The Zettalogue album begins with a new version of Rise Of The Lizard People, a tune Ivo wrote a few years ago prompted by the publicity given to the theory, promulgated by David Icke, that there are half-human, half-alien beings seeking world domination.  Ivo's tune, which was nominated for a prestigious Ivors Composers Award, highlights the ease with which conspiracy theories gain traction in a modern world with ever more accessible yet uncontrolled media. The modern world has also seen drastic changes in the way that audiences access music but Ivo believes that creating an album such as Zettalogue is just as valid now as it was years ago.  Creating a new album provides a focus on the artist's most recent work and provides the incentive for live performances which Ivo believes are the best way for an audience to hear and appreciate jazz, perhaps more so than with other styles of music.   Another track inspired by literature is Pala, the eponymous island of Aldous Huxley's novel, home to a utopian society in complete contrast to the dystopian "Brave New World" described in an earlier, Huxley novel.  Ivo, like most of us, is concerned about the problems facing the whole world and in particular the prevalence of war between nations.  His hope is that live music in all its forms can be a refuge for people when they need help or a joy when they celebrate.  He also values the jazz community which despite necessarily having a commercial side depends to a large extent on volunteers and the good will of many in the industry.

The process of creating a studio album can take a while, Zettalogue was recorded in 2022. Part of the reason for the apparent delay is that Ivo has taken on the role of mixing engineer as well as composer and musician.  Mixing involves taking the sounds from multitrack channels, as recorded in the studio or concert hall and combining them in the most appealing way.  However, in the meantime, Ivo has also featured on other albums with Marius Neset (orchestral), Emma Rawicz (sextet), Jim Rattigan (duet), the Cologne Contemporary Jazz Orchestra and a solo album of his own.  He has also toured with a new, 12-piece ensemble or dodeka.  These various sized ensembles highlight the flexibility of jazz in that while a solo performance might be almost entirely improvised an orchestral performance will be almost entirely composed.  With Zettalogue Ivo emphasises the huge contribution made by the other members of the quartet in creating improvised music based on his vision.  The most obvious contribution that can be heard is that of George Crowley who together with Ivo Neame performs most of the solos, but Tom Farmer's bass and James Maddren's drumming is top class.  Maddren has collaborated with Ivo Neame for more than 14 years, first featuring on the album Caught in the Light of Day (2009) and Neame describes his drumming as effortless and honest, "how jazz should be played".  Ivo pays tribute to his band members emphasisng that the magic happens through a shared performance, improvising and sparking off each other.

Other tracks on the album have a spiritual context, Personent Hodie is a favourite Christmas carol that Ivo Neame sang when a chorister in Canterbury Cathedral.  On the album, the evocative tune arrives after a long, pulsating introduction which is in stark contrast to the medieval melody that has been arranged by John Rutter and others and not much like Wayne Shorter's version on his album Alegria (2003).  In his arrangement, Ivo Neame may be contrasting the traditional and modern ways in which people celebrate religious festivals and this theme continues with the last track, The Trouble with Faith, probably the most melodic, which includes a beautiful conversation between piano and saxophone and also a double bass solo.  This track in particular is music that Ivo Neame hopes will help people struggling to find answers and that will transport them to a place where answers can be found.

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Listen to Personent Hodie: