Triptych @ The Lit & Phil. May 22

Paul Edis (piano & clarinet), Paul Susans (double bass) & Rob Walker (drums)

(Review by Russell)

Triptych are: left panel Paul Edis, centre panel Paul Susans, right panel Rob Walker. The canvases prepared by Edis (composer of four of the eight numbers performed), form kept in perspective by Susans, watercolour fills applied by Walker. Classical English pastoral, broad-brush swing time sections, beer-fuelled, early morning groove.

The Lit & Phil’s monthly Friday lunchtime sessions continue to draw the crowds. Those in the know knew this was sure to be a good one and it was. The audience listened in the knowledge that the performance was being recorded. How High the Moon began the one hour set. A jazz piano trio master class – as simple as that. Edis composed Montage in a state of anguish/delirium/despair during a mind-numbing stint in the orchestra pit at one of the region’s many pantomimes (think of the money, Paul!). Composed in the quest for creativity, it largely succeeded. Oh, yes it did! Edis’ Murmurations (ask an ornithologist) threatened to lay claim to the tune of the afternoon; piano intro hinting at Misterioso, the bass line manfully kept on the straight and narrow by the bar stool-perched Susans, Rob Walker’s drumming razor-sharp in response to every subtle compositional shift.

Paul Susans’ Beer For Breakfast hit a groove and kept right on. The Pilgrim Street Set’s monthly residency at Hoochie Coochie (the Triptych boys are involved) could appeal to those who got this one. Dark Ages went back in time to …the Dark Ages. Edis switched to clarinet, partially closing the triptych panels, slowly sketching a quasi, ancient Indian tune (Walker’s hand drumming exemplary). Edis’ panto blues found him reading a book about JS Bach. It proved to be the creative spur resulting in Cerebral. Cerebral? Perhaps. Great playing, for sure. Bach must have been an outstanding improviser. Just imagine if, one day, the man walked in to the Lit & Phil (or Jazz Café) asking to sit in! As Triptych set about tackling the piece Susan’s peered at the score and said (in jest): What do these things here mean?

To close the afternoon’s entertainment Edis announced Percy Grainger’s English Country Garden. Previously played as a solo piano piece, this trio version worked well. Township jazz, or suggestions of it, could be heard. Perhaps Edis could arrange the tune for a sextet (horns) feature. Next month’s session features the Mo Scott Trio. Ms Scott – Empress of the Blues – will be in the company of Paul Edis and bassist Neil Harland. Expect jazz and blues. Expect it to be good, very good. The date for your diary: Friday 19 June (1:00pm).      

Russell.