Pete Roth Trio @ The Forum Music Centre, Darlington - Jan. 27

Pete Roth (guitar); Mike Pratt (bass); Bill Bruford (drums) 

A full house on Borough Road. The attraction? Guitarist Pete Roth. The attraction, take two? Drummer Bill Bruford. The latter was the 'name'. From King Crimson to Yes to Bruford to Earthworks and more, it's likely drummer Bruford attracted an audience of 'prog rock' fans. Looking around the capacity auditorium, familiar 'jazz faces' were all but absent.

At eight thirty on the dot, Pete Roth, Mike Pratt and Bill Bruford strolled out onto the stage. Across the course of two sets (2 x 45 mins) plus not one, but two encores, Roth would address his audience after playing two numbers, then another two numbers (this would be the pattern throughout the evening). An engaging character, Roth didn't set about dominating the stage, far from it, his bandmates, bassist Mike Pratt, and the aforementioned Bruford, were very much partners in a trio performance. 

How Insensitive opened the show - how surprising! A hint at the melody and they, the trio, were off, exploring Jobim's much-loved composition. The musicians appeared to be comfortable in one another's company. Frequent eye contact and smiles flashed across the stage. Reference to, say, McLaughlin, Metheny and Scofield could serve to give some idea as to where Roth is 'coming from', as they say. However, Roth is his own man, make no mistake. Flawless technique, relatively short solo excursions, ditto Pratt and Bruford, group interplay was the thing.

A short take on Dvořák's Largo from Symphony No. 9 rang a bell with some in the hall, Roth more than happy to engage with his audience. At one juncture Roth said he liked what he had seen of Darlington. Quick as a flash, someone in the audience shouted out: Darlo! Roth: What's that? The audience member: Darlo! Just wait 'til you hear the Geordies up at Gosforth Civic Theatre! Laughter all round. Roth said he was looking forward to playing in Newcastle.*

        

Original compositions by Roth and/or the trio met with audience approval. Anything Roth played, the audience liked it. At a jazz gig, as BSH readers know only too well, solos regularly, if not routinely, receive applause. Not so here at Darlington's Forum Music Centre. On more than one occasion, one of the trio invited applause for a bandmate's solo. A prog rock audience and a jazz audience definitely aren't one and the same!

Full Circle and Dancing with Grace (for Roth's daughter) were but two original compositions during the evening which made a big impression with the audience here in Darlo. Approaching half past ten, Roth, Pratt and Bruford thought they were done for the evening. The audience had other ideas. Encore demanded, the Pete Roth Trio duly obliged.     

        

* Tickets for Pete Roth's gig at Gosforth Civic Theatre on Friday (Jan. 30) are available from: www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk. Russell

Set list included: How Insensitive (Jobim); Largo from Symphony No. 9 (Dvořák); Looking Forward to Looking Back (Roth); Full Circle (Pete Roth Trio); Dancing with Grace (Roth).