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| (© Pam) |
Jean Toussaint (tenor sax); Jonathan Gee (piano); Mutale Chashi (bass/bass guitar); Ben Brown (drums).
This was almost the gig of the year - almost! Every saxophone player on the planet should have been there, marvelling at the tone and technique of a jazz legend, and quite a few of them were there.
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| (© Pam) |
However, the problem I faced was the gig's concept theme - Songs for Sisters, Brothers and Others - which didn't quite work for me laudable as the idea was.
Composed during lockdown, each piece represented one of his siblings - and there were a few - as well as a town in Spain. Unlike, for example, Ellington's Sophisticated Lady where the title says it all these compositions could have been applied to anyone. A few introductory words relating to the subject's personality would have made it easier for me to connect them to the music.
Nevertheless, that aside, they were good tunes anyway although the programming could have been better. To include a potentially showstopping extended drum solo on the second number in, seemed somewhat strange. This was a number to go out on with all guns blazing!
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| (© Pam) |
Likewise, the only non-original piece, God Bless the Child, paid scant attention to the melody. Chashi switched over to electric bass and Brown played a jazz rock tempo. It was great, it was exciting but not quite what Billie Holiday had in mind when she made the original recording way back in 1941.
Still, overall, it was an enjoyable evening and I hope it won't be over ten years before he returns* Lance
2 comments :
Great review Lance --- agree re the timing of the show-stopping drum solo and yes... what a difference it would have made just to have had a few words of the sibling's personalities!
Great review Lance,but have got to say I loved that version of God Bless the Child. He definitely stated the original melody twice because I was (quietly) singing along, delighted by the funk feel.
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