A great session tempered not just with a note of sadness but with a ten fingered chord of sadness. The sadness being that Kansas Smitty's legendary bar in Broadway Market will not reopen - the pandemic has made it no longer viable to reopen if and when anybody is allowed to reopen. Smitty's, I fear, is only the tip of the coolberg.
A brave face was put on when they announced this development, stressing that the live streams would continue 5 nights a week. This is of course good news in one sense but apart from when rain stops play - and it has to be practically a monsoon to stop your dedicated jazzer getting to a gig - there's nothing that compares with sitting/standing in a club, digging the music, nursing a glass or a bottle and making new friends.
I know that on YouTube and Facebook you can have chats, post emojis, buy your booze from the supermarket or boil the kettle but that isn't the jazz life.
This has been particularly sad for me. Smitty's has long been on my bucket list for when I next visit London but - which venue will be next?
Sorry, I've rambled on a bit without mentioning the music!
Money Jungle was possibly one of the most adventurous recordings of Duke's career. Pairing him with Max Roach and Charles Mingus on paper seemed like putting two dogs and a cat - or vice-versa - in the one room and, as such, divided the jazz community at the time (1962). Miles famously said, "Duke couldn't play with Max and Mingus and they couldn't play with him!" Even Hughie Aitchison who was an out and out Ellington completest hesitated before buying this one.
And it's true that Ellington was pushed far beyond where he'd ever been but, unlike BG when he tried to play bop, Duke came through with flying colours - as did tonight's trio.
Joe Webb's versatility is amazing for such a young player he seems to be able to cover most styles. They couldn't have press-ganged anyone better. Sachs had the easy job - he just had to cover Mingus' role. No pressure there then! Jay Kayser is a relatively new name to me, in fact I've only just picked up on her over the last few weeks - what a star!
An evening to remember for all the right and the wrong reasons.
Lance
Fleurette Africaine; Very Special; Warm Valley; Wig Wise; Caravan; Solitude; Switchblade; ? - Jas didn't announce the last number hence the question mark.
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