Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Yuya Honami (dms).(Review by Lance/photo byMike Tilley).
It appeared that half the population of Yokahama had descended upon the the Jazz Café - well at least that half of the population who were studying at Newcastle Uni - and rightly so. Tonight was a farewell gig for Yuya Honami, the Japanese drummer who has made such an impression at the Tuesday night jams.
Quiet, inscrutable, he delivers the goods. Not just through drive and empathy - although he has those qualities to spare - but by adding his own voice to the trio. This is a three way split. Pete setting the mood, Yuya picking up on it and Paul holding them both together.
Take Five early on and Blue Rondo à la Turk towards the end saw some stickwork that may well have got the nod of approval from Joe Morello himself. Not that this was all drums! Far from it Gilligan was up with him every step of the way - the guiding light. Hymn to Freedom brought Oscar P to mind and On the Sunny Side of the Street was, said Pete "The happiest song I know". He made a lot of the audience happy with that one.
Too many to go into detail but My One and Only Love would, I know, have captivated our dear friend and supporter Liz down in York.
Nica's Dream is probably my fave Monk tune and never more so than when they hit the brief change from Latin to Swing - providing they hit it right.
They hit it right tonight!
Caravan was almost a symphony with so many mood swings - I think Pete brought it in as a tango but then it went this way and that way before hitting the deck running.
And so the evening continued.
Just so much good music. Sad that we're losing Yuya but fortunately we've still got Peter and Paul - I wonder, is there a Mary who can play the drums like Yuya? Is there a drummer of any name who can...
Sad though it is to see the trio breaking up after such a short spell together, the good news is that there is a CD on the horizon - watch this space.
ごきげんよう！Yuya.
Lance.
PS: Apologies to Paul Grainger if I appear to have understated your contribution. You were the lynchpin - the voice of sanity!
2 comments :
We will all miss Yuya!
One tune I particularly enjoyed was Strasbourg St Denis.
I am looking forward to the CD (and starting to save for air fares to Japan!)
yes, how well you know me, "My one and only love" my number one fave, followed closely by "The night we called it a day"
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