Matt Carmichael - Dancing with Embers (2025) [Hi-Res]

A collection of emotionally driven instrumental songs where melody takes centre stage, Carmichael’s new album features four of his closest friends and long-term collaborators. The quintet, playing together since they were teenagers, have developed a special chemistry grounded in collective improvisation. His most ambitious work to date, Dancing With Embers sees the saxophonist expand his soundworld with guests Rachel Sermanni (voice), Brìghde Chaimbeul (small pipes), Chris Amer and Innes White (guitars) alongside his core quintet including pianist Fergus McCreadie.

The record’s warm, intimate sound leans more into influences from singer-songwriters such as Adrienne Lenker and Bon Iver than Carmichael’s previous works. He explains ‘I listened to more singer-songwriters than anything else in the time period I wrote Dancing with Embers and wanted to create an album where the focus is on the song and not so much on having any typical Jazz solos... on live gigs the band have free reign and improvisation is at the core, but I approached the recording of this album a little differently.’

All 12 original pieces originated from Carmichael improvising at the piano, which he plays on ‘a distant glow’ and ‘woodsmoke’, bookending the record. ‘I’d never recorded myself playing piano before this album and lack the technical skill I have on saxophone, but it felt natural to play on a few tracks. My way of processing emotions and meditating in some way is through improvising at the piano every day. I really like the intimate vulnerability of those tracks and give the listener a more direct insight into the creation of my music.’

Matt Carmichael | Tenor Saxophone, Piano (Track 1, 12)
Charlie Stewart | Fiddle
Fergus McCreadie | Piano
Ali Watson | Double Bass
Tom Potter | Drums
Innes White | Acoustic Guitar (Track 2, 3, 5, 6, 11)
Chris Amer | Electric/Tenor Guitar (Track 1, 5, 6, 10, 12)
Brìghde Chaimbeul | Small Pipes (Track 7, 8)
Rachel Sermanni | Voice (Track 10)