Matt Anderson (tenor saxophone),
Laura Jurd (trumpet), Jamil Sheriff (piano), Sam Vicary (double bass) &
Dave Walsh (drums)
(Review by Russell/Photo by Ken Drew.)
The music of Wayne Shorter, the
music of Matt Anderson. The heat wave continued but it didn't deter a fair
number turning out to hear Matt Anderson’s Wild Flower Quintet. One of the joys
of this concert (there were many) was the entirely acoustic performance by the
quintet, including double bassist Sam Vicary eschewing the use of his base amp,
who confided during the interval that he was having to work his instrument that
little bit harder.
JG and Burning Man opened the programme.
Familiar tunes? Perhaps not. They were two of bandleader Anderson’s
accomplished compositions, the latter featured a Vicary solo, then pianist
Jamil Sheriff. Anderson
is sure to revisit these numbers in the coming years. Three Clowns from Weather Report’s Black Market album touched base with the inspirational figure of
Wayne Shorter. Anderson’s
ballad playing impressed, as did the consistently tasteful Sheriff. Tenor man
Anderson revealed that he and drummer Dave Walsh often discuss the relative
merits of early/middle period Wayne Shorter (Messengers and Miles) and iconic
seventies fusioneers Weather Report. Vintage Shorter was to come but to
conclude the first set, a real swinger – Blues
For Wayne – proved to be a hard blowing gem. The much vaunted Laura Jurd
announced her frontline presence with some superb trumpet playing, Sheriff had
his say, followed by the audience – prolonged applause said it all. A good
opening set. Second set, Shorter arrived as Lester Left Town as the band engaged in a round
of telling solos. Sheriff’s For TW
heard more great trumpet from Jurd and Dave Walsh relished the challenge – for TW read Tony Williams! – and scaled the
heights. The drummers’ union can be proud of their man! The Sorcerer conjured Masqualero, there was Witch Hunt from the Blue Note classic
album Speak No Evil, the encore,
fully deserved, found Anderson
fully immersed in the Shorter library. The Lit and Phil Library’s jazz patrons
were fully immersed in the performance and once more the sustained applause
said it all. An excellent gig from a top class band.
Russell.
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