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| © Russell |
It was warm, not as warm as it has been, thank goodness, but just warm enough to ensure cooling cokes and craft beers were purchased in abundance.
Extra seats were made available as the performance space filled up and the music began. Alan Law is probably my favourite pianist working the north east jazz scene. His ability to develop a solo from ppp to fff is a delight to behold.
However, this afternoon we saw a different side to his playing. A more introspective approach. A searching, probing, exploration of the infinite harmonic material at his finger tips. A different chord, an alternative voicing. Try it this way, try it that way, keep it, discard it, try it in a different key on a different tune at a different venue where your thought process isn't interrupted by a voice giving out cryptic messages such as 'a replacement bus service will run between ...'
Paul Grainger was, as ever, anchoring the harmonies and soloing at length his approach very melodic whilst Rob Walker challenged the posh new metro trains to drown him out - they didn't. If the energy released by drummers could be channelled into the National Grid then electricity bills would be a thing of the past.
This was one of the most enjoyable Tuesday afternoon I've had in many a long day's listening.
I didn't catch all of the tunes but among them were: My Funny Valentine; I Got Rhythm; I Thought About You; Alone Together; Bye Bye Blackbird; Solar and Autumn Leaves.
The Alan Law Trio are back at the Ticket Office next Tuesday @ 2:30pm. Lance
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