Tim Garland (ten/sop); Jim Mullen (gtr); Andy Champion (bs); Adrian Tilbrook (dms).
GIG OF THE YEAR? For me all bets are off - this was it! Never have so many enthusiasts been crammed into the small confines of the Bridge Hotel for a Splinter gig and justifiably so. Such was the ambiance created between band and listener that I didn't allow myself to ponder the question as to where were you all the rest of the year?
From the opening Invitation to the closing Caravan we were treat to virtuoso playing by all four participants. None of the "and now here is another composition of mine..." syndrome but instead straight down the middle tried and tested tunes that never stopped swinging.
In a Sentimental Mood had been played earlier by Pete Gilligan at the Jazz Café but this was something else again and this is no reflection on Pete.
Jim Mullen is such a melodic player I could wallow in his lyricism for eternity yet when the chips are down he can put the boot in as hard as anyone.
Tim Garland, bobbing and weaving like a fighter preparing to land the killer punch, took the tenor on a wild journey that had many deviant variations yet never lost its way.
Andy and Adrian - homegrown talent - were far from outshone and contributed on an equal basis with the visitors to make this such a memorable evening. Imagine if they'd had a rehearsal!
To top this, Stan Tracey at The Sage tomorrow (Monday Dec. 19) is going to have to play like he's never played before and on Thursday, also at The Sage, Christine Tobin too is going to have it all to do. But who knows what yet may happen before the year is over.
Photos.
Lance.
Andy and Adrian - homegrown talent - were far from outshone and contributed on an equal basis with the visitors to make this such a memorable evening. Imagine if they'd had a rehearsal!
To top this, Stan Tracey at The Sage tomorrow (Monday Dec. 19) is going to have to play like he's never played before and on Thursday, also at The Sage, Christine Tobin too is going to have it all to do. But who knows what yet may happen before the year is over.
Photos.
Lance.
Great atmosphere great players but lack of original material (for obvious reasons) means it could only be gig of 1961 not 2011!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting point Steve. However, as the tune/theme is but something for the soloist to hang his hat on and 12/32 or whatever bars later only the harmonic structure remains is it that important whether it be a standard or "one wot I wrote yesterday"?
ReplyDeleteLance.
PS: As a matter of interest Steve, what was your "Gig of the Year"?
Methinks stevebfc is slightly missing the improvisational point of jazz.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to admit I did think for ages that Julie Andrews had stolen that tune from Coltrane.
But anyway, it couldn't have been 1961, no self respecting jazzman of the time would have been seen dead in a t-shirt like TG's.
PS - my gig of the year in 1961 was the Billy Cotton Band Show
Thanks Anonymous for explaining the improvisational point of Jazz for all these years I thought the musicans were just playing the notes in slightly the wrong order.
ReplyDelete