Prom 46: Benjamin Grosvenor & National Youth Jazz Orchestra 16.08.18

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

22:15
Royal Albert Hall

Laura Jurd: The Earth Keeps Spinning (world premiere)
George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue (original version with jazz band, arr. Grofé)
Benjamin Grosvenor (piano)

National Youth Jazz Orchestra
Guy Barker and Mark Armstrong (conductors)

Classical music gets a swing in its step in this all-American concert by the UK's National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Benjamin Grosvenor is the soloist in Gershwin's intoxicating Rhapsody in Blue - an exhilarating mix of jazz rhythms and classical virtuosity.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Can anyone shed further light on the Laura Jurd work?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Can anyone shed further light on the Laura Jurd work?

Not on the new work itself, but here's an interview from the Guardian five years ago which gives an indication of Jurd's aesthetics.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/12/jazz-trumpeter-laura-jurd-improvising

[BBMmk2]

Can anyone shed further light on the Laura Jurd work?

Is a jazz person?

[Quarky]

I believe Laura Jurd has recently fallen out of favour with the cognoscenti and has apparently sold out to smooth jazz - see posts on the Jazz Forum (I leave you to guess the authors!)

Finding J-Z far more in keeping with what you would expect a jazz programme should be about. The mixture is varied and there is less fringe stuff. Interesting to hear the Buster Smith track as he is something of a legendary name and often cited as an influence on Charlie Parker. It was an ok track but not terrific. I found the interview regarding inspirational tracks interesting but wish this had been done between the tacks and not over them.

I also wanted to add a comment about the last few tracks. Laura Jurd has been getting a lot of critical attention but the dinosaur track seemed too much like Smooth Jazz to me. It would be preferable personally if less of this modish kind of stuff was played and more of the kind by Zoe Rahman. In my opinion, every time I have either heard her records or watched her perform live I just am bowled over. She is a major talent but not getting anywhere near the attention that Laura Jurd has had. Zoe gets right to the nub of things and fully understands what jazz is about. I don't think anyone will be listening to Dinosaur in five years time.

Laura Jurd seems to be coming up with more interesting material for her band Dinosaur than was the case a couple of years ago, though I still find the character of the music strangely charmless, and while appreciating what she said to Jumoke about feeling improvisation to be too partitioned off from composition - hardly a new problem - her own solution shares similar limitations to the later Weather Report's, namely solos curtailed before having anything really interesting to say and feed into the further progress of the music. However gifted these people are - and I've no doubt about that - they'll remain at their present level under the given formal restraints. As to the other choices I'm surprised to find Martin Speake linking up with the no-longer Bad Plus pianist, recalling the total swamping by the latter of his subtle approach when I saw them back in the 1990s. While the featured track, if characteristic, suggested Mr Iverson might have ditched his more demagogic former tendencies, Martin Speake really isn't a jazz-rock player, and pretending (or being made to think) he is only has the effect of anonymising his style.

I caught a snatch of Laura Jurd's music tonight. She has the technique on her horn but I just feel that the composing is uninspired and the band not exactly cooking. Difficult not to think that this band has been over-praised but I think this is actually a common feature of so many contemporary British bands. Dinosaur are like a band of college students with a decent front line soloist - in no way is this stuff representative of the better kind of jazz being performed in 2018. The best stuff seems to sneak under the radar like the Peter Hurt band. The stuff that is getting lauded is a little under-whelming. I would like to hear her in a better context but strange to see her getting all the media attention when there is plenty out there more interesting and decidedly more "hip." Can't believe that someone like Josh Berman is totally over-looked at the expense of players like Jurd. Check out his " A dance and a hop" to hear where jazz cornet / trumpet is heading. Ditto Jaime Branch.

I am probably coming from a different perspective that most on this board. For me, the interesting jazz at the moment if the more outside / free stuff which is taking it's cues from the 1960's avant garde plus the likes of Threadgill, Coleman and Lehman who are re-thinking composition. Outside of that, it is writing for larger ensembles and jazz composition that is catching my ear. I would agree that Laura Jurd has the technique but with so many people really being creative with writing , her compositions tend to let the performance down. I would rather hear her in a different context - less of the fusion / Smooth jazz stuff.

[Serial_Apologist]

I believe Laura Jurd has recently fallen out of favour with the cognoscenti and has apparently sold out to smooth jazz - see posts on the Jazz Forum (I leave you to guess the authors!)

Finding J-Z far more in keeping with what you would expect a jazz programme should be about. The mixture is varied and there is less fringe stuff. Interesting to hear the Buster Smith track as he is something of a legendary name and often cited as an influence on Charlie Parker. It was an ok track but not terrific. I found the interview regarding inspirational tracks interesting but wish this had been done between the tacks and not over them.

I also wanted to add a comment about the last few tracks. Laura Jurd has been getting a lot of critical attention but the dinosaur track seemed too much like Smooth Jazz to me. It would be preferable personally if less of this modish kind of stuff was played and more of the kind by Zoe Rahman. In my opinion, every time I have either heard her records or watched her perform live I just am bowled over. She is a major talent but not getting anywhere near the attention that Laura Jurd has had. Zoe gets right to the nub of things and fully understands what jazz is about. I don't think anyone will be listening to Dinosaur in five years time.

