It was back in 2011 when I first heard Starace live. Since then many of his albums have graced these pages and not a lemon amongst them!
Live at the Beaver Inn captures the best of both worlds - the excitement and the spontaneity of a live gig coupled with the expert mixing and mastering (by Anthony Galatis at Uptown Studios) of an in-house recording.
After an introduction by Peter Hames, organiser of the North Devon Jazz Club's sessions at the Beaver Inn, picturesquely set on the Torridge estuary, the trio take flight on Monk's We See. Starace is on fire and the flame is fanned by Jenkins and Harbon.
Sergio Mendes' Groovy Samba has Starace again igniting the room with Harbon successfully mixing the Brazilian rhythms with equally complex bebop breaks.
Firm Roots, a composition by pianist Cedar Walton, has a catchy head that provides the perfect launching pad for the Italian virtuoso to display his musical mastery. Jenkins hits a good groove before we're back to that catchy head. However, Harbon reminds us that he too is a part of the band taking it out with a lengthy solo.
Benny Golson's Stablemates with its changing patterns is always good to hear and all three stamp their brand on the tune with extended solos setting it up to take on all-comers. All seven tracks are excellent but, for me, this one aces it.
Time to cool it and in what better way than with Erroll Garner's Misty? I know everybody and his cat (I once had a cat of that name) has worked their magic on the tune but few have done it better than the Tommaso Starace Organ Trio. Listen to that closing alto cadenza and gasp!
Fungii Mama by Blue Mitchell is one of those Latin/calypso tunes I've known for years without knowing the title. Now I know! The band know it too - they take it to Trinidad and back via 52nd St. - as was - soloing as if it were the eve of Armageddon.
The 57:49 minutes playing time arrives after another roller-coasting journey, this time on Kenny Barron's Voyage.
An excellent album worthy of the vintage Blue Note or Prestige labels.
This begs the question as to when are we going to hear these guys in the north east? Lance
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