Zoe Rahman (pno), Oli Hayhurst (bs), Gene Calderazzo (dms).
I think I'm in love! The moment Zoe (pictured left with Pam Young of Jazz North East) spoke I was captivated by her easy manner and when she opened with an Abdullah Ibrahim theme that sinuously wound itself around my heart the trap was sprung.
This was a gig with so much going for it. Zoe taking the scenic route exploring the highways and byways of harmony in Ellington, Stevie Wonder and some lesser known composers.
A classical technique punctuated with forearm smashes - Czerny meets Mick McManus! - meant sensitive quests and frenetic machete wielding thrashes. Total empathy with a rhythm section who received and returned Z's message of love simultaneously.
Oli's bass-lines, rich and full, Gene's kit-work both melodic and rhythmic and inventive searching for and finding the truth that It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing.
Zoe dedicated this, the final number before the inevitable encore, to Chris Yates - emotional.
Afterwards, when Zoe confessed that she went on Bebop Spoken Here, my already reeling senses waved the flag of sweet surrender.
Come back soon.
Lance.
Keeping with the Joneses, what does that imply? Keeping cautiously within the boundaries. Blending with numbers. Respectable pruned facade so not to attract attention. One thing you can be sure of the Rahmans (musical luminary siblings pianist Zoe and reedsman Idris) is you cannot ignore among the wallflowers these conspicuous oustanding red hot pokers in musical literacy.
ReplyDeleteMs Rahman rapidly acquired and effortlessly maintains a new brand of benchmark in music. Cultural superiority oozed from her trio. Humour, depthful charm and dilated pupils among us all.
I too hope to see these perennials come up north again if not Spring next year, then any time sooner.
I meant it when I said I wanted to take these three home with me.
Superb review, love-struck Lance.