Ross Ainslie - Pool

After the success of the previous two chapters, Sanctuary (2017) and Vana (2020), acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Ross Ainslie releases Pool, the last element of his very individual trilogy that he calls ’the journey albums’. A plethora of great names of the folk scene accompanies him in this new effort, including Jarlath Henderson, Hamish Napier, James Lindsay and more.

The big band setting, a common feature of the whole trilogy, is immediately introduced in the first two tracks, the energetic High Place Phenomenon and Step in the Divide. There are of course also some meditative moments, like the uilleann pipes-driven All my Years, but the overall sound is definitely modern, warm and enticing.

The album also includes two bonus tracks, a spoken word passage by Ainslie’s long term collaborator Jock Urquhart on Sync or Swim, some delightful passages by Paul Towndrow’s saxophone and a stunning finale with the Highland pipes-driven Slow Down.

Jazz, blues, Indian and world music are just some of the many influences that shaped this album as well as the entire trilogy. This seven year long journey comes to a grand conclusion with Ainslie performing not only on pipes, whistles, cittern and bamboo flute, but also on mandola and synth; a detail that makes the work even more diverse and personal.

If Sanctuary felt like a self-discovery journey and Vana sounds like a search for pure inspirations, Pool is the perfect final chapter for an adventurous musical journey. As always when a trip comes to an end, many will now wonder what horizons Ainslie’s forward thinking music will explore next.