The Vortex Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16 8JH | Bookings 020 7254 4097 | Enquiries 020 7993 3643 | Email Info at Vortex

October 2006
gig reviews

Herb Robertson's NY Downtown Allstars
Brian Abrahams
Nois4
Chris Laurence Quartet
Finn Peters
Centre Line
Barb Jungr
Prevost, Wilkinson, Williamson
Eddie Parker's Mr Vertigo
Aisling Stephenson
Kevin Davy
Evan Parker
Basil Hodge
Turner, Grenadier, Ballard

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October 2006 gig reviews by Chris Parker

Centre Line

Thursday 12

Although, as saxophonist Russell Van den Berg pointed out, Centre Line were wrongly billed, both as to personnel (on this occasion including pianist Simon Colam, bassist Tom Mason and guitarist Jez Franks) and leadership (they're co-led by Van den Berg and drummer Darren Altman), they attracted a respectably sized audience to the club.

There has been much enthusiasm in the jazz press of late concerning Van den Berg, and his soloing over accommodating chord sequences is indeed something to celebrate: he launches himself into his breaks as if obeying a starting pistol, and buzzes around, through and over the changes like a man possessed, at times (as in the second set's opening flagwaver) apparently reluctant (like a dog with a particularly juicy bone) to return the baton to the band.

He is also an engaging stage presence with a ready wit (as MC Oliver Weindling found when, unwisely leaving a small gap in his announcement of the forthcoming 200-saxophone piazza extravaganza after '‘and so it should be‘', heard Van den Berg supply the payoff: '‘a nightmare'). Guitarist Franks, too, shone in his solo spots, ranging from head-banging rock-styled solos to more overtly jazz-based playing.

The only reservation that might be expressed concerning this undeniably exciting band could be that they sometimes complicate matters unnecessarily by visiting as many different subgenres as possible in a single piece, resulting in a loss of musical focus; this caveat aside, though, they're a muscular, versatile and attention-grabbing outfit with a virtuoso frontman, and who could reasonably wish for much more than that?

 

 

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