Emmet Cohen (piano); Russell Hall (double bass); Kyle Poole (drums); Evan Christopher (clarinet); Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet)
Pianist Emmet Cohen has been streaming Monday evening gigs from his NYC apartment for something like eighteen months. A European tour, stopping off at Ronnie Scott's, didn't interrupt the ongoing series. Cohen, bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole are as good a working unit as any and the week to week addition of a guest or two helps to keep things fresh. This week's episode featuring guests Evan Christopher and Jon-Erik Kellso would more than meet expectations.
The trio kicked off with a blinding take on two Monk numbers, the titles of which escaped your reviewer. No matter, this was the best thing since...since...Emmet Cohen's last live stream! Absolutely out of this world musicianship, how they do it is beyond mere mortals. And then, a first time meeting between clarinetist Evan Christopher and our host Cohen, working alongside New York resident trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso. I Surrender Dear (comp. Harry Barris) and I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (comp. Ned Washington) introduced Cohen's top flight guests. As the session developed, Christopher's ebullience came to the fore, Kellso the more reserved character but no less engaging. A brace of Fats Waller - Jitterbug Waltz (stretching way beyond the composer's original conception) and Keepin' Out of Mischief Now - gave all five musicians the opportunity to show what they could do, not least an animated Kyle Poole who sure was having fun!
Cohen's trio and guests appeared to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the set list, whatever the tune, they were right at home playing it. Live from Emmet's Place is one of the few upsides of the pandemic. How long Cohen will continue to stream gigs is anyone's guess. Catch them while you can - Mondays or catch up anytime on YouTube. Russell
Set list included: Thelonious Monk; I Surrender Dear; I'm Getting Sentimental Over You; Wild Man Blues; Jitterbug Waltz; Keepin' Out of Mischief Now; Russian Lullaby; Rockin' Chair; When I Grow Too Old to Dream.
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