Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, UK
20-11-2010 20
Reviewed by JJ Wheeler
For the final date of a long and gruellingly scheduled European tour, one could have forgiven Christian Scott and his band if they took their foot off the gas a little. This was not the case. From the outset, the band drove with an intensity immediately stoked by rhythmic, pulsating chords from piano and bass, accompanied by a crescendo of beats hailing from Jamire Williams on drums. The slow-paced melodic line produced by Scott and Matt Stevens (guitar) came as a surprise, but created an interesting balance within the tune.
As all good band leaders do, the trumpet-wielding fashion icon led the way, taking the opening solo by the scruff of the neck. However, a few split notes at the top of the register revealed a little bit more warming up was necessary before the music could roar into fifth gear. This was also the case during the piano solo on the night’s second tune, in which pianist Lawrence Fields had some great ideas, but visibly couldn’t quite connect with bassist Kris Funn.
I do feel sorry for Fields, who had to put up with an incredibly cheap sounding keyboard, which detracted massively from what would easily have been the peak of the whole night’s performance – his wonderfully constructed solo on Matt Stevens’ After All.
Comparisons with Miles Davis are only too common when talking about Christian Scott, and I was trying to avoid falling into the same trap, but I have to flag up the band’s typically American ability to take such little material and stretch it to its limits and beyond with an ease akin to that of Miles’ second great quintet (for reference, check out The Complete Concert : 1964).
A highly opinionated group of politically charged young artists, they used suitably titled KKPD (Klu Klux Police Dept.) to close the 90-minute straight through set (although some might argue the ten minute stand-up routine to introduce the band members served as a sufficient interval). The angst on the display from all five musicians in the set’s closer was clear for all to see and the collective improvisation from the rhythm section exploded before Scott jumped in to take control with a commanding, but gut-wrenching flurry of a solo, eventually working himself up into a frenzied screech that screamed from his horn like a cry of despair.
A rare moment that said, “here is a man who really believes in what he is playing and the motives behind it”.
What are you talking about? Split notes? Visibly connect? This is music. I was there, the show was incredible.
Yes – split notes. And no, they were definitely not intentional. It’s not surprising – he was going for some very ambitious runs in a range even some of the worlds best lead trumpet players in Big Bands would struggle with, especially so early in a set. It just shows the ambition and confidence of the guy – most wouldn’t even attempt such runs without having had at least half a set to warm up.
And yes, it was visible in that particular piano solo that they didn’t connect. The grimace on the faces of all three rhythm section members (I am counting Matt Stevens as front-line here) told all, especially as the attempted hits were slightly out of sync. But this is improvised music, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. This makes it all the more special when it DOES come together, such as the brilliant piano solo later in the set (mentioned in the review).
Glad you enjoyed the gig.
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