Greg Abate @ Wakefield Jazz - Nov. 18

Greg Abate (alto sax/flute); Andrzej Baranek (piano); José Canha (bass); John Settle (drums) +  Pete Rosser (piano) on Recorda Me and Summertime.

I’d never been to Wakefield before but my friend Jeff told me that there were many roundabouts to negotiate and he was not wrong. The sat-nav was on overdrive!  Still, it was well worth the two hour drive in cold rainy conditions to see sax maestro Greg Abate who was nearing the end of a UK tour that was not without its own problems such as train cancellations and the other things that make being a travelling jazz musician a somewhat stressful occupation. In view of this he told me before the gig started that next year he had decided to only do one UK tour in November and thus will not be here in July.

Observations about the gig: 

I have heard Greg many times and he is always on top form but tonight I thought he surpassed himself - the ideas just kept on coming. This could well be my favourite live gig of 2022.

Andrzej Baranek who I usually see playing keyboards on local gigs was in his high-octane bebop mood and it was great to see and hear him on the house Yamaha grand piano. If only all jazz venues had similar instruments!

John Settle  on drums did all that was required and together with José Canha a Portuguese bass player, they did a great job in anticipating Greg’s every move. Not an easy task as Greg is often apt to change tempos when the mood takes him which he did on an amazing rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s Night in Tunisia.

It was nice meeting Greg’s partner Kerry who had flown in recently and I hope she enjoyed the night as much as I did. 

I was surprised to find that Greg did fifteen numbers including a hip version of Happy Birthday which he dedicated to John Settle’s mother who was in the audience.

This was the perfect evening of modern jazz and thanks must be given to promoter/musician and compere Pete Rosser for getting every thing just right including the PA sound.

Closer to home, the next Railway jazz gig is tomorrow (Sunday Nov. 20) with  the Frank Griffith Quartet. Mike Farmer

 

Yardbird Suite; My Little Suede Shoes; Chelsea Bridge; Confirmation; I Remember You; Ceora; Voyage; Recorda Me; Summertime; Happy Birthday; Satin Doll; Star Eyes; Georgia On My Mind; Groovin’ High; A Night in Tunisia.