ZAITZ & KAVUMA - Back To Back
Banger Factory Records – BF003
Mark Kavuma - Wurlitzer Electric Piano/Piano/Trumpet; Artie Zaitz - Hammond Organ; William Cleasby - Drums
Trumpet star and Banger Factory headman Mark Kavuma and his trusty guitarist Artie Zaitz brightened up a lot of people’s lockdown with their series of livestreamed gigs, initially as a housebound duo and then (as restrictions permitted) with drummer WIll Cleasby. Lockdown projects may seem very 2021now that we’ve re-opened but this was a project with a difference in that it showcased both musicians in an original and unfamiliar way as both revealed their dexterity on their second keyboard instruments and combined them to form an unusual but very workable combo, playing back to back as in the album title. Zaitz is a very credible performer on Hammond, commanding bass pedals and drawbars with aplomb, and Kavuma makes the most of his piano skills with his impeccable timing, swinging phrasing and all-round musicality. Monk’s ‘Evidence’ sums up their knowing, humorous but deeply informed approach - they tackle the tricky rhythms of the head with gusto then playfully invert and recombine them, and Kavuma throws in a quote from Monk’s take on the harmonic source ‘Just You, Just Me’ for good measure. There’s a hushed, spacious reading of ‘Round Midnight’ as well, complete with the oft-deleted introduction, and the rest of the material is original. ‘Cedar Tree’ is dedicated to Cedar Walton with a bright boppish feel, and ‘Church’ goes gospel/blues to exhilarating effect, but the highlights are the downtempo tunes: an extended deep blues and the beautiful trumpet-led ballad ‘Mia’s Waltz’. Don’t write this off as a squib: rather it shows the deep commitment to the music from some of the UK’s most exciting young players.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
Banger Factory Records – BF003
Mark Kavuma - Wurlitzer Electric Piano/Piano/Trumpet; Artie Zaitz - Hammond Organ; William Cleasby - Drums
Trumpet star and Banger Factory headman Mark Kavuma and his trusty guitarist Artie Zaitz brightened up a lot of people’s lockdown with their series of livestreamed gigs, initially as a housebound duo and then (as restrictions permitted) with drummer WIll Cleasby. Lockdown projects may seem very 2021now that we’ve re-opened but this was a project with a difference in that it showcased both musicians in an original and unfamiliar way as both revealed their dexterity on their second keyboard instruments and combined them to form an unusual but very workable combo, playing back to back as in the album title. Zaitz is a very credible performer on Hammond, commanding bass pedals and drawbars with aplomb, and Kavuma makes the most of his piano skills with his impeccable timing, swinging phrasing and all-round musicality. Monk’s ‘Evidence’ sums up their knowing, humorous but deeply informed approach - they tackle the tricky rhythms of the head with gusto then playfully invert and recombine them, and Kavuma throws in a quote from Monk’s take on the harmonic source ‘Just You, Just Me’ for good measure. There’s a hushed, spacious reading of ‘Round Midnight’ as well, complete with the oft-deleted introduction, and the rest of the material is original. ‘Cedar Tree’ is dedicated to Cedar Walton with a bright boppish feel, and ‘Church’ goes gospel/blues to exhilarating effect, but the highlights are the downtempo tunes: an extended deep blues and the beautiful trumpet-led ballad ‘Mia’s Waltz’. Don’t write this off as a squib: rather it shows the deep commitment to the music from some of the UK’s most exciting young players.
Reviewed by Eddie Myer
