Four to Three

It was another two nights somewhat unexpected in Frankfurt and it's like home these days. Jazzkellar is the biggie in town and they had a visiting NYC quartet but pricey and sold out anyway and like many well known dives, they can be populated with the non-jazz scene despite some worthy offerings. Mampf had a trio and I enjoyed my last visit and local can be worthy. Not least, they had somewhat a story of heartache for this gig: their drummer who died suddenly weeks earlier fo a heart attack. No secret but obviously affecting the group and the quartet decided to proceed as a trio in tribute. And a worthy tribute. This was post-bop, nicely done, quick and easy walks and twisty heads and little inserted passages and endless, playful, lyrically rich solos and harmonically suggestive accompaniment. And a tenor with a sweet, soft tone and slithery, sinuous phrasing that could drop into fast lines but never in your face. Lovely. Piano was the one pro amongst them and he wrote most of the music, but then pianists do. They can. So another successful night at Mampf, jokingly my sister to our Smiths Alternative.

Vitaliy Baran Quartett performed at Mampf, Frankfurt, as a trio comprising Christian Müntz (tenor), Vitaliy Baran (piano) and Paul Schmandt (bass). Their fourth member, Markus Eschmann (drums) had died suddenly just weeks before.

Smiths' sister

It's been a surprise to me that Frankfurt seems to have so few jazz venues. After all, it has 750k in the city alone, plus 5m in the broader metro area and it's a financial centre, so some cluey types. There were a few suggested online but just bars in upmarket hotels but then I found a more obscure place, Mampf. Strange name; strange story dating back to '60s and a place for "journeyman butchers, cone drinker and puzzle fanatics" which was taken over by free jazz in 1972. Now it's a cosy pub with a very small stage in the corner and an interesting musical outfit every night if maybe not professionals. This night was Trio 75, a guitar trio playing original tunes in the style of Abercrombie, e-bass, 16th note rhythms, effected guitars and some really decent interplays and solos. I enjoyed it, got to chat to the players, met an office of architects (the normal collective noun for architects is confusion or argument, but I prefer my invention) out for the Friday night. BTW, the drummer was a local town planner so a friend of the office. As I said, spacey guitar, sharp e-bass (mostly picked, I think) and tight, driving and also very relevant grooves. And grooves benefit e-bass. Plenty of tight little phrasings, stop and starts, unexpected changes, nice fusion chords. Plenty of solos, all around, too. Bass took longs ones; drums was ever ready and just right this night; guitar too, naturally. So a lovely night, but I mused on a few other things on the walk and at the pub. Firstly, it's seems common enough over here to order, receive and consume and only pay at the end of the night from a record jotted on a coaster; I've done it several times. An honour system. I admire it and I guess it works well enough for them to keep it. I like the social implications and expectations of such a system. Secondly, I walked some distance with Google's advice. First up I took the less recommended route and found myself in less comfortable streets, brothels, threatening guys. The return was through a lovely, busy, joyous mall. I've been surprised at how few cars there are here for the population, but a Euro city has density and public transport and a readiness to walk. I'd forgotten how nice that is. Whatever, if you pass through Frankfurt and you enjoy Smith's, I can recommend Mampf.

Trio 75 played at Mampf in Frankfurt. Trio 75 are a guitar trio comprising Markus Kramer (guitar), Chris Ries (bass) and Philipp Gutbrod (drums).