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April 2008
gig reviews

Seb Pipe's Life Experience
Trio VD / Final Terror
The Frank Griffith Nonet
Matthew Shipp Trio
Paolo Angeli, Evan Parker
Barbez
Christine Tobin
The Zig Quartet

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April 2008 gig reviews by Chris Parker

Seb Pipe's Life Experience

Wednesday 2 April

Alto player/composer Seb Pipe was clearly so keen to air his set of originals – his band's eponymous album, after all, has 'Music is Life' as its motto – that he played a hundred-minute set without an interval on this, his first gig at the Vortex with his quartet: pianist Arthur Lea, bassist Larry Bartley, drummer Chris Vatalaro.

This intensity was faithfully reflected in his music: over the characteristically hard-driving bass provided by Bartley and the constantly probing drums of Vatalaro, Pipe soloed with a passionate energy tinged with just enough nervy restlessness to bring one of his old saxophone tutors, Steve Coleman, to mind.

Another former teacher, Jean Toussaint, has said of Pipe: 'One of the most difficult tasks for aspiring musicians is to come up with a fresh approach in any given musical idiom. Sebastien has certainly done this with great style and panache. Sebastien is pushing the boundaries and experimenting with some very innovative concepts.'

In this quest, Pipe is considerably aided by a highly original pianist; Lea not only negotiated the trickiest passages of Pipe's music with assurance, but also soloed with grace and aplomb throughout a wholly absorbing set of material that positively bristled with ideas, all addressed with infectious energy and commitment by an enthusiastic but tight and musicianly band.

Yet more evidence, were it needed, of the extraordinary strength in depth of the current UK jazz scene.

 

 

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