(Screenshots by Ken Drew).
Another duo set. This time it's Will Barry and Jonny Mansfield reviving a classic album by Chick Corea and Gary Burton. Mansfield, I'm reminded, gigged at the Jazz Café in Newcastle's Pink Lane with Jam Experiment marginally over 5 years ago. This was during that transitional period between the death of Keith Crombie and "The Caff's" move to the nearby Black Swan.
One feature not so fondly remembered about the Pink Lane venue was the piano which constantly needed tuning. This was a similarity it shared with tonight!
Fortunately, Barry has enough savvy to paper over the instrument's shortcomings although tonight it was commented on by one of the sidebar pundits. It still sounded good. I guess Barry could have even made the Pink Lane piano sound good!
Mansfield isn't the first name that springs to mind when you think of UK vibraphonists but, judging by tonight's performance, it should be. Together the duo did Corea and Burton proud which, given the complexity of some of the tunes, was no mean feat.
The material came from the album Crystal Silence although, strangely, they didn't play the title track - or did they and I missed it as I went off in search of a bottle opener?
Señor Mouse; Desert Air; Children's Song and What Game Shall We Play Today? were all composed by Corea who, sadly, died just recently. For whatever reason, Burton didn't provide any numbers although Steve Swallow chipped in with Arise, Her Eyes; I'm Your Pal and Falling Grace.
Not a bad way to spend a lockdown Saturday.
Lance
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