The Nat Cole Trio may have begat the Oscar Peterson Trio but, in truth, the begating began with the Art Tatum Trio who set the formula for the piano, guitar, bass trio that was personified in a series of recordings in 1944 recreated here by the Joe Webb Trio at this latest lunchtime session at the Lit & Phil.
And it was some session! It's been a longtime since I witnessed a standing ovation but this afternoon's was well deserved of the honour.
The hour flew past almost as fast as Webb's fingers circumnavigated the intricacies of I Know That You Know - almost.
However, it wasn't all mere - did I say mere?! - fleet of finger stuff, there were also more relaxed moments such as on that lovely tune Deep Purple. Some of the endings were quirky but, upon reflection, usually logical.
The show moves down the road to Saltburn tonight - if you hurry you could just make it. In the meantime - come back soon*.
Tremendous - Lance
I Got Rhythm; Cocktails For Two; I Ain't Got Nobody; After You've Gone; Moonglow; Deep Purple; I Would do Anything For You; Liza; Tea For Two; Honeysuckle Rose; I Know That You Know; On the Sunny Side of the Street; Soft Winds; Flying Home.
*On a more sombre note, the following insert in the concert programme brought us down to earth:
The 'Friday Lunchtime Jazz at the Lit & Phil' concert programme is funded by you, its audience. Payment at the door on the day and online advance ticket purchases make possible the monthly concert series. The Lit & Phil's understandable response to the pandemic to impose a greatly reduced socially distanced capacity audience at events has had an adverse impact on the series' finances. However, all is not lost. On September 10 there will be a fundraising concert featuring Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston. Their aptly named duo collaboration - Hand to Mouth - presents the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. Lindsay and Bradley are kindly giving their services free of charge. Please support the concert, bring along a friend, a full house would be just what Doctor Jazz ordered! One o'clock start, admission £7.00.
3 comments :
It was just fabulous , the sheer skill of all three musicians was outstanding . Joe's playing makes some perhaps better known pianists look like they have four thumbs on each hand . It also demonstrated , although we already knew , what a great musician and composer Art Tatum was . I have to echo what Lance has said, it is imperative that people get behind these concerts to ensure that the Lit and Phil can continue to stage them lets hope one of the future ones marks a return of Joe Webb.
Absolutely outstanding….what an afternoon!….Well done Russell for booking such a huge talent…
I didn't make it to the Lit and Phil but did make it to Saltburn, though not in time for the start and a well earned drink.
WOW. You ain't gettin far with Art Tatum if you ain't off the scale. We were in luck. My Art Tatum phase happened almost by accident and playing through those albums and reading the liner notes I was struck that he didn't seem to attract the same criticism as a comparable guitarist three decades later: that - despite the obvious brilliance - it was all just lots of random notes that didn't mean anything. Then I came across it.
There's a list I came across somewhere on the internet (so it must be right) that had Tatum as the greatest jazz artist ever and while I wouldn't go along with that at all, purely based on musicianship, you wouldn't bet against it.
If we ever get another government that doesn't correlate culture (and everything else) with wealth and privilege, the Culture Secretary should send this band out to every school: to show children what can be achieved, but also to warn them that - despite what they hear on the radio and people on the tele telling them they can do whatever they want - they ain't getting there without hours, days, months and years of hard work.
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