Matthew Read Trio @ The Black Swan May 2

Matthew Read (bass); Arthur Newell (drums); Benedict Wood (guitar).

(Review by Steve H)

This may not have been the best-attended gig I have ever attended but what the audience lacked in number the quality and sheer commitment of the band more than made up for. This was the second night of a 25 gig UK tour to promote the band second album anecdotes II (reviewed here by Russell). After the gig Matthew told me that although the numbers had been far lower than that in Manchester the previous night the fact that the Black Swan attendees gave their playing such respect was a really positive experience.

It did appear that the trio were really enjoying themselves on stage and this contributed to the overall feel-good factor of the evening. All but one of the pieces performed were written by Read, the exception being Surprise Flight from guitarist Wood. Read enjoys pairing unlikely combinations when writing tunes,  for example When She Leaves was inspired by a parting from his fiancé for a couple of days and then not being able to listen to Brad Mehldau for a similar period. The most novel of these pairings was between Kurt Rosenwinkel and Kenrick Lamar on the tune ‘K’.

The overall feel of the music was relaxed, intricate and melodious, pyrotechnics were in short supply but that made it easier to focus on what the individual musicians were playing as well as taking in the overall canvas. All three members were not only highly gifted performers but seemed to be a genuine collective - playing for the group rather than themselves.

So, despite the sparseness of the crowd, a highly rewarding night and I wish the band every success with the rest of their tour.

Steve H.