Pete Roth (guitars);
Mike Pratt (electric bass); Bill Bruford (drums)
© Colin Muirhead
Day 2 of the Durham Jazz
Festival continued with the much-anticipated arrival of a trio founded just a
few years ago - and the return to Durham of a music legend.
I first heard Bill Bruford over 20 years ago with his band Earthworks and I was mightily impressed then. His drumming was outstanding and literally, he didn’t miss a beat. I shouldn’t have been surprised; after all, Bill had co-founded Yes in the late 1960s, played for many years in King Crimson and other bands, and was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like many others, I was saddened to hear of his retirement from performing and recording in 2009 but delighted to hear of his return to the scene as part of the Pete Roth Trio in 2022. Nevertheless, as Pete, Mike and Bill took to the stage, I wondered if I would still feel the same way about Bill’s drumming as I had all those years previously.
As soon as Bill counted
in the trio and they struck up his composition, If Summer Had Its Ghosts, I had my answer: yes! Bill was still right on it, with perfect
timing, which he maintained throughout the whole concert. Plus, it was clear that Bill was really
enjoying it, smiling at the audience and looking attentively at the other
musicians. The close interplay between the trio was a highlight of the gig.
The opening tune was the
title track of Bill’s 1997 album with Eddie Gomez and the much-missed Ralph
Towner. Whilst that trio largely stuck to “jazz”, Pete’s trio has a much
broader scope. Many of the tunes they
performed – such as Full Circle, Original Sin and Group Chat - had a strong rock influence, which fitted perfectly
with the musicians’ abilities. Pete delivered a series of excellent electric
guitar solos, demonstrating both his technical skills and his ability to convey
emotion, particularly on quieter tunes.
Notable among the latter was the band’s interpretation of Dvořák’s
famous largo; Pete, in his drole style, said that they played the music from the
Hovis advert the way Dvořák would have wanted!
Mike provided solid support throughout and stretched out with some
soulful solos.
Most of the tunes performed
also feature on the trio’s new album, Group
Chat, which is well worth checking out. For me, it’s no surprise that the
album comprises live recordings of the band. It was clear from their performance
in Durham that the trio’s spontaneity is a key strength; their music deserves
to be heard live! And the huge ovation
they received at the end of the concert showed that the large and appreciative audience
were of the same view.
So, if you haven’t yet
seen the Pete Roth Trio live, the good news is that they have plenty of dates
lined up. In particular, they will be
making a welcome return to Gosforth Civic Theatre – where they played earlier
this year – on Saturday 30 January 2027.
All in all, this was a
terrific gig! And a special bonus for me
was meeting Bill afterwards – he’s a lovely guy. Colin Muirhead
Set list included: If Summer Had Its Ghosts; Full Circle; Improvisation on the Largo from Dvořák’s Symphony #9; Just the Way the Light Falls; Original Sin; Something About the Sunrise; Group Chat; My Heart Declares a Holiday.
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