Triptych @ The Cherry Tree, July 7

Paul Edis (piano), Paul Susans (double bass) & Rob Walker (drums/glass).

(Review by JC).

Having just returned from a trip around the south of Italy which was big on scenery and art but with some so-so food and completely free of live jazz, a trip to the Cherry Tree seemed a very good way to fill these gaps. The band was advertised as the Paul Edis Trio, which is always a good session and even though it turned out not to be that Paul Edis Trio, I was equally happy to discover it was another Trio with Edis called Triptych, as I'd read about this group but not heard it.

Paul began the session by reading out a definition of a triptych which I couldn't quite hear but looking it up afterwards it said that a triptych 'is a work of art that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open'. Well there were certainly three of them and they were on open display but there was nothing carved about their playing which was fully alive. I'd seen a few triptychs on my Italian travels that were mainly 14th century but with a bit too much gold leaf bling and religious imagery to fit this group. I'd say musically this Triptych was more a version of Hieronymus Bosch (The Garden of Earthly Delights) with their diversity of musical ideas or Francis Bacon (take your pick) with tricky twisted time signatures.

The band started in philosophical mode asking How High the Moon? and they examined this question in an expert musical fashion in 7/8 time from a number of different angles with piano and bass getting into detailed discussion of the finer points. Then Edis continued his project of rescuing tunes sanitised by the pop world with a beautifully structured version of Close to You that had all three musicians adding their solo touches. The next piece was announced as an 'old English folk song connected with Royalty' and it took a few bars to put a name to Greensleeves as it was delicately put through the band's creative time signature mixer. Paul Susans played a fine bass solo and Rob Walker added some idiosyncratic flourishes including playing his drink (which from a distance looked like Campari and Soda) with a drumstick. Apparently this tune was supposed to have composed by Henry VIII but possibly the Cole Porter of the time felt it was wise not to argue the writing credit.

Amongst other tunes was Vernon Duke's I Can't Get Started ending with the three soloing together followed by a trip even further back through time to the Dark Ages, a Paul Edis composition written for the group. This was a rich, moody piece which belied the reputation of this historical period as an artistic wasteland. Staying in the past, the folk song English Country Garden got the up to the minute Triptych treatment with added blues. Fall by Miles Davis, How About You and Alice in One D Land (was Edis a tabloid sub-ed in another life?) kept up the superb musicianship. Sadly, I had to leave during the second half but this is another brilliantly creative, but different, trio to go with at least two other trios Paul Edis is involved in (is that a triptych of trios?).

The food as always provided the perfect background to the music with a rare sighting on a menu, sea trout, being a stand out dish. And its worth giving a mention to the very pleasantly professional staff. A great night.

JC