Trios

The Loft was in piano trio mode: Clare Dawson playing Herbie Hancock and Tate Sheridan playing his own music. Tate went second, but I’ll talk of him first. Enough said that I left in awe. I wasn’t the only one who had little to say after a stunningly mature student concert. Mature in concept, in composition, in improvisation. Tate is quiet on stage, respectful and deep in thought and interests, and these are expressed in his compositions as well as his respectful presence. Poetry, history and spirit all made an appearance, as well as influences and styles of some key pianists of influence.
I noted early his powered, adventurous, virtuosic playing. Classical in approach, chordal and full handed but with melody appearing in left or right hand, modal and symmetrical in improvisation, dynamic at both structural and improvisatory levels, expansive in use of the whole range of the keyboard and free with time as solo lines based on triplets or sixteenth or eighth notes rippled over extended phrases and plays with anticipations and delays. His Run don’t walk was influenced by Keith Jarrett’s ‘70s Cuban playing. His Onward onward was a ballad inspired by a poem from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of grass accompanying a recorded reading of the poem in Jason Moran style. His Please no questions was written to explore melody in two hands after hearing Brad Mehldau, with right and left hands playing a parallel melody an octave apart, then dropping into a heavily swung, straight ahead blues for solos, then ending with half time staccato unison passage and a return to the full time melody. Final hour, capturing the Mad Trapper recounts the longest chase on record, a chase of 250 miles after the bushranger, the Mad Trapper. This was a repeating 6x4 eighth-note passage sounding like steady pacing, with interspersed smashes and chords and accelerandos and rests and staccatos and a final, sudden stop as he’s presumably caught. Grace was slow: not religious but seeking and mellow and questioning. Speed dating was a head in three parts: sparing staccato right and left hand unaccompanied piano, then heavy, bluesy, syncopated groove, then swing, leading to solos and an end with the piano dissolving then returning to the head. An intriguing structure, even with swing solos. This was Tate’s night but his trio members deserve a mention. Max was playing a newly purchased, old German bass. Despite unknown strings but with strong hands, it sounded great. He is playing maturely these days, solid and reliable in accompaniment and expansive, full ranged, sometime playful in improv. James was obviously observant, watching Tate and exchanging glances with Max and well integrated with the tunes and with an idiomatic boomy kick drum. Suffice to say, this was a stunning outing and I was not the only one to leave the night with unusual quiet and respect.

Clare Dawson introduced the evening with a set of Herbie Hancock tunes. It means nothing to say these were interesting compositions. Jessica, a ballad with harmonically-enriched cycles. Some heavy loping swing in And what if I don’t. The melodically infectious Toys from Speak like a child. A grooving, smooth Calypso. The modal Eye of a hurricane from Maiden voyage. There was lots of ground covered here. I enjoyed Clare’s firm, even hard, touch, her use of repetition, her solid swing and bluesy hard bop chords and rolling arpeggios, her melodic sense. Max was again grooving in walks and sweet and expressive in solos and Luke was tempered and respectful in accompaniment.

The piano trio is a key format for modern jazz but it’s diverse in its character. I’ve seen three over recent days and enjoyed them all. Raf’s updated traditionalism; Clare’s respectful modernism; Tate’s stunning contemporary originality. All great pleasure and inspiration. Tate Sheridan (piano) led his trio with Max Alduca (bass) and James O’Donnell (drums) at the Loft. Clare Dawson (piano) introduced the night with her trio comprising Max Alduca (bass) and Luke Keanan-Brown (drums).

Pitching the alto

I asked Matt Handel if he’d transcribed the performances he played at his history of alto sax retrospective, but he said he hadn’t. It fitted with Luke’s comment that Matt has a memory. I was educated and enlightened by Matt’s interpretations of favourite works by favourite alto players. This was not new music or original. It was an exploration of different styles and different players, and Matt’s renditions were profoundly diverse and indicated his immersion in these key players. Who were they? The first was a delightful, purely lyrical rendition of Johnny Hodges playing In a mellow tone. It was so beautiful, like language, unforced but with occasional devastating runs that fell for the horn. I noticed this with several other players – a willingness to enjoy melody, playing slowly, delight in intervals, but also the skills to pull of lengthy and emotive flourishes. But that’s what solo development is about. Phil Woods’ Strollin’ with Pam was more recent, still in the mainstream but street-wise and abandoned. Charlie Parker took us back the birth of the modern with ‘40s bop. Matt’s Eric Dolphy was from Berlin in 1961 and was tortured and blues-influenced and generously dissonance with every note plumbing depths of spirit. I think this was my most striking amongst a varied bunch. Next was Cannonball Adderley with Spectacular from 1957, a superb shower of frolicking consonance. After the break was Art Pepper’s Ophelia from 1957, rooted but with an easy readiness to depart from the ordinary. Then Kenny Garrett’s [Woody] Shaw, all Arabic scales in constant lines. The second set also had some local flavour. Matt studied with Tony Gorman for several years so his Spice Island was authentic: all mesmeric and dreamy with a melody that discombobulated my ears when I expected a tone and got a semitone. Matt’s Tony-solo was stunning too: quietly interpretative but then rabidly released. Next was a heavy, slow, rock tribute to Arthur Blythe, with Matt playing Joey Barrons’ interpretation of AB’s Little boy. Then Australia again with Bernie McGann’s Acacia from the Last Straw in 1995 and a final Cherokee. I was surprised by just how truly stylistically different each tune was in Matt’s playing. This is not easy and it was a truly impressive display.

The rest of the band were no slouches, either. I felt Andy was most comfortable on the impressionistic styles where his contemporary classical interests are evident. His descending chromatic chords were an eye opener on the Dolphy piece, and his solos were particularly vivid in these styles. Rohan’s bass solos were phrased like a sax with nice bebop triplets, and that’s high praise for our bulky instrument. And I can never be uncomfortable with Mark’s drums that just spell out the highpoints of 50’s post-bop era. James O’Donnell, a student of Mark’s, sat in for the final Cherokee and was all concentration with a driving ride.

At the end, I felt this was as good as it gets. Great music of a great jazz era, played with skills and an awareness that’s both catholic and informed. What a pleasurable gig and an education too. Matt Handel (alto) led a quartet with Andy Butler (piano), Rohan Dasika (bass) and Mark Sutton (drums). James O’Donnell (drums) replaced Mark for the final tune.

Cyberhalides Jazz Photos by Brian Stewart