Emma Johnson (tenor sax); Fergus Vickers (guitar); Richard Jones (piano); Angus Milne (bass); Alasdair Pennington (drums)
(Review
by Lance/photos courtesy of Ken Drew).
The Metro was crowded. Cans of lager and
cider were being surreptitiously popped. The hemlines were high - even non-existent
- and I wasn't complaining!
The hordes disembarked at Central and
headed in the direction of The Globe. On the sidewalk, one "Busking
Joe" played drums the crowd danced to his rhythm - he could play! The
ground floor bar of the Jazz Coop HQ was heaving as the hoi polloi primed
themselves for an evening with Gerry Cinnamon, a singer/songwriter whose lyrics
it's reported are 'brutally honest'. He was appearing across the road at the
Utilita Arena.
His next gig is at Hampden Park which is
seemingly sold out! Clearly this guy is a big deal!
Keith Barrett, major-domo for
the evening, found that his main task was finding more seats for the non-stop stream
of arrivals.
JNE and the Jazz Coop, who got together to
promote the event, must have been pleased - not just for the turn out and the
coins in the coffers but for the music that inspired so many to leave their
warm firesides for what must have surely been uncharted waters for some.
The opening few bars had me thinking
wistfully of warm firesides. Discordant, lots of long notes but, before I'd
completed my yawn, the gravy boat arrived and I knew why everyone was here.
A programme of well-crafted originals that
really were original but with themes that made sense played by five fine and
formidable players. Johnson gets a great sound on tenor and has a technique to
match. Not one of those in your face players but someone whose solos build
gradually and logically with a natural lyricism reminiscent of Coltrane in his
saner moments.
Likewise, the other four also impressed,
drum and bass solos kept to a minimum thus making them all the more
effective when they did surface. Impressive keyboard work and guitar playing
that was laid back and listenable with some juicy chording.
Titles: Vertical Plains; Fully Fledged; Little Creatures (named after Emma’s
favourite beer); Things I Didn’t Know;
Arguments in 12/8; Scraps; Speak in Whispers; Plucker; Where Are You Hiding?
(Emma tells us there is a new version of this with vocal by Nishla Smith in the pipeline); Summer Stone.
A very satisfying evening – more gravy please.
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