Wayne Shorter & Brad Mehldau

One of the most anticipated evenings of the festival was tonight - a solo set from pianist Brad Mehldau and then the legendary Wayne Shorter Quartet, featuring Brian Blade (drums), Danilo Perez (piano) and John Patitucci on bass.

Mehldau was gone down the route of no photos at all either in the sound check or during his performance - so I can't share with you any of the images from his show. Needless to say it was a flawless display of solo piano easily matching Keith Jarrett in quality and technique - stand out for me was 'My Favourite things' which he played and explored quite beautifully.

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Wayne Shorter has a long and very distinguished career in jazz and in recent years has been exploring long meandering pieces with this quartet - playing fractured shards of notes, whistling and generally overseeing the interplay between the other members.

Us photographers were allowed the first three numbers to take pictures but as the first tune went on for more than 40 minutes most had left long before the end.

The evening was rounded off by another great performance from Regina Carter - this time in the intimate surroundings of the Midnight Club - unmissable!

Tonight it will be Dee Dee Bridgewater, China Moses & Raphael Lemonnier, Martin Pryker and lastly Jason Lindner featuring Edmar Castaneda - can't wait!

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.