Jazz Latin Groove @ The Globe 15/11/14

Steve Summers (saxes/perc); Alan Law (pno); Steve Glendinning (gtr); Paul Grainger (bs); Tim Johnston (dms) and Debra Milne & Paulo Torres (vcl).

(Review by Kath J /Photo courtesy of Ken Drew.)

The Globe was packed out on arrival, with hardly a place to sit, but luckily Lance had bagged a table at the front and there was room for Paul and I to join him for this latest Jazz Co-op gig.  Lance and I tossed a coin as to who would do the write-up and I lost… it also meant that Lance could make an early exit to catch some of Ruth and Dean’s Gig at The Café.

Drinks arrived and the band struck up with a Latin vamp into Wave, Steve Summers adding that authentic sound of a Pandeiro, the first of several percussion instruments that appeared over the course of the evening.  No More Blues brought out the Cabasa and the musicians were out in force showing what a wonderful sound they can make together, it would be difficult to pick out one above the rest…. A superbly talented line-up and each one displayed their skills over the course of the evening. 

Paulo Torres then came to the stage to sing in his mother tongue, Portuguese, Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Desafinado, which translated means ‘slightly out of tune’.  Congas introduced a delightful Spooky, sang well by Debra, who was well dressed for the occasion, a flowing floaty top and flower in her hair.  Next came one of my favourites, Chick Corea’s fusion of Concierto de Aranjuez – Spain, introduction by Stevie Glendinning on Guitar, lovely but my all-time favourite was the double bass introduction I heard last year from Paul Grainger… just heartbreakingly beautiful!  In keeping with our Latin theme the next song was sung by Debra in Spanish, Aquelas Coisas Todas translates to All Those Things.  A cover version of Consider Me Gone saw the early departure of Lance… Exit Stage Left.  The finale of the first set was Horace  Silvers’s Señor Blues, and a beautiful ending with a bowed bass.. Superb!

After a break where musicians caught up and made arrangements and the audience refilled glasses and chatted to friends the second set commenced with a number that Debra Milne put words to, Killer Joe.  She moved onto Living In The Past - a Jethro Tull cover and from there switched back to a gentle Tres Palabras, another song which saw the talents of each musician during solos… I love the Nat King Cole version of this song.  Another nice bit of Latin percussion for the next song Afro Blue saw Steve Summer’s latest addition an Udu Drum known as a Udongo , I was desperate to have a go, and at the end of the night I got my wish… wow I want one! 

Paulo Torres returned to sing another Portuguese number - Antonio Carlos Jobim’s  Meditação (Meditation) its great to hear the mother tongue numbers from this singer.  Chick Corea is popular tonight and the next number was Debra singing 500 Miles High… not an easy song to sing.  Temptation was introduced by Debra as having a bass solo start from the ‘luminescent’ Paul Grainger, who won the prize for best shirt… a bright yellow pattern as befitted a Latin Jazz evening.

The grand finale of the night went to a superb drum introduction from Tim Johnston, mallets beating out the introduction to a very different version of Caravan, I loved the change of feel and there were times that I wondered, if you had come in part way through would you have recognised the swinging sections of this tune.  What a fab end to a great evening of Latin Jazz. - Kath J.