Alan Law (keys); Katy Trigger (bass guitar); Matt Ross (drums)
(Review by Ann Alex)
Yes, as suggested by the name, a monstrous new band has entered the local jazz scene: Alan Law playing as you’ve never heard him before, Katy Trigger giving the bass an equal status from her place at the right-hand side of stage front, and Mr. Ross giving it all on the drum kit. Eight or so long pieces, all original tunes, sounding as if most of the work had developed from improvisation, sometimes flowing lyrical keys, sometimes strong chords from the low end of the piano, then insistent, repeated riffs, often exchanged between piano and bass. An adventurous bass, lyrical, and then interestingly jangly and breathy by turns. And the drummer doing what drummers do, but more so.
Each tune was introduced by Alan, although I couldn’t fully hear what he said from the back of the jazz bar. The first piece was typical, an account of a night out Alan said, beginning with a slow sultry swing, then faster as they left a pub and started to walk, leading into heavy bass and piano, probably a rainstorm. There followed a bass solo with crisp sounds, drums, a bell-like piano, rounded off with repeated riffs. A tune called It’s Love opened with steady drum and bass beats (is this drum’n bass?) to an overlay of keys, which was accidently augmented by loud shouts of singing from the band playing in the downstairs bar. There followed a ballad which deserves to have words set to it, and which Alan said had been influenced by Jarrett’s I Fall In Love Too Easily. Forgive Me (?) had the bass and piano passing a line of the tune between them, then improvising on the line. The next number quoted from My Favourite Things which seems to be popular with jazz musicians these days. The last tune was called Valhalla, a title with Wagnerian connections which wasn’t too far from the mood of the gig. The metro called me home before I could hear much of the well-deserved encore.
The music is quite hard to describe, forget jazz standards with solos all round, think more improvisational influenced, but to really appreciate the band, go to hear them for yourself.
Ann Alex
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