Wayne Shorter, Carla Bley, Robert Mitchell

For today's Jazz a Vienne blog I would like to tell the story of the days concerts mostly in pictures.

Carla Bley and band were excellent - beautiful structured compositions, Andy Sheppard and Paolo Fresu leading sensitively at the front. Excerpts from the 'Banana Quintet', 'Rut', and 'River of Life' were just wonderful and she ended with favourite 'Ad Infinitum'. The reduction from big band to quintet seems to have distilled her music to its absolute essence.

Wayne Shorter featuring the Imani Winds were great to look at but somewhat meandering and lacking in any real direction or substance and ultimately became boring and the large crowd drifted away noticeably.
































Robert Mitchell, playing at the Jazz Mix on the other hand was in complete control. His terrific band featuring Corey Mwamba, Omar Puente and Soweto Kinch (looking so cool in his cardigan, when all around were fainting with the heat!)were right on the money. Jazzy, funky rhythms, some astonishing playing from Mitchell on the piano - and soloing from the three guests that should, to be honest, have graced the main arena.