Loft doubler

There were two acts at the last Loft session and quite different: Liam Budge with his intense and mellifluous vocals and a very comfy but inventive quartet, and Jono Lake playing a fusion of jazz and impressionism to launch his new solo piano CD. About as different as you could imagine, really.

First, Liam. From the first staccato notes of Squeeze me, his music was smooth and stylish. This characterisation can be deceptive because it’s seldom associated with depth in our too-commercial society, but this music was rich with invention and deep with feeling. Liam appeared in great style with a nonchalant but imposing presence. The band sat beautifully and appropriately behind him. The swings oozed groove: Luke’s piano sitting well behind the beat and Raf’s bass right over the top for a wave of swing that was ever breaking over the audience. Liam’s voice weaved through and toyed with the lines, delaying melody then breaking with quick passages, perhaps high whistles or dropping into scat. Luke’s solos moved within chords and through dissonances and Raf’s bass solos were long and lyrical and unforced, up the neck for extended thumb position lines then down with double stops. All the while with a steady, cool drum backing from Luke 2. Liam sang one original, a drifting 5/4 entitled Stop this train. Notable to me was the gentle and soulful version of Hendrix’ Little Wing (instantly recognised by a few of the older attendees) and a heavily insistent take on Bye bye blackbird in 7/4 (apparently thanks to Luke 1 for that one). He also did a take on Long ago and far away as a piano/vocal duo and an easy Tenor madness to finish up. It’s a nice throwaway that swung easily from the top. Max Williams sat in on tenor developing from easy hard-bop blues lines to rich substitutions. And Raf’s bass solo was a killer. This was a wonderfully entertaining and engrossing set (singers do that) and with some really satisfying depth to the playing.

Second, Jono Lake. From the irony of jazz lyrics to the intense solidity of grand piano and the emotional involvement of solo improvisation. Jono leads and composes for his wonderfully inventive Lakeside Circus and I’ve written about them here before. This is the composer as improviser. No doubt there is composition underlying these tunes, but the effect and immediacy of improvisation is laid bare here. The first tune was pensive and later Russian in scope and mood. The piano needed a good tuning, but the seriousness of it all was clear to hear. I expected similar for later tunes so I was surprised by what was a fairly pleasant tonal piece with straightforward interpretation for the second tune, although it, too, flirted with intensity. The third was more an impressionist solo hinting of occasional jazz syncopations. The fourth was similarly impressionistic but this time developing to a heavy, contorted stride. The final was open and thoughtful and filmic and started with something like a loose left hand ostinato but developing as mohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifre indeterminate. I lost myself in the solidity of a solo grand piano with the piercing probing of dissonant impressionism. This is compositional inquest as improvisational immediacy and I enjoyed it immensely.

Liam Budge (vocals) led a quartet with Luke Sweeting (piano), Rafael Jerjen (bass) and Luke Keanan-Brown (drums). Max Williams (tenor) sat in for two tunes. Jono Lake (piano) followed with a solo set to launch his new CD.

Cyberhalides