Two Is an Odd Number! - Paul Edis and Graham Hardy @ the Lit.& Phil, February 14.

Paul Edis (piano) and Graham Hardy (trumpet and flugelhorn).

(Review/Photos by Jerry E.)

Two is an odd number at most jazz gigs but, as was flagged up on Bebop and elsewhere, there are precedents such as Louis and Earl. Anyway, on Valentine’s, I suppose, a trio would be a crowd! And there were some appropriate song-choices for the day: I Loves You Porgy and La Vie en Rose for example. The Gershwin is even more romantic as introduced by one bandleader: ”written by George Gershwin and his lovely wife, Ira”! There was also My Valentine (Funny) which for me WAS an odd number not least because I never found the remembered melody, even in the middle!
A counter-note was sounded by You Don’t Know What Love Is and an Edis/Hardy original called You Talkin’ to Me? These titles sounded, respectively, like the precursors of a domestic and a saloon-bar brawl! The set-list was completed by some more neutral titles: Ellington’s Black and Tan Fantasy; Bernard Herrmann’s Theme from Taxi-driver; Bach’s Two Part Invention (Number 4) and Miles Davis’ Sipping at Bells.

Graham played about 50/50 trumpet/flugel and added a variety of effects by deploying an array of plungers and mutes including, on La Vie en Rose, a “Mel-O-Wah” mute which I don’t think I’ve seen before. It was perfect for the tune!

Paul, too, played in a range of styles from classical to (his word, not mine) “schmaltzy” and also surprised me on You Don’t Know What Love Is by ceremonially removing his jacket as if to perform a conjuring trick, dismantling bits of piano and then playing with one hand on the keyboard and the other INSIDE the piano, which I am positive I have not seen before! I have dubbed the resultant sound “Edwardian Funk” – a bit like playing keys and bass simultaneously! I’d be grateful to anyone who could fill me in on the correct terminology. For a one-hour concert the tunes chosen were incredibly varied.

There was a good audience (40+) and they seemed to enjoy it all judging by the applause which built as the set unfolded.

My personal favourites today were the last three – Bach, Davis and Piaf. Odd bedfellows, I know, but all astonishing, delightful and oh, so well played!

This was the first of six lunchtime concerts at this venue: next up is The Ruth Lambert Trio on March 14.

Jerry.