Un commento al concerto dello scorso 29 ottobre al Vortex Jazz Club londinese in onore di Elton Dean e anche in ricordo di Pip Pyle:
"For the most part the evening passed through a haze of free jazz legends whipping it out (by turns grating and pleasantly surprising), a labyrinth of chairs outnumbering audience members, and all manner of unshakeable thoughts about death (of my own mind's making and others'). I do like this 20 minutes each business, with a short social break in between every act. That's got to be the best way to do free jazz.
The pinnacle for me was the In Cahoots set. Fred Baker was particularly good for finger watching. 3-piece brass section (quite a few musicians I didn't recognise), solo-heavy, and better tunes than I recall from the Phil Miller albums I've heard. If only there were a way to get to see InCa play again...
Hatfield set: minus Richard Sinclair, they naturally played the Hatfield jam numbers. With cathartic playfulness, they were nudging the old tunes into overdrive. Joyous stuff.
Speaking of catharsis, Mark Hewins brought the evening's sentiment to a climax with a performance of a farewell song written for Elton by Pip, to Alex Maguire's music (he was on the ivories). Although the song was written and played out of his vocal range (and he's not a vocalist), the tears and the onstage purging were undeniably moving, and seemed a fitting way to say goodbye, just before the last bit of free blowin denouement.
