Tim Garland and Geoffrey Keezer @ Capstone Theatre - February 26

Tim Garland (saxophones);  Geoffrey Keezer (piano}

This concert opened Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) 2026 hosted by the Capstone Theatre although there is a LIJF Fringe running concurrently featuring primarily local jazz musicians at different venues. Both musicians needed little introduction. Tim Garland has been one of the UK’s finest sax players for many decades and a renowned composer. Geoffrey Keezer born in Wisconsin, a Grammy winner and world class pianist, composer and bandleader. This concert was the second of three in three days the first at King's Place in London on 25 February to launch the album Mezzo. The duo played all tracks from the album which has a splendid front cover designed by Tim’s partner.

Both musicians draw from modern jazz and classical concert music. Tim played at this concert his mezzo soprano sax of which he said there were only about 20 in the world, soprano and tenor sax and effortlessly moved between these instruments sometimes within the same tune. Whilst after the concert I have listened to the album which was released on 27 February it was good to hear introductions to each tune which made the music more meaningful.

Both musicians are virtuosos on their respective instruments and masters of improvisation. Many tracks off the album are originals. Others by other artists. La Fiesta is a Latin jazz tune composed by Chick Corea in whose band Tim played for 17 years. Gnossienne is a jazzy version of Eril Satie’s Gnossienne No 1 and another track on the album is the jazz standard Every Time We Say Goodbye composed by Cole Porter. The tune Out of Towner is an homage to the American guitarist Ralph Towner with whom Tim played for many years and who sadly passed away in January 2026.

A favourite of mine from the concert was the track from the album Ghost in a Photograph which segued into Ralph Towner’s tune Beneath an Evening Sky.

The album is well worth a listen. A brilliant concert by two amazingly talented musicians and composers.

The Festival continues until Sunday 1 March. On Friday David Helbock and Julia Hofer played. Other artists appearing include on Saturday are Zoe Rahman. Arun Ghosh and Robert Mitchell’s Little Black Book. On Sunday there is a solo guitar concert by Martin Taylor and in the evening the Marius Neset Quartet perform. As part of the Fringe Festival on Saturday at Commune, Constance Street, Liverpool from 4pm –6pm there is Jazz and Cake with the Frank Griffith Ensemble. Richard Morris

Set list: To the One Who Flies; A Prayer at Winter; Out of Towner; Gnossienne; Daily Avenue; The Waves Between; Carousel; Ghost in a Photograph/Beneath an Evening Sky, La Fiesta; Every Tme we Say Goodbye

The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool Hope University Creative Campus, 17 Shaw Street, Liverpool L6 1HP  www.capstone@hope.ac.uk

ALBUM REVIEW.