Laura Jurd seems to be coming up with more interesting material for her band Dinosaur than was the case a couple of years ago, though I still find the character of the music strangely charmless, and while appreciating what she said to Jumoke about feeling improvisation to be too partitioned off from composition - hardly a new problem - her own solution shares similar limitations to the later Weather Report's, namely solos curtailed before having anything really interesting to say and feed into the further progress of the music. However gifted these people are - and I've no doubt about that - they'll remain at their present level under the given formal restraints. As to the other choices I'm surprised to find Martin Speake linking up with the no-longer Bad Plus pianist, recalling the total swamping by the latter of his subtle approach when I saw them back in the 1990s. While the featured track, if characteristic, suggested Mr Iverson might have ditched his more demagogic former tendencies, Martin Speake really isn't a jazz-rock player, and pretending (or being made to think) he is only has the effect of anonymising his style.

I caught a snatch of Laura Jurd's music tonight. She has the technique on her horn but I just feel that the composing is uninspired and the band not exactly cooking. Difficult not to think that this band has been over-praised but I think this is actually a common feature of so many contemporary British bands. Dinosaur are like a band of college students with a decent front line soloist - in no way is this stuff representative of the better kind of jazz being performed in 2018. The best stuff seems to sneak under the radar like the Peter Hurt band. The stuff that is getting lauded is a little under-whelming. I would like to hear her in a better context but strange to see her getting all the media attention when there is plenty out there more interesting and decidedly more "hip." Can't believe that someone like Josh Berman is totally over-looked at the expense of players like Jurd. Check out his " A dance and a hop" to hear where jazz cornet / trumpet is heading. Ditto Jaime Branch.

I am probably coming from a different perspective that most on this board. For me, the interesting jazz at the moment if the more outside / free stuff which is taking it's cues from the 1960's avant garde plus the likes of Threadgill, Coleman and Lehman who are re-thinking composition. Outside of that, it is writing for larger ensembles and jazz composition that is catching my ear. I would agree that Laura Jurd has the technique but with so many people really being creative with writing , her compositions tend to let the performance down. I would rather hear her in a different context - less of the fusion / Smooth jazz stuff.

Virtually word-for-word my own feelings about Ms Jurd, Vesp - it will be interesting to hear the results of her tackling of a more extended compositional framework for this commission; if it comes off it might not be wiped out of everybody's memory by the earworm piece that follows it. Reminds me of a jazz club I once frequented where the hosts would put on the most intimidatingly challenging recordings before the gig was due to start and during the interval break as if to say "Now this is the standard we expect you visiting bands to match up to".

[Lat-Literal]

What are people's views generally on Benjamin Grosvenor?

[Serial_Apologist]

What are people's views generally on Benjamin Grosvenor?

I'll have to hear him.

[HighlandDougie]

What are people's views generally on Benjamin Grosvenor?

I’m a bit of a BG groupie, having seen him live in various venues in a variety of repertoire in the past few years. Among the finest pianists around, in my hopelessly biased view. Great technique, thoughtful/insightful approach to whatever he happens to be playing, has matured as a performer (he no longer has that occasional rabbit caught in the headlights look on stage), fine chamber musician etc etc. His recording of Ravel’s ‘Tombeau de Couperin’ would be one I would take to a desert island. ‘Diapason’, which sets pretty high standards for its reviews, has awarded him a ‘Diapason d’Or’ for his last two recital CDs. In short, to quote Elaine C Smith, “pure dead brilliant”.

[oddoneout]

What are people's views generally on Benjamin Grosvenor?

I've a lot of time for his playing, and will make a point of listening, even if it's repertoire that normally I wouldn't choose. I second this comment from Highland Dougie.

Great technique, thoughtful/insightful approach to whatever he happens to be playing,

[BBMmk2]

What are people's views generally on Benjamin Grosvenor?

Very good to hear and watch. He just gets on with the job at hand. With no flamboyant behaviour!

[gradus]

Very good to hear and watch. He just gets on with the job at hand. With no flamboyant behaviour!

Only seen him in recital once about 5 years ago but mighty impressive. As a still young player he is expanding and developing his repertoire so I don't yet associate him with any particular composer(s) but it would be interesting to hear him talk about his playing and composers that attract him.

[Lat-Literal]

Thank you very much for the thoughtful and interesting comments.

I ask as I have a ticket for him doing Rachmaninov at the South Bank next month. Whether I can get there is an entirely different matter but all the positivity helps to get me on a roll! One other thing I have picked up on is that Daniil Trifonov appears to have some sort of link with the Barbican at present. But I could be adding 2 and 2 there and making 5. Not sure.

[HighlandDougie]

Thank you very much for the thoughtful and interesting comments.

I ask as I have a ticket for him doing Rachmaninov at the South Bank next month. Whether I can get there is an entirely different matter but all the positivity helps to get me on a roll! One other thing I have picked up on is that Daniil Trifonov appears to have some sort of link with the Barbican at present. But I could be adding 2 and 2 there and making 5. Not sure.

Rach 2 - in October, rather than September. He adds to his repertoire (certainly of concertos) in a fairly measured way, as in concerto by concerto rather than all at once. Should be really good - I'm envious!

[Lat-Literal]

Rach 2 - in October, rather than September. He adds to his repertoire (certainly of concertos) in a fairly measured way, as in concerto by concerto rather than all at once. Should be really good - I'm envious!

Oh yes, Dougie, 19 Oct - my apologies - and it's very inexpensive. I know it isn't very sophisticated but I am box ticking at the moment and rather than seeing it as a long term lifestyle change I also recognise it as what I want to do. Some of my ambitions seem unlikely to be fulfilled - the idea that I am going to revisit Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man and Old American Songs seems unlikely but is high up on my list and I'd love to see Misa Criolla by Ramirez in a live setting but how often does that happen? But, yes, the Rach - I'd like that!