Giacomo Smith (alto sax); Alec Harper (tenor sax); Joe Webb (piano); Ferg Ireland (double bass); Will Cleasby (drums)
Kansas Smitty's is a band, Kansas Smitty's is a venue. Last night at Ronnie Scott's, Kansas Smitty's the band live streamed to more than 700 YouTube/Facebook listeners/viewers. Led by Giacomo Smith with a new album to promote, the band's tour schedule was scuppered by the ongoing pandemic so the opportunity to connect with fans worldwide from a world famous venue, albeit online, couldn't have come at a better time.
Alto saxophonist Smith did the talking, the band did the playing and it was the bandleader himself who laid down a marker on the opening number, Charles Mingus' Jump Monk. Other members of the quintet followed in his scorched earth, post bop footsteps. It had been a scintillating start.
Cuts from the new album - Things Happened Here - featured prominently and long-time fans couldn't have failed to note the change in direction. From the swing era to bop and beyond is, for some, quite a leap. A run of original material - Dreamlane, tenor saxophonist Alec Harper's Pavane (a working title), Fugue State - showcased the talents within the band as composers and instrumentalists. Harper holds his own on the NYC scene, pianist Joe Webb knocks 'em dead with Adrian Cox, Ferg Ireland is an in-demand bassist (Ashley Henry) and drummer Will Cleasby (Judi Jackson, Mark Kavuma) possesses impossibly good chops.
The horns departed the stage to allow the rhythm section to strech out on I Cover the Waterfront and the band further reduced to one lone performer with pianist Joe Webb playing a stunning version of Ellington's Reflections in D. As the live stream ran over time Giacomo Smith thanked Ronnie's management and the 700 plus viewers and closed the show with all guns blazing on Sunnyland. Russell
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