Back in London for the second weekend of the Jazz Festival and started the evening at the soundcheck of one of my favourite performers Gilad Atzmon. Here playing his Charlie Parker tribute complete with the strings of the Sigamos Quartet. Having heard Francesco Cafiso play the same set with the strings of Perugia two years ago I am confident to say that this version was every bit as good Frank Harrison, Yaron Stavi & Asaf Sirkis excellent in support (as ever!)
Next door in the QE Hall the soundcheck for the evenings performance was underway. Tom Cawley and Ayanna Witter-Johnson were preparing for their show. I have not seen or heard Ayanna before this and was totally knocked out by her playing and her wonderful voice - but these attributes wouldbe worthless without first class material - the duo have this in bucketfulls! I really would have liked to have heard this show - Tom's piano during the soundcheck was sublime - well worth checking this duo out!
Before Tom & Ayanna came on stage we saw the might of the Jack DeJohnette/Sibongile Khumalo band in rehersal with Edition friends Jason Yarde and Byron Wallen (nice hat Byron!) - with on acoustic bass and voice, Jerome Harris - and on piano Billy Childs. Class act, beautiful songs and Sibongile has an astonishong voice full of soul and deep meaning - again this must have been one of the best double bills at the festival
...the red lead is connected to the blue lead etc etc...
something not quite right with this set up...
should I wear this hat in the gig?
Over in the Festival Hall, the double bill was started by Jose James - straight in from the US of A and warmly received by the capacity crowd - a great soulfull voice and some fantastic piano accompaniement by Robert Mitchell a real star!
After a short break we were back with the musical mayhem of Matthew Herbert - looking like he was auditioning for the role of next baddy in a soon to be made Batman movie - he controlled the big band expertly and the concert got better and better as band and crowd warmed to each other. Eska Mtungwazi looking and sounding superb!
Before heading over to Ronnie Scotts for the last show of the evening had just enough time to catch some of the Live to Europe Radio show featuring Stan Tracey, Tom Bancroft and Neil Cowley - which leads me to coment that we here in the UK must have some of the best most versatile pianists in the world at the moment.
Anyway talking of pianists lets have a great round of applause for the great John Horler, pianist to Dame Cleo for more years that he would care to mention and an outstanding musicican and great composer to boot. After such a frenetic evening is was great to sit and listen to some superb musicians playing superb music - as the old addage says there is many a good tune to be had from an old fiddle.
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