Walter Smith III @ The Sage

Walter Smith III (ten); Matt Stevens (gtr); Michael Janisch (bs); Jeremiah Williams (dms).
(Review by Lance).

The gathering was well-attended by those who chose to forego the charms of, was it Danny and Ben?, from Thunder (Google it, I had to!)

D and B were in Hall 2 whereas WS III  was in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall - and there weren't many empty seats for this Jazz North East presentation.

JNE don't always pick the winners but when they do you can bet your life it's a Derby winner. Tonight was just such a classic performance that I felt everyone in the world should be here. They weren't, but that's their misfortune. There were enough to encourage more of the same. By The Same I mean modern jazz that has advanced beyond earlier conceptions but keeps the music within a framework and avoids the Fire in a Pet Shop syndrome.

Smith is simply a wonderful tenor player, I don't know anything about Smiths I and II but this third generation guy can play. A Getzian sound combined with a Rollins-like aggression makes for fine tenor playing.

And hows about guitarist Stevens? So laid back and yet he expertly mixed single note lines with chordal interjections building up his solos to near perfection. On second thoughts, delete near.

Michael Janisch, like the other three, is American (I think Stevens is actually Canadian but I suppose that's still American in a sense) Janisch is currently resident in London. He provides  the pulse and delivers some of the most melodic bass playing in jazz.
Williams was mainly hidden from my view by his ride cymbal but, when I did catch a glimpse, it revealed a drummer with a smile that even Steve Brown would be envious of! His technique was awesome. Using just a basic set-up he drove the band at Formula One speed and soloed like there was no tomorrow.
Needless to say, the crowd demanded more and they got it.
Sans Stevens, Smith, Janisch and Williams delivered, arguably, the best Body and Soul since Coleman Hawkins set the benchmark 70 plus years ago.
This was pure magic.
A gig of the year contender already!
Lance.