Ant Law Quartet @ The Bridge March 3.

Ant Law (gtr); Michael Chillingworth (alt); Tom Farmer (bs); James Maddren (dms).

(Review by Lance).

Where were all the drummers tonight? When I were a lad, if, say, Phil Seaman, Tony Kinsey, Allan Ganley or Ronnie Stephenson were in Toon, then every drummer would be there - learning from the masters.

James Maddren is one of the current drum demi-gods yet I noted only one drumster present - Wes of the promoters JNE.

JM was magnificent whether on brushes - a lost art for many percussionists these days - or on sticks where he kicked ass. If you can swing you swing with James behind you!

Leader Law played some unbelievable Metheny-like guitar runs and some cool chords.

The saxists in the audience were given a treat,. Michael Chillingworth might not be a name that rolls off your tongue when it comes to blowing the blues but this young guy has a lithe and facile technique that enables him to flow through the changes seemingly effortlessly. I say, seemingly, but think of the hours of practice he - and indeed the rest of the group - must have put in to reach this standard of fluidity. Farmer is well established in bass playing circles and together the four made for a tight knit unit without loss of freedom.

The program was based mainly around their new CD Entanglement and mixed originals with jazz classics such as Coltrane's Satellite and Strayhorn's Upper Manhattan Medical Group - amusingly re-titled East London Biriyani Group.

This was music well within the jazz boundary although they did make the occasional foray "outside" without going too far.

Did I enjoy it?

Let's just say I got the later number 27 bus...

Photos.

Lance.