Review: Jef Neve & Pascal Schumacher/Jef Neve Trio

Jef Neve & Pascal Schumacher/Jef Neve Trio
(Pizza Express, Dean Street, Saturday 19th November. LJF2011. Review by Tom Gray)

In two very contrasting Saturday night sets at the Pizza Express, Belgian pianist Jef Neve demonstrated why his stock has steadily been rising in Europe over the last decade.

Neve opened the evening in a duo with the vibraphonist from Luxembourg Pascal Schumacher. While their meticulously arranged compositions and sheer virtuosity may have outbalanced the sense of improvisational daring, this set nevertheless had a lot going for it.

On ‘Together at Last’ (based on the chord progression to ‘Alone Together’), Neve and Schumacher’s neatly intertwined contrapuntal lines had shades of Chick Corea and Gary Burton. Obvious reference points were harder to identify on the Asian-tinged ‘Almalyk’, which was cinematic in the breadth of atmospheres it evoked in its meandering through-composed form.

Rather than the considerable dexterity on display, what really impressed was this pair’s command of dynamics, ranging from hushed pianissimo sections in which they coaxed full attention from the audience, through to huge fortissimo swells of sound. The only misstep to my ears was a rather too pristine rendition of Bud Powell’s be-bop classic ‘Hallucinations’ which left me wanting for something a bit closer to the raw, driving spirit of the original.

Happily the second set from Jef Neve’s trio, powered by Ruben Samama on bass and Teun Verbruggen on drums, had this in abundance. The close connection to European romantic composers in Neve’s music and his keen ear for a lyrical phrase coupled with a blistering technique makes comparison with Brad Mehldau inevitable. On a more superficial level, so did his posture at the piano at times, hunched over like a question mark with his elbows pointedly raised.

However, much of the appeal of Neve’s trio was that it didn’t take itself too seriously, offering self-depreciating laughter at ideas that didn’t quite pay off and letting its hair down on the euphoric vamps that concluded several numbers such as ‘Endless DC’. The contributions of New Yorker Samama stood out in particular - on top of his fine bass playing, his looped backing vocals and electronic manipulations generally enhanced the music more than they distracted from it. In a world that some may consider to be overcrowded with piano trios, this group puts forward a compelling case that they deserved to be heard.

jefneve.be

Review: Deborah Brown

Deborah Brown. Photo from kcjazzlark

Deborah Brown
(Pizza Express Dean Street, first night of three. Review by Sarah Ellen Hughes.)

What a voice. Kansas City-born Deborah Brown is billed as “simply one of the greatest jazz singers in the world.” I have to say I totally agree. She got it right from the start. Charismatic, confident, becoming and thoughtful, she addressed the audience wittily and with ease.

After an instrumental, Rodgers and Hart's My Romance, she and the trio (Barry Green, piano, Jeremy Brown, bass and Stephen Keogh, drums) opened with Wonderful World. It was a totally honest delivery, with so much body and tone. It’s wonderful to hear a singer scatting with lyrical integrity and developing musical ideas, not just producing bop-lick after bop-lick.

The set was full of creatively arranged standards – an unusually re-harmonised Mood Indigo was her nod to Duke Ellington. She’s clearly capable of belting a note or two, but she delivered this with understated grace and subtlety.

She has utter control of her instrument. She doesn’t just automatically sing, but thinks about which twists and turns and felicitations will fit the mood, lyrics and feel of the song. Thus each song is different. This was reflected right down to the scatting – which didn’t showcase all her ideas and range in one song. Each solo was highly individual, crafted for each individual melody.

On Devil May Care, Deborah and bassist Jeremy Brown took an extended chorus together. Here she really ripped it up and we were treated to a range nearing 3 octaves alongside an explosive treatment of the tune. They repeated this duet situation later, and again to great effect, in I’m Satisfied, proof that you can never have too much of a good thing.

Another notable arrangement was that of What Is This Thing Called Love – a tune which most people (NYJO notably!) play or sing at fast-as-we- can, see-you-at-the-end tempo. But the original manuscript for this song has the direction “slow and tortured,” which makes sense, considering the lyrics are all about the desperation felt after someone has left you for another. So thank goodness for singers like Deborah Brown, who gave it a Caravan-type vibe and a much slower delivery than is commonly employed.

