GIJF Day Two - Jean Touissaint Quartet. Sage Gateshead April 5

Jean Touissaint (ten/sop)/ Andrew McCormack (pno); Larry Bartley (bs); Shane Forbes (dms).

(Review by Lance)

This was a cracker - a firecracker - of a set by four superb musicians who set Hall Two alight. I didn't catch the name of the drummer (Shane Forbes - see comment) - a last minute replacement for Troy Miller - but he drove the quartet along with all the power of Art Blakey in his prime AND with subtlety when required.  McCormack, who'd also played an eclectic first set with Jason Yarde and the Elysian String Quartet (to be reviewed elsewhere) proved himself capable of playing outstanding, straight down the middle, jazz piano aided and ably abetted by Larry Bartley who gave a master-class on the art of bass playing.
As for Touissaint he simply exuded class. It must have been the hat or possibly the brown suede shoes - the coolest dude on the planet and can he play?!

Born in St. Thomas, (where else?)Virgin Islands, Touissaint chose material from, in the main, his latest album Tate Song and included the cleverly titled dedication to his daughter My Dear Ruby as well as a tribute to the late pianist Mulgrew Miller entitled simply Mulgrew. Both were examples of ballad playing at its best.

Pianist McCormack was given his head on Prelude to a Kiss and his own composition Vista whilst the drummer (somebody please tell me his name) had an impressive outing on Rice For CR Pepper (I think!)

Best concert so far.

In the after concert photo Touissaint can be seen enjoying the company of Sue Hurrell (left) and Pam Young (right) whilst Jazz Café Programme Co-ordinator Dave Clark looks on.
Lance.