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

December 2007
gig reviews

Guy Barker Jazz Orchestra
Damon Brown/Yutaka Shiina Quartet
Max Grunhard Sextet
The TransAtlantic Collective
Christine Tobin
Eclectica

Gig reviews archive

 2008 gig reviews
 2007 gig reviews
 2006 gig reviews

 


 

December gig reviews by Chris Parker

Damon Brown/Yutaka Shiina Quartet

Tuesday 4 December

Given that Japanese pianist Yutaka Shiina's CV includes appearances with the likes of Elvin Jones, Joshua Redman and Nicholas Payton, his collaboration with UK-born, Paris-based trumpeter Damon Brown, who specialises in hard bop and what could be loosely termed post-bop (epitomised by his band with tenor player Ed Jones, Killer Shrimp), was always going to produce powerful, muscular music with the emphasis firmly on individual spontaneity and hair-trigger group interaction.

Joined in the front line by long-time associate, alto player Christian Brewer, Brown concentrated on flugelhorn on this occasion, easing the band in with a slinky blues-based opener that showcased all the above-mentioned qualities, and allowed the pianist in particular to demonstrate his trademark combination of sly wit and sparkling exuberance.

A Brown original ('My Deposit', from Killer Shrimp's Sincerely Whatever), Hank Mobley's gracefully dancing, fleet theme 'This I Dig of You' (from the late tenorman's masterpiece, Soul Station) and Monk's characteristically subtle composition 'Pannonica' featured in the rest of the band's set, but whether they were playing sparky originals or well-known jazz classics, there was a freewheeling, pleasingly ad hoc quality to their music, Brown à as always à keeping bandmembers on their toes by waiting until the last possible moment to decide in what combination they should play, or when to institute 'fours-trading' etc.

With Brown himself exhibiting his customary flair and grace, Brewer all circumspection suddenly erupting into breathtakingly agile lines, and Yutaka Shiina combining artful elegance and playful vigour, this was a hard-hitting but attractively informal performance with all the ease of an after-hours jam session, but infused with just enough poise and aplomb to transform it into a memorable occasion.

 

 

Join the Vortex
email list

To receive monthly gig details, news and ticket offers.



RSS feeds

For news, gig and CD reviews and information about the club.

Click on the link below to get the subscribe address
Vortex news

For more informaton about RSS see the
RSS help pages