The highlight for me was a moving In a Sentimental Mood – which everyone was talking about afterwards – a delicious interpretation of the tune, and the sort of thing Dexter Gordon might have played.

It’s a great shame the house wasn’t full – although there was a star-studded audience with the likes of Ian Shaw and Tina May in attendance. Deborah Brown is on again tonight, and there are two shows on Saturday. Go! She's worth it.

deborahbrownjazz.compizzaexpresslive.co.uk

Three shots of Watts (Charlie Watts at Pizza Express)

Charlie Watts. Photo credit; Roger Thomas

Three shots from sounds like one of the great nights at Pizza Express last night. Charlie Watts, on the first of two nights with his ABC of Boogie Woogie Band, including Dave Green on bass, and vocalist Lisa Ammons (granddaughter of Albert, niece of Gene).

Review: Tommy Smith's Karma

Review: Tommy Smith's Karma
(Pizza Express, April 28th 2011, review and photos by Roger Thomas)

In the photo I tried to capture one of those contempative, meditative Zen moments, with Tommy Smith crouching hidden next to the piano, musing as the band played on. I smiled as the thought came to me that perhaps he's been overcome by thoughts of his own Karma. Looking around at the audience, that mood had communicated to them, people were still, transfixed, caught in their own inner thoughts.

This show was dedicated to the performance of tracks from his latest album, Karma. Jazz improvisation, and sounds reminiscent of Weather Report were mixed with Indian rhythms, the rituals of Japan, but there is also a chilled urban feel, tasteful electronic keyboards and funky/hip-hoppish drumming.

The arrangements were thought-provoking and showed a great understanding of how to combine all of these disparate elements. Smith has written specificially for musicians whom he knows well - which added to the distinct character of each composition.

Tommy is now the musician's musician, at least to judge by the number of colleagues who were not just present, but were also clearly showing their appreciation of, and admiration for this new project. They weren't alone in that: this is one album I will definitely be buying.



Personnel: Tommy Smith - Tenor sax, Shakuhachi; Steve Hamilton - Piano/Keyboards; Kevin Glasgow - six string bass guitar; Alyn Cosker - Drums.

Karma is on Spartacus Records

Review: Daryl Sherman

Daryl Sherman Trio
(Pizza Express Dean Street, 26th April 2011, Review by Frank Griffith)

Cafe Society comes to Soho. New Englander, and now NYC-based jazz chanteuse and pianist Daryl Sherman, brought her own blend of that culture to Soho's Pizza Express on Tuesday.

A frequent visitor to our shores since 1999, her trio, consisting of Howard Alden on guitar and Brit bassman Dave Green, had previously racked up many seasons at Pizza on the Park, Hyde Park's recently closed venue. As a result, she has migrated to the flagship venue for modern jazz, Pizza Express, Dean Street. The lighting, table layout, room shape and general ambiance were much more conducive at the POTP for the song and storytelling kind of menu that this artiste delivers.

Sherman's chat and anecdotes contribute nearly as much to the show as do the actual songs and jazz. The seamless segue and interplay between these two elements works wondrously in her hands. The audience is simultaneously entertained, and educated about the lives and classic offerings of the British and American songsmiths.

Hailing from Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Daryl has deep roots in thism nusic. Her father, Sammy Sherman, a restaurateur, doubled on trombone and violin. She forged longtime musical associations with other jazzers from that area such as Dave McKenna, Ruby Braff, Harry Allen and the sadly missed cornetist, author and general knower of all things, Richard Sudhalter.

She took the theme of April songs for a medley ("I'll Remember April" and Bill Evans' "In April"). Another sequence, interspersed with eloquent anecdotes, consisted of four Johnny Mercer songs in succession, including "Jeepers Creepers" and a pair of his Dream titles, all of which were sung with aplomb.

At one point Daryl rose from the piano and took centre stage to deliver a heart-rending reading of Burton Lane's "Too late Now". Her eye contact with the audience, body language with the band and general stage presence had risen in exponential proportions. Perhaps having freed herself from the piano helped her up the ante in attaining a poignancy in delivery, a touch of magic..

