Gilad Atzmon (alto sax); Ross Stanley (Hammond organ); Joel Barford (drums)
A first house of two this evening and Ronnie Scott's was all but full. No mean achievement for the first week of January, especially with Storm Goretti on the horizon. Gilad Atzmon's Organology the attraction (that's alto saxophonist Atzmon, Hammond maestro Ross Stanley and the impossibly good Joel Barford, drums), it promised to be an 'I was there' occasion.
In December last year, your correspondent missed Organology's appearance at the Exchange 1856 in North Shields (reviewed by BSH's LL). And for very good reason, someone had to review Giacomo Smith's 'Ellington Nutcracker Suite' which was playing to four sold out houses at...Ronnie Scott's!
Forget Storm Goretti, here on Frith Street Gilad Atzmon was about to blow up a storm of his own. In a set largely mirroring that of his Exchange 1856 concert, our alto sax wizard opened with Mack the Knife. If anyone anticipated a straight reading of Kurt Weill's composition they were in for a rude awakening! Think Charlie Parker and post-Parker developments, Atzmon is very much part of the Bird lineage. Sammy Fain's Secret Love, Harold Arlen's My Shining Hour and other GASbook numbers were similarly given the most extraordinary workouts by Atzmon, Stanley and Barford.
Atzmon's Facing the Waves fused Trane with sounds of the Middle East. Throughout seventy five exhilarating minutes Organology sustained the highest level of musicianship, the interplay between the trio seemingly telepathic. We were listening to three master musicians at work. Atzmon was in good fettle, cracking a few jokes, at times the man himself the butt of them.
Set list included: Mack the Knife; Secret Love; Facing the Waves; There is no Greater Love; My Shining Hour; Scarborough Fair; What a Wonderful World.
No comments :
Post a Comment