Giacomo Smith (alto sax, clarinet, penny whistle); Nathaniel Facey (alto sax); Alec Harper (tenor sax); Alex Garnett (tenor sax, clarinet), Jessamy Holder (baritone sax); George Hogg, ?, Pete Horsfall, Enrico Tomasso (trumpets); Dan Higham, Joe Evans, James Wade-Sired (trombones); Joe Webb (piano); Anders Fjeldsted (double bass); Snorre Kirk (drums)
Kansas Smitty's wonderful series of lockdown live stream performances included a memorable performance of Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite. That was Christmas Day 2020, fast forward to December 2023 and several of the musicians from those lockdown times - nine in total - were here on Frith Street alongside a raft of others drafted in for the occasion. The Kansas Smitty's Big Band would present two sold out performances - an early evening first house followed by a second, do-it-all-again, second house.
The streets of Soho were, as usual, a hive of activity. The neon sign above the door to Ronnie Scott's glistened in early evening drizzle, it's likely some/many of those in the queue were former Kansas Smitty's lockdown patrons. Once inside, the place was buzzing. A seat at the bar, a Camden Pale Ale ordered, musicians and punters mingled - 'hello' to Joe Webb, an introduction to Jack Abraham (Kansas Smitty's affable live stream compere).
MC Giacomo Smith assembled an all-star ensemble including Kansas Smitty's mainstays Alec Harper, Pete Horsfall and Joe Webb, live stream guest favourites Nat Facey, Dan Higham and Rico Tomasso and, from Scandinavia, ace drummer and bandleader Snorre Kirk and bassist Anders Fjeldsted. The evening's concert opened with Smith out front playing clarinet on a swinging After You've Gone. Ellington's 9:20 Special swung like crazy, Nat Facey stepped up to play an amazing extended take on Jeep's Blues. Brilliant!
All sections were firing: the reeds (Smith, Facey, Alec Harper on tenor, a Ronnie's fixture in the shape of one Alex Garnett, and anchoring the section, Jessamy Holder, baritone; the trumpet section, including Horsfall, Tomasso and George Hogg (impressing big time up in the stratosphere on Brazilian Sleigh Bells) and the 'bones of Higham flanked by Joe Evans and James Wade-Sired.
Ellington's Pitter, Panther, Patter introduced Anders Fjeldsted. Our Scandinavian bassist and drummer Snorre Kirk caught an early morning flight to London. One would have thought they'd been in the band and on the London jazz scene for years. Such is their talent they fitted in seamlessly. Rico Tomasso, with Pete Horsfall alongside, hit the jackpot on Snake Rag. Cue huge applause.
Dan Higham came to the attention of BSH thanks to the Kansas Smitty's lockdown sessions. Not long out of college (Royal Academy), Higham has already worked with Alan Barnes and Wynton Marsalis - you don't get the call for jobs like those if you ain't got it! In the spotlight here at Ronnie's Higham reaffirmed his growing status with a magnificent reading of Stardust.
The Kansas Smitty's rhythm section on stage here at Ronnie Scott's was one to die for - the great Joe Webb, piano, Anders Fjeldsted, double bass, and the mightily impressive Snorre Kirk, a master musician (immaculate use of brushes and a great sense of time).
It was down to Alex Garnett to keep an eye on the clock, nudging Giacomo Smith to get a move on (a second house audience was massing outside on Frith Street). And move on they did with the centrepiece of the evening, Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite. The nine or so sections from Ellington's 1960 album were played without pause, the ensemble as one. Running well over time, Smith wanted to play on. The 'management' wanted to admit the second house. Smith promised a short one to finish. Pete Horsfall made his way to the front of the stage. MC Smith thanked one and all, band and audience, it had been a marvellous evening. Horsfall and co sent us on our way with a sublime take on Irving Berlin's What'll I Do. Russell
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