It was with a sense of trepidation that I approached the entrance to Sage Two at the Glasshouse. The prophets of doom had warned me that it would be beyond my comprehension.
Age-wise it was a more varied
audience than usually turns up at a jazz gig and my antiquity showed when I
presented a paper ticket as opposed to my phone. The word Luddite sprung to mind as I sheepishly made my way in.
The audience knew what they were here for and whooped and hollered before a note had been blown in anger. I, Luddite that I am, allowed myself a polite hand-clap.
The music began and I sat bemused as Croker played a few long notes then twiddled some knobs on a forbidding looking array of electronic devices. This first five minutes seemed like an hour and then, AND THEN! It suddenly erupted when King took the Steinway, the Nord and the Rhodes to the cleaners and back. This guy was playing more piano than I'd heard from any ten other pianists combined. Petinaud on drums was soloing even when he wasn't soloing inspiring Croker to leave the toy box and blow the best trumpet solo I'd heard since hearing Roy Hargrove all those years ago. On bass, Wheeler kept it all together. His day would come in the second set.
The bells and whistles hadn't disappeared but they were now an integral part of the performance as opposed to their initial irritation.
The second set opened with a long and rather beautiful bass solo. Croker, now my favourite trumpet player (sorry Wynton), like most American jazzers also had a good line in patter as well as in picking tune titles. He described I Really Want You to Stay Overnight But I've Only Got One Pillow as a love song. Maybe it was but it didn't come out of Tin Pan Alley or the Brill Building.
When the room was burning and the flames were getting higher it crossed my mind that perhaps Miles had been reincarnated. Whatever, this was one of the most memorable gigs I've witnessed. I went in with misgivings and left with only givings. A whole truckload of them and all gratefully received. Lance
PS: For the vociferously demanded encore, he sang Never Let Me Go - very appropriate.
1 comment :
What a great write-up Lance. Your enthusiasm is infectious. Sounds like a really memorable evening. Sorry I couldn't be there.
Jen
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