Sherman also writes well-crafted and characerful trio arrangements which leave plenty of space for solos. She is no mean pianist, both as accompanist and soloist. Her vertical "hopping in place" motion in time to the beat is a sight to behold-which is in keeping with her scamp-like improvisations mixing light asides and riff trading with Alden and Green. both of whom are driving soloisits in their own right. Dave Green's bass feature, Oscar Pettiford's "Laverne Walk," was a worthwhile diversion from the songfest, as Green put Alden and himself through their paces on this rarely heard jazz classic.

Cafe Society indeed. A dying art to some perhaps, but in Ms Sherman's case, in ever so able hands. A true celebration of melodies, language and songdom.

Daryl Sherman's next London appearance is at The Pheasantry in Chelsea on 5th May. Bookings at pizzaexpresllive.co.uk

Review: Stiefel and Simcock/ Herman and Cawley

Left to right: Simcock, Herman, Cawley, Stiefel

Piano Duets: Christoph Stiefel and Gwilym Simcock/ Yaron Herman and Tom Cawley
(Pizza Express Dean Steet, April 16th 2011, early set. Part of Steinway Two Piano Festival. Review by Jeanie Barton)

This was an ear expanding yet nostalgic evening for me. The four-hand configuration could not help sounding like Rachmaninov (his massive hands were able to cover the interval of a thirteenth on the keyboard - a hand span of approximately twelve inches). During the late 90s I listened to little else, and this evening’s pairing of Christoph Stiefel with Gwilym Simcock and Yaron Herman with Tom Cawley reignited my piano passion.

The first set saw Christoph Stiefel (from Zurich) face Gwilym Simcock (from Bangor). They proceeded to blur the lines between classical and jazz with Gwilym’s composition These Are The Good Days. The rolling rhythmic keys somehow evoked Europe and Russia’s romantic masters; this might have been down to Christoph’s national identity (coincidentally during the 30s Rachmaninov made Switzerland his home, he also wished to be buried there although his death during the second world war made this impossible) or by Gwilym’s own influence of classical composers like Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky. They share a love of experimental technique also; Christoph bowed a string which sounded rather like a raw violin or fiddle and Gwilym’s percussion inside the piano frame added tension and a contemporary edge to the instrument. Another number saw Christoph lay a straw on the stings to create a harpsichord effect which bought to my mind Nina Rota’s score for Fellini’s Il Casanova - an eerie sound.

In and Out of Order by Christoph employed a technique called Isorhythm (where the same rhythmic and tonal pattern is repeated) in this case in 6/4 time, upon which Gwilym layered a heavy R&B groove, somehow making the piano frame sound like a double bass. There were also moments of sensitivity with a drop of pace when both pianists seemed bird-like, communicating with soft feathery touches. It appeared that a lot of rehearsal had gone into this presentation, only being able to communicate with their eyes, shoulders and heads, they never the less played complex changes and rhythms simultaneously.

Tom Cawley - like Gwilym Simcock - first attended Chetham’s music school in Manchester and then the Royal Academy of Music; Yaron Herman is an Israeli who studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and now lives in Paris. Their set opened in a contrasting gentle style with Yaron’s Blossom. Evocative of music from the early 19th century it built with Michael Nyman-like intensity before ebbing back to a genteel waltz. Tom voiced their concern that Gwilym and Christoph would have been rehearsing so his and Yaron’s response was to buy matching T-shirts so they at least looked as one. They did blend superbly but in more of a call and response way than with intensive layering, however they did shell each other, Yaron taking the outer register of keys and Tom filling the mid range or vice versa, there was more of a sense of improvisation and space and their communication was evident in their super-mobile faces, which also added to the duet’s comedy.

They were very inventive too, employing more contemporary techniques; creating dead key knocks by muting the strings with their palms also Yaron sang along, somehow making kazoo-like noises. Quotes were exchanged from I Loves You Porgy and Get Happy, with Gospel enthused harmonies and Latin/Salsa grooves. Their last number, Radiohead’s haunting composition No Surprises, had the audience in raptures. I felt it took me full circle, sounding strangely like the close to the second movement of Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto.


Pizza Express Live