the tracks have been pieced together in an almost Karlheinz Stockhausen way. Pieces like The Tree were inspired by the poem by Philip Larkin, though in truth I preferred to invoke my own interpretation on all of the pieces.
From my description it would be easy for anyone to assume this album would be that of quiet musical sketches and to a large degree that may be so. However, the opening title track The Old Buffoon And Other Short Stories there is rhythm aplenty with lots of percussion and bongo drum samples giving out a Latin feel. Elsewhere throughout the myriad of styles and technique I came across On The Wall, a jaunty piano based tune that reminded me so much of the late Keith Jarrett. I really enjoy the fusion aspect of Paul’s playing here and this track is one of the highlights for me.
There are moments of out and out tranquillity such as Warning To The Curious. A very airy and peaceful atmosphere is given out, though it must be said that the movement of this piece relies on soundscape rather than melody. That said Paul makes full use of his library of samples to capture the listeners attention.
I am unsure if there is a message in tracks like The Ticket or not but the drum samples are wicked and I love the random chords. It really does give the impression of being in a small club listening to a grunge funk band. Finishing the album is as you may expect a piece called The Epilogue. Aural story telling at its very best. The use of a recorded audience to give the illusion of an actual live piano recital especially someone coughing and spluttering whilst Paul is playing is a stroke of genius. As with all of his musical forays, Paul Birchall pulls it off with style utilising his intense imagination. Musical technique and the will to progress. All tracks on this album are under three minutes and twenty seconds long, so there are no Close To The Edge covers here. What there is though is accessibility, intrigue and atmosphere. I have to admire Paul as someone who refuses to be put in a box and categorised. Having accomplished all that his so far in the face of difficult odds I am reliably informed that Paul is now working with other musicians on a fourth Combination Head album. Watch this space…….
The Old Buffoon And Other Short Stories is available on all major streaming platformas including Amazon, Spotify and i-tunes.
