A stunning one hour set by a trio that gelled as if they'd spent a lifetime playing together which was far from the truth. Their paths had all intertwined over the years but, until this afternoon, never as a tight unit with all three working as one.
I first heard Andrea at Scarborough in 2010 at that year's jazz festival. She referred to that gig today although she didn't mention me - how remiss! - however, she did mention a Croatian guitarist called Elvis.
This afternoon, this amazing pianist played a measured programme that encompassed reimagined versions of Monk's Think of One, Someday my Prince Will Come (in 5/4) and a wonderful version of Honeysuckle Rose that began as unaccompanied stride piano before morphing into one of that tune's contrafacts - Scrapple From the Apple. When bass and drums joined the party it was like hearing the history of jazz (as I know it) in ten minutes!
You Don't Know What Love is had a slight groove feel to it. Sitting in close proximity to the piano, I noted that the lead sheet seemed to have a zillion flats! However, adjusting my bifocals, I narrowed them down to 5 (Db) - minefield averted although, to many a lesser mortal five flats is a minefield!
Tonci's Song related to her band with the Croatian Elvis and proved to be a boppy theme that had nothing to do with Gracelands.
Esperanza Spalding's arrangement of Body and Soul was certainly different and I think the jury's still out on that one although I couldn't fault the execution by all three.
Time was running out - how can an hour pass so quickly? - and the trio sent us on our way rejoicing with Blues on the Spot.
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