NIGEL PRICE (GUITAR)The Snowdrop Inn, 119 South Street, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 2BU - 15th June, 2015
Fresh from two nights headlining The Late Late Show at Ronnie Scott,s award winning guitarist Nigel Price brought his considerable talents to the Snowdrop Inn at Lewes on Monday 15th June.
Nestling under the chalk cliffs of the South Downs this picturesque hostelry has been presenting Monday night jazz for over five years.Gigs are hosted by Brighton pianist,organist,band leader and jazz tutor Terry Seabrook.A warm welcome is guaranteed from the jazz loving landlord and staff serving great food and a vast range of real ales. On this occasion Terry was on organ with the excellent Alex Eberhard at the drums.
In front of a large and ever growing crowd the first set got off to a blistering start with a high tempo guitar solo on perhaps the least played tune from Kind Of Blue-Freddie Freeloader.Indian Summer by Victor Herbert followed in a medium tempo highlighted by a creative solo from Terry Seabrook.The pace became more relaxed with intricate and oblique readings by the guitar to the themes of great standards I,m Old Fashioned and Duke Ellington's Prelude To A Kiss,subtle changes of tempo being expertly driven from the drums.A lengthy unaccompanied guitar intro opened the seldom heard On A Clear Day before the first set was brought to a rousing finish with Nat Adderley,s blues tinged anthem Work Song showcasing the upper register of both organ and guitar.
At the beginning of the second set celebrity watchers were rewarded with the appearance at the bar of former coalition minister and Lewes MP Norman Baker(apparently no novice with guitar in hand himself). The band tore into a lesser known flag waver by Sonny Rollins-Pent Up a tour de force for both the organ and guitar with driving work by Alex Eberhard at the drums. Next came the highlight of the evening,a wonderful interpretation of Louis Bonfa,s bossa nova Gentle Rain. This was well suited to the guitar stylings of Nigel Price whose crystal clear precise interpretation and flowing lines were no less than mesmerising,so much so that that an elderly male member of the audience began to dance in time with the band whilst also showing great skill with the "Hand Jive" reminiscent of the fifties. The dancer having returned to his seat the tempo rose once more with an interpretation of the Miles Davis classic Four,great improvisation by all members followed by four bar exchanges to conclude this rousing performance. One of the great ballads My One And Only Love moved the evening to even greater heights with the subdued organ blending perfectly with the guitars lyrical investigation of Guy Wood and Robert Mellin,classic tune.Kenny Burrell,s opening track to the immortal Blue Note guitar album Midnight Blue was recalled with a cover of Chitlins Con Carne, a more sinuous version than the album and a real crowd pleaser. Things were brought to a close with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer,s My Shining Hour from the 1943 film The Sky,s The Limit From the opening guitar solo to the final exchanges it was a joy. The sky certainly had been the limit and those at The Snowdrop had witnessed two shining hours of great improvised music.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Nestling under the chalk cliffs of the South Downs this picturesque hostelry has been presenting Monday night jazz for over five years.Gigs are hosted by Brighton pianist,organist,band leader and jazz tutor Terry Seabrook.A warm welcome is guaranteed from the jazz loving landlord and staff serving great food and a vast range of real ales. On this occasion Terry was on organ with the excellent Alex Eberhard at the drums.
In front of a large and ever growing crowd the first set got off to a blistering start with a high tempo guitar solo on perhaps the least played tune from Kind Of Blue-Freddie Freeloader.Indian Summer by Victor Herbert followed in a medium tempo highlighted by a creative solo from Terry Seabrook.The pace became more relaxed with intricate and oblique readings by the guitar to the themes of great standards I,m Old Fashioned and Duke Ellington's Prelude To A Kiss,subtle changes of tempo being expertly driven from the drums.A lengthy unaccompanied guitar intro opened the seldom heard On A Clear Day before the first set was brought to a rousing finish with Nat Adderley,s blues tinged anthem Work Song showcasing the upper register of both organ and guitar.
At the beginning of the second set celebrity watchers were rewarded with the appearance at the bar of former coalition minister and Lewes MP Norman Baker(apparently no novice with guitar in hand himself). The band tore into a lesser known flag waver by Sonny Rollins-Pent Up a tour de force for both the organ and guitar with driving work by Alex Eberhard at the drums. Next came the highlight of the evening,a wonderful interpretation of Louis Bonfa,s bossa nova Gentle Rain. This was well suited to the guitar stylings of Nigel Price whose crystal clear precise interpretation and flowing lines were no less than mesmerising,so much so that that an elderly male member of the audience began to dance in time with the band whilst also showing great skill with the "Hand Jive" reminiscent of the fifties. The dancer having returned to his seat the tempo rose once more with an interpretation of the Miles Davis classic Four,great improvisation by all members followed by four bar exchanges to conclude this rousing performance. One of the great ballads My One And Only Love moved the evening to even greater heights with the subdued organ blending perfectly with the guitars lyrical investigation of Guy Wood and Robert Mellin,classic tune.Kenny Burrell,s opening track to the immortal Blue Note guitar album Midnight Blue was recalled with a cover of Chitlins Con Carne, a more sinuous version than the album and a real crowd pleaser. Things were brought to a close with Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer,s My Shining Hour from the 1943 film The Sky,s The Limit From the opening guitar solo to the final exchanges it was a joy. The sky certainly had been the limit and those at The Snowdrop had witnessed two shining hours of great improvised music.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
