Jazz a Vienne 2019

[Ian Thumwood]

I was out birdwatching on Sunday and got back in time to hear the Chale ' trio who mixed traditional music from Martinique with jazz. The closing redition of a piece by Michel Camilo brought a standing ovation for this piano trio. The music was really effective with the music almost becoming a dialogue between the piano and drums. This was one of the highlights at Cybele so far. Impressed with young pianist Marc Cabrera.

The following drum and pIan of duo of Arnaud Dolmen and Leonardo Montana took a more progressive approach to Caribbean influenced jazz but the lilting quality was not so obvious. Unfortunately a torrential rain storm halted the set as it got interesting.

The evening gig by Moonlight Benjamin was also supposed to have a Caribbean influence but the combination of her vocals and crunching guitars over thumping drums pitched this in to the rock bracket for me.

[Ian Thumwood]

After seeing the last 25 mins of the football on TV, the evening set started with the Mizikopeyi creole big band. The band itself was good with decent soloists although there was too much singing. It recalled the BV social club big band but playing calypso.

80 year old Calypso Rose and her band followed. It was only on the fringes of jazz but it would be curmudgeonly to complain about her seto which was good fun.

The Theatre Antique's commercial bias resurfaced with the band Kassav who celebrated 40 years at the festival. I left this early as it was just pop music and of little interest although from now on it is pure jazz.

[Ian Thumwood]

The two groups I caught at Cybele yesterday were really impressive. I loved the trio let by Thibaud Dufoy whose music was solidly in the tradition but included innovative arrangements of We See, Very Early and Maiden Voyage which showed that this style of jazz still had plenty of mileage . Bluesnik would have been really impressed and I felt this band was far superior to some of the rather quaint piano trios I have heard over the years ato Vienne. Unless you hear these trios in such abundance it is difficult to appreciate how malign the influence of Brad Mehldau has been. This trio from Toulouse had a refreshing change although the trios have been quite good this year.

[Ian Thumwood]

This was followed by the cult Zozophonic orchestra from Lyon who mixed slide guitar blues, new orleans marching bands and Gerry Mulligan into a compelling and subversive brew all under pinned by a grunting sousaphone. I really like the charismatic leader Manouche Fournier who also adds some near the knuckle vocals. The crowd lapped them up. Small wonder.

Got to say that this is yet another exceptional band from Lyon. From evidence of the last few years I think the scene here is as good and as varied as in London. The variety and quality of styles performed in impressive and has been for a number of years now. I really rate the jazz coming out of Lyon whether if is straight ahead or left field.

[Ian Thumwood]

The evening concert was miced. The trio of pianist Omar Sosa with violinist and vocalist Yilian Canizares mixed Cuban with classical. The percussionist was interesting and this was sufficiently musical to take your mInd off some earlier disappointments.

Cucho Valdes was much better, he playing ranging from Monty Alexander to Cecil Taylor in the solo's. Everyrhing seemed high energy until.a medley of Michel Legrand tunes.

The quintet was later joined by Terrance Blanchard. He was not featured enough yet I felt that he sounded really out of sorts. It will be interesting to judge his performance against peter Evans and Dave Douglas who both perform tomorrow. Got to say that I think he is seriously overrated and someone else I spoke to afterwards was also dismissive of his performance. I don't think he is on a par with someone like Guy Barker from what I heard last night. I was quite shocked, to be honest.

[Ian Thumwood]

Last night was the best so far. The opening set was by French guitarist Paul Jarret who was commissioned to work.with a musician of his choice. This has resulted in a quartet with tenor and fender Rhodes with Jim Black on drums. The result was sometimes ethereal but Black jolted things in a set that featured some great compositions and a candidate for the future of where jazz guitar might be heading. The keyboard of Josef Dumoulin should also be singled out. Best new musician I have heard for ages and maybe something SA would be interested in. Jarret is a major talent.

[Ian Thumwood]

Diana Krall was almost as good. I have seen her a few times before and come away with the impression that she is almost more of a cabaret act albeit indebted to Nat King Cole. Her latest trio had Robert Hurst on bass and Karriem Riggins on drums. This gave the trio a more contemporary feel than previous incarnations and this was enhanced by the addition of Joe Lovano who was in exceptional form. The repertoire was all standards with the exception of a piece by her husband. Generally I have felt Krall a tad overrated yet the concert last night was fascinating with Krall frequently letting the horn and rhythm act as a trio. Krall seemed both stretched and inspired by the company. A very pleasant surprise.

[Ian Thumwood]

I will have to write up the review of the John Zorn gig over the weekend. This was potentially the highlight if the festival although the venue attracted only about 2500 spectators which was only a 1/3rd of the capacity. Quite a few of these had left before the end. The concert featured over a dozen groups playing Zorn's Bagatelles with the first band being Masada who sound a bit like Ornette's quartet on steroids. A duo with Mark Feldman and Silvie Courvoisier followed which was pretty good. The musicians who followed afterwards include Kenny Wolleson, Drew Gress, Mary Holvorson, Erik Friedlander, John Medeski, lian Lage, , Craig Taborn ( impenetrable piano solo) , Joey Baron, Peter Evans and Kris Davis - for my money the pianist to watch out for and whose quartet with Holvorson was one of the better bands. There was also a punk band - this being a Zorn retrospective. It was almost of who's who of the current jazz scene. There would be at least a handful here who would be of interest to some who post on this board.

[Ian Thumwood]

This clip does not really do justice to this line up - the highlight of the festival for me.

[Ian Thumwood]

This was one of the tune played....different line up

[CGR]

Last night was the best so far. The opening set was by French guitarist Paul Jarret who was commissioned to work.with a musician of his choice. This has resulted in a quartet with tenor and fender Rhodes with Jim Black on drums. The result was sometimes ethereal but Black jolted things in a set that featured some great compositions and a candidate for the future of where jazz guitar might be heading. The keyboard of Josef Dumoulin should also be singled out. Best new musician I have heard for ages and maybe something SA would be interested in. Jarret is a major talent.

Yep. Paul Jarret is an interesting talent on the rise. Not exactly my cup of tea. I like to dip into contemporary jazz guitar occasionally, but I always seem to end up listening to Wes & Kenny Burrell etc.

I love the playing of our own Nigel Price and always try to get along to his gigs if they are within travelling distance. But, of course, he plays in that traditional modern jazz style.

[Ian Thumwood]

singer / pianist Macha Gharibian..

[Ian Thumwood]

After Paul Jarret, this band was a festival highlight. The charts all date from the 60s and 70s. The music reminds me a bit of the Francy-Boland / Kenny Clarke big band and the project was established to rescue the music from obscurity. Moacir Santos' music was unknown to me but he ultimately worked in Hollywood as an arranger but the writing for the big band is really good fun. No surprise that this band's music went down so well.

[Ian Thumwood]

Kokoroko fronted by the irrepressible Sheila Maurice-Gray. Surprised SA has not come across this band in town.

[Ian Thumwood]

Oestetik who originate from Romania, I believe...