Cuba at the Cluny - Loz Speyer's Time Zone

Loz Speyer (tpt/flug), Martin Hathaway (alt/bs clt), Jez Franks (gtr), Davide Mantovani (bs), Simon Pearson (dms), Satin Singh(conga). A good session of authentic Cuban music by Time Zone; a band well steeped in the idiom. I say ‘authentic’ although possibly the nearest they get to actual authenticity is the fact that leader and trumpet/flugel hornist Speyers’ wife is Cuban. Never mind, his compositions capture the feel of Cuba in the way that Dizzy and Machito did 60 years ago. Plus there is the added bonus of a contemporary approach to harmonies and rhythms which conspire to make the music even more infectious and compelling. Cuban bands lean heavily on their trumpet players and Loz has the ideal tone and technique to slot into the genre. Equally adept on both horns, he eschewed the plaintive wail of most flugellers in favour of a powerful, well rounded, attack that gelled well with the Eric Dolphylike bass clarinet and alto of Hathaway.

On guitar, Jez kept this weeks festival of fretters alive with some gut grabbing guitar solos that almost had the pot boiling over although perhaps the most kick-ass guy on stage was Satin Singh on congas who, depping for Alejandro Martinez, played like he had three hands and counting.

Drummer Simon added a few more hands whilst Mantovani on bass only needed four strings to shimmer.

Great Grooving Gig.

Lance.