(Review by Thomas Dixon/ Photos courtesy of Ken
Drew – a JNE promotion).
Firstly,
I’d like to say I can’t stand the typical ‘politely distorted’ fusion guitar
tone, but bandleader Joe Williamson’s guitar had plenty of grit to it. Actually,
there was nothing polite about the performance at all, just the way I like it!
No
doubt due to the mix of genres influencing this group, they have a very modern
sound, and although they are still improvising and navigating through chord
changes, the aesthetic is completely different to most bands you’ll find on a
Jazz club’s programme. Often just when I thought I was locked in with the
pattern of the rhythm section, there’d be some ‘Djent’ style fills which would
disrupt the tune and help shape the solo sections in unpredictable ways. There
was a definite ‘Math Rock’ vibe - lots of shifting time signatures, heavy riffs
and filthy half-time breakdowns which, as a reformed metal head myself, I
absolutely loved.
Williamson
promised us ‘wonderful and unique sounds’ from Craig McMahon, and he definitely
delivered. The addition of a second keyboard player fills out the sound of the
group and glues it together with a polish that most bands can only achieve by
double tracking in studio recordings or by using backing tracks on live
performances.
There
was a great energy in the room throughout the night, plenty of back and forth
between the band and audience, and the last tune of the first set Hieroglyph featured a drum solo from
Graham Costello that had the crowd all shouting and cheering, something of a
rarity from ‘Jazz’ gigs these days.
No comments :
Post a Comment