Just got back in from Vienne. I missed a lot of the more typical jazz sets (Gypsy Jazz, Marcus Miller, Chick Corea, Buena Vista Social Club, etc) that kicked the festival off as I had seen these musicians on numerous occasions.
Musically, it wasn't as good as last year although I now tend to like going as much to meet up with old friends as to listen to the music. The free Scene de Cybele throw up some tast morsels as ever (Roanne Big Band, Glenalg Jazz Orch, a Swiss organ/ guitar trio that were smoking and some other smaller groups which also grabbed the ear. Strangely, the Club De Minuit which reliably provides a show case for emerging talent seemed to feature European groups that didn't interest me much and I tended to stay in the main Theatre Antique to hear the "big names" rather than sneaking off earlier. The exception was last night where there was an alliance between the brilliant Gerald Clayton and cool alto-saxophonist Logan Richardson. This was exceptional and confirmed my impression of him as one of the best of today's talent.
In the main venue, the big names tended to be over-shadowed by more popular acts. The most satisfying concert was Michel Portal / Louis Sclavis playing their mult-media "Eye of the elephant" in front of some b&w photography. This was excellent and represented the very best of contempoary jazz. It over-shadowed the very impressive Jacky Terrasson ( a harder swinger pianist than McCoy?) whose group also included Portal and Lionel Belmondo. Ben Harper was "moyen" whereas the blues evening included the unappealing and noisy Johnny Winter , the soulful Shamekia Coleman and the smooth , sophisticated blues of Robert Cray who threw in some classics into his pleasing set. Also enjoying Don Bryron fronting a modern quartet and a couple of choirs featuring the ever-wonderful La Valle. This was a festival highlight. Charles Llyod's "Sangam" was musicially intelligent and surprising un booted for an ECM'er. I enjoyed their set but the following Dee Dee Bridgwater / Ramsey Lewis group was more fun - especially when Ramsey was replaced with the Don Pullen-esque playing of Edsel Gomez. This nicely illustrated how so many of today's players can roast their more famous, older fellows. The evening had kicked off with the young Cecile McLorin Salvant who is half French / American. She has a fantastic voice but sounded like a carbon copy of Sarah Vaughn to me.
The wierest gig for me was the double bill of Tempations / Supremes (pushing it as being either "funk " or "jazz" ) and Nile Rodger's "Chic" which was unadulterated pop but so good that there were no complaints from me. This was one of the highlights of the festival and made me realise just how much Rodgers has shaped the pop muisc of the last 30 years. A remarkable evening where he even had kids up on the stage dancing with him.
I thought that Ahmad Jamal's quartet was fantastic with some brilliant interplay between the band that inclued Herlin Riley, Manolo Bandrena (?), etc. He was later joined by Yusef Lateef in a second set that commenced with free, electro-acoustic improsivation and as much as i love YL's music, he barely played and the gig was mercifully cut short by a storm. When this cleared, Chucho Valdes wrapped up the evening in typical, boisterous fashion. Can't go wrong this this pianist. The penultimate gig for me featured the Fench , acoustic, slide-blues guitar of Oliver Gotti and then the evening was given over to the fabulous Santana whose group includes two exceptional trumpet and trmobone players as well as Denis Chambers on drums. This mixed up Latin, rock, jazz, funk, etc and was brilliant. Last night I caught the triple bill ofJose James (expect to hear a lot of him on "Jazz FM" even though he will make you feel fondly of Craig David) and the reliable Avishai Cohen who stole the Jazz festival last year with a memorable yet. Unfortunately for him, the star of this year's festival preceded him and got four standing ovations (two before she had completed a handful of songs) and I would have to concur that Youn Sun Nah was absolutely terrific and wholly original. Loved Ulf Wakenius's guitar also. (Warning to Bluesnik, her group includes an accordeon.)
Musically, it wasn't as good as last year although I now tend to like going as much to meet up with old friends as to listen to the music. The free Scene de Cybele throw up some tast morsels as ever (Roanne Big Band, Glenalg Jazz Orch, a Swiss organ/ guitar trio that were smoking and some other smaller groups which also grabbed the ear. Strangely, the Club De Minuit which reliably provides a show case for emerging talent seemed to feature European groups that didn't interest me much and I tended to stay in the main Theatre Antique to hear the "big names" rather than sneaking off earlier. The exception was last night where there was an alliance between the brilliant Gerald Clayton and cool alto-saxophonist Logan Richardson. This was exceptional and confirmed my impression of him as one of the best of today's talent.
In the main venue, the big names tended to be over-shadowed by more popular acts. The most satisfying concert was Michel Portal / Louis Sclavis playing their mult-media "Eye of the elephant" in front of some b&w photography. This was excellent and represented the very best of contempoary jazz. It over-shadowed the very impressive Jacky Terrasson ( a harder swinger pianist than McCoy?) whose group also included Portal and Lionel Belmondo. Ben Harper was "moyen" whereas the blues evening included the unappealing and noisy Johnny Winter , the soulful Shamekia Coleman and the smooth , sophisticated blues of Robert Cray who threw in some classics into his pleasing set. Also enjoying Don Bryron fronting a modern quartet and a couple of choirs featuring the ever-wonderful La Valle. This was a festival highlight. Charles Llyod's "Sangam" was musicially intelligent and surprising un booted for an ECM'er. I enjoyed their set but the following Dee Dee Bridgwater / Ramsey Lewis group was more fun - especially when Ramsey was replaced with the Don Pullen-esque playing of Edsel Gomez. This nicely illustrated how so many of today's players can roast their more famous, older fellows. The evening had kicked off with the young Cecile McLorin Salvant who is half French / American. She has a fantastic voice but sounded like a carbon copy of Sarah Vaughn to me.
The wierest gig for me was the double bill of Tempations / Supremes (pushing it as being either "funk " or "jazz" ) and Nile Rodger's "Chic" which was unadulterated pop but so good that there were no complaints from me. This was one of the highlights of the festival and made me realise just how much Rodgers has shaped the pop muisc of the last 30 years. A remarkable evening where he even had kids up on the stage dancing with him.
I thought that Ahmad Jamal's quartet was fantastic with some brilliant interplay between the band that inclued Herlin Riley, Manolo Bandrena (?), etc. He was later joined by Yusef Lateef in a second set that commenced with free, electro-acoustic improsivation and as much as i love YL's music, he barely played and the gig was mercifully cut short by a storm. When this cleared, Chucho Valdes wrapped up the evening in typical, boisterous fashion. Can't go wrong this this pianist. The penultimate gig for me featured the Fench , acoustic, slide-blues guitar of Oliver Gotti and then the evening was given over to the fabulous Santana whose group includes two exceptional trumpet and trmobone players as well as Denis Chambers on drums. This mixed up Latin, rock, jazz, funk, etc and was brilliant. Last night I caught the triple bill ofJose James (expect to hear a lot of him on "Jazz FM" even though he will make you feel fondly of Craig David) and the reliable Avishai Cohen who stole the Jazz festival last year with a memorable yet. Unfortunately for him, the star of this year's festival preceded him and got four standing ovations (two before she had completed a handful of songs) and I would have to concur that Youn Sun Nah was absolutely terrific and wholly original. Loved Ulf Wakenius's guitar also. (Warning to Bluesnik, her group includes an accordeon.)
band!
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