THE NEW YORK STANDARDS QUARTET & ALEX GARNETT’S BUNCH OF 5
Pizza Express Dean Street - 22nd November 2015
Pizza Express Dean Street - 22nd November 2015
It’s an Anglo-American hard-bop double bill in Dean street tonight; two acts from opposite sides of the pond, both signed to Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind label. With with the man himself in pivotal position playing bass for both, it’s to be seen how they measure up.
First on is Alex Garnett, moonlighting from his regular slot at ‘the other club next door’, with his Bunch Of Fives band’s latest incarnation. He’s sharing the frontline with tenorist Tim Armacost, himself moonlighting from headliners The New York Standards Quartet. First tune ‘Charlie’s World” was inspired by Garnett’s infant son; the intro features suitable quotes from ‘Postman Pat’ before plunging into a loping 3/4 minor key modal-ish groove that evokes the post-Blue Note 70s jazz you’d have found on labels like Milestone and Muse. The two tenor players are so evenly matched that it’s sometimes uncertain where one leaves off and the other starts, until Garnett’s darker tone and quirkier phrasing emerges to set him apart. His playing is masterly, and his original compositions give the band plenty to get their teeth into - ‘Andromeda’ is a pithy straight-time number with an intriguing harmonic base, ‘Dracula’s Lullaby’ is a stark ballad with nods to 60s style free playing, and ‘Homes’ gives pianist Ross Stanley a chance to shine on a swaggering excursion through proper bluesy hard-bop territory. Closing number ‘Delusions Of Grandma’ is introduced as being inspired by Ornette, but Garnett’s innate sense of symmetry prevails and it’s more reminiscent of a twisting Mingus tune. Andrew Bain on drums keeps the energy levels high, and Garnett sets a relaxed, self-deprecatingly humorous tone, though some of his jokes must be of a similar vintage to his musical references.
First on is Alex Garnett, moonlighting from his regular slot at ‘the other club next door’, with his Bunch Of Fives band’s latest incarnation. He’s sharing the frontline with tenorist Tim Armacost, himself moonlighting from headliners The New York Standards Quartet. First tune ‘Charlie’s World” was inspired by Garnett’s infant son; the intro features suitable quotes from ‘Postman Pat’ before plunging into a loping 3/4 minor key modal-ish groove that evokes the post-Blue Note 70s jazz you’d have found on labels like Milestone and Muse. The two tenor players are so evenly matched that it’s sometimes uncertain where one leaves off and the other starts, until Garnett’s darker tone and quirkier phrasing emerges to set him apart. His playing is masterly, and his original compositions give the band plenty to get their teeth into - ‘Andromeda’ is a pithy straight-time number with an intriguing harmonic base, ‘Dracula’s Lullaby’ is a stark ballad with nods to 60s style free playing, and ‘Homes’ gives pianist Ross Stanley a chance to shine on a swaggering excursion through proper bluesy hard-bop territory. Closing number ‘Delusions Of Grandma’ is introduced as being inspired by Ornette, but Garnett’s innate sense of symmetry prevails and it’s more reminiscent of a twisting Mingus tune. Andrew Bain on drums keeps the energy levels high, and Garnett sets a relaxed, self-deprecatingly humorous tone, though some of his jokes must be of a similar vintage to his musical references.
After half-time Armacost returns to the stage with the New York Standards Quartet. It’s a band name that invites a certain level of expectation, that’s immediately fulfilled with their pacey, Brecker-ish reworking of ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’. It’s as slick, authoritative and powerful as you could wish for; Janisch keeps the pace up with a virtuosic solo which builds up to some truly explosive trades with drummer Gene Jackson, prompting the drummer to remove his jacket before continuing to the next selection. “It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing’ is reharmonised and played, teasingly, in straight time. Jackson is the star of this one, laying down an ever-rising tide of tumultuous polyrhythms, driving the band to climax before the long-awaited shift to swing time arrives for pianist David Berkman’s solo. The latter’s playing throughout is exemplary; his solos flawlessly executed amalgams of modern masters from Herbie to McCoy, delivered with a perfectly judged sense of space and pacing.
Bud Powell’s ballad “I’ll Be Loving You” is a highlight, with the slower tempo showing off Arnacost’s melodic sensibilities to better advantage. Janisch introduces with an awesomely free-ranging solo with plenty of extended techniques and pin-point accuracy, but his busy accompaniment tends to crowd the frontliners. A reworking of “Green Dolphin Street” shows off the bands’ A-list chops, though the cumulative effect is a little hard to assess. No such ambiguity affects their dazzling reading of ‘Giant Steps’ - Jackson is simply phenomenal, handling the tricky meter swaps with no lessening of intent, as the band fly effortlessly through the notoriously challenging changes.
Garnett is summoned back onstage for the encore, a rendition of ‘Old Folks’ reworked as an Eddie-Harris style boogaloo groover. The Bunch Of Five’s relaxed sincerity and the visitor’s steely precision make a fascinating contrast, showing how much room for artistic self-expression, and how many rewards for the audience, remain in this venerable format when it’s handled by such masters.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Bud Powell’s ballad “I’ll Be Loving You” is a highlight, with the slower tempo showing off Arnacost’s melodic sensibilities to better advantage. Janisch introduces with an awesomely free-ranging solo with plenty of extended techniques and pin-point accuracy, but his busy accompaniment tends to crowd the frontliners. A reworking of “Green Dolphin Street” shows off the bands’ A-list chops, though the cumulative effect is a little hard to assess. No such ambiguity affects their dazzling reading of ‘Giant Steps’ - Jackson is simply phenomenal, handling the tricky meter swaps with no lessening of intent, as the band fly effortlessly through the notoriously challenging changes.
Garnett is summoned back onstage for the encore, a rendition of ‘Old Folks’ reworked as an Eddie-Harris style boogaloo groover. The Bunch Of Five’s relaxed sincerity and the visitor’s steely precision make a fascinating contrast, showing how much room for artistic self-expression, and how many rewards for the audience, remain in this venerable format when it’s handled by such masters.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
