(Review by Ann Alex/photo courtesy of Eugene Milne).
This was a most enjoyable gig with good performances from all 4 musicians. Michael Whent did especially well as he was depping for the regular bassist and, as such, wasn’t familiar with some of the tunes, not that you’d have guessed. Bradley was on top form (when is he not?); Debra tackled some difficult songs well, and Mark came up with really classy drumming. What’s not to like?
I was particularly pleased by some of the interesting lyrics, especially in the original songs which had come from the pens of Bradley and Debra. Golson’s tune Killer Joe became a song with Debra’s words, Relax, and we all did relax on hearing Debra do scatted 4’s with Bradley’s guitar, highly original stuff. Just You, Just Me included Debra’s vocalese which told us all about improvising; this was followed by a catchy, amusing bebop number [Eddie Jefferson's vocalese version of Miles' solo on So What] explaining how Miles Davis and Coltrane walked offstage to practise more. Too Busy for Thinking was boppy and lively as you’d expect and The Pickup, all about making a date, swung along well.
Standards included Chick Corea's 500 Miles High, with Bradley soloing at the high end of the guitar and call and response between guitar and singer; Gee Baby was a tender love song with gently caressing drums; It Ain’t Necessarily So had Bradley bending notes; also heard were Horace Silver’s Pretty Eye; Too Darn Hot; Born To Be Blue; Desifinado. The final number was a wonderfully slinky Tom Waits song Temptation, with devilish sounding clanky drums, well suited to the subject.
Another musical treat at the Globe.
Ann Alex
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