Daniel Casimir Big Band @ Cheltenham Jazz Festival - May 2

Mark Armstrong, Sean Gibbs, Andy Davis, Freddie Gavita (trumpets); Kieran McLeod, Joe Bristol, Tom Dunnet, Richard Foote (trombones); Donovan Haffner, Camilla George  (alto saxophone); Chelsea Carmichael, Flo Redmond (tenor saxophone); James Beckwith (piano); Jamie Murray (drums); Daniel Casimir (bass); Ria Moran (vocals); Binker Golding (conductor)

In recent years it has been almost impossible to pick up an album that was recorded in that London and find that Daniel Casimir was not playing bass on it. Small groups, large ensembles, Mr Casimir was the top of the list of guns for hire and he brought his large ensemble, a 16 piece Big Band and crammed them onto the stage at The Parabola with barely room to slide a cigarette paper between them. The opener, Music not numbers, provided everything I’d hope for as the band made a big, bold statement of intent from the off, as tight as could be. This sound and fury broke to allow an alto solo, the pianist throwing Stan Tracey shapes; the rhythm section forge forwards as other sections of the band are folded in in a supporting role that raises the heat. This Band is a bit of a beast.

The jaunty opening to Don’t be Afraid, again shows this layering before the trumpet breaks from the centre; the tenor exchanges with the alto before the trumpet soars again and the rest of the Band rise to their level and fold them back in with the trombones taking the lead in lifting the Band up. Casimir’s pile driving bass is excellent. Ria Moran’s lovely warm tones lead I’ll Take my Chances, the tune anchored by Casimir’s bubbling bass; a tenor solo rises and rides, losing nothing of the humanity in its voicing. A tight, optimistic, intimate piano solo still glows as the rest of the Band come in. they seem to drag slightly behind the vocal, reinforced by the busy bass guitar lines.

Casimir leads us into Balance, laying down a complex bass line as the music grows and grows before the trumpet takes off with the trombones in close pursuit. It all drops down for Casimir to assemble a solo from short fragments over minimal drumming and piano punctuation. The trombones come in softly as the bass rocks and flows. A late night piano solo dances with a few more oblique phrase added to the mix. The tenor picks up at the end of the piano solo as full force drums add increased energy. The full Band sound grows organically as the trumpets provide a closing clarion which becomes a series of over the top ‘shout-outs.’ 

Just a Little Bit is inspired by the early stages of love, we are told. It seems like the tone is torn between hope and caution, opening joyously but then being undercut by some sinuous blues. It’s romantic in a soulful 70s way. An excellent extended alto solo is pushed on by the drums as a sharp edged trumpet takes the lead, still with the drums, increasingly ferocious, forcing it onward and upward before a gentler, more subdued tenor solo, which in turn is challenged by the energetic drumming as the trumpets fold in in support. It’s all about the dynamics across the sections of the band and how the different voices work together as a single character within the Band. Letting go is more soul with a rich bed of trombones and saxes and a muted trumpet singing along; George’s alto solo is long and lyrical leading up to a melodic closing passage; as before the trumpet escapes and climbs and, again, the rest of the Band power up to fold it back in.

Closer In Search for Goldilocks sees Casimir back on acoustic bass opening the piece with a knotty, meaty solo with Mingus-ish elements; the full trombone section’s roaming is softened by the saxes but the energy levels are maintained. A sudden stop and then the Band are all in and it feels like we are in the eye of the storm. A rapid series of solos, a full phat trombone, a piercing trumpet and pummelling drums takes us to another dead stop and then the Band comes back in even more energetically than before. Wide smiles from the audience. We have been entertained. 

Music Not Numbers, Don’t be Afraid, I’ll Take my Chances, Balance, Just a little bit, Let me know, In search for Goldilocks

Dave Sayer (With thanks to Daniel Casimir who provided the names of all the musicians and the set list)