SOWETO KINCH
CBSO Centre, Birmingham - 6th May, 2017
CBSO Centre, Birmingham - 6th May, 2017
London-born, Brummie-bred Kinch is such a regular on the Birmingham jazz scene that this is a local gig for him (and, as he said, one of many over the coming months). The appreciative audience enthusiastically lapped up the music, even joining in a couple of the rap numbers – calling ‘What’s it all for’ (quite often they were almost on cue) and chanting from one side to the other ‘I know you, you know me.’ Kinch’s band is touring the record ‘Nonagram’ and each of his compositions is a take on the numbers 1 to 9. Or, perhaps, more strictly speaking, a meditation on the patterns of lines that can be used to connect nine dots. This might imply something mathematically or geometrically abstract, or something mystical – but that is not what this superb group gave us. The fiery rhythm section of Nick Jurd (bass) and Gregory Hutchinson (drums) swung tremendously, with excellent solos from each.
The fantastic Reuben James is a pianist well-known to Birmingham jazz fans but, with his recent move to London, is attracting attention from all manner of artists and definitely a name to watch out for. In this set, he demonstrated such a mastery of his playing that the audience seemed to hold its breath every time his hands moved to the keys. In addition to the band on stage, Kinch used a range of pre-recorded samples and accompaniments from his laptop and ipad. This provided effects for his saxophone playing which comfortably shifted from eloquent to fiery, but always under total control, or it provided additional keyboard and rhythm lines that the band wove around. When he wasn’t playing sax or rapping, Kinch stood to the side of the stage nodding encouragement to his band. One of the highlights of the show was a spontaneous duet between Kinch and Hutchinson as the drum solo developed pace and the saxophone joined in a dizzying discussion with it.
Across the two sets, Kinch was an affable compere, introducing some of the pieces, calling on the audience to participate, reminiscing on the themes of some of the tunes and, as always, a wonderfully engaging musician.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
The fantastic Reuben James is a pianist well-known to Birmingham jazz fans but, with his recent move to London, is attracting attention from all manner of artists and definitely a name to watch out for. In this set, he demonstrated such a mastery of his playing that the audience seemed to hold its breath every time his hands moved to the keys. In addition to the band on stage, Kinch used a range of pre-recorded samples and accompaniments from his laptop and ipad. This provided effects for his saxophone playing which comfortably shifted from eloquent to fiery, but always under total control, or it provided additional keyboard and rhythm lines that the band wove around. When he wasn’t playing sax or rapping, Kinch stood to the side of the stage nodding encouragement to his band. One of the highlights of the show was a spontaneous duet between Kinch and Hutchinson as the drum solo developed pace and the saxophone joined in a dizzying discussion with it.
Across the two sets, Kinch was an affable compere, introducing some of the pieces, calling on the audience to participate, reminiscing on the themes of some of the tunes and, as always, a wonderfully engaging musician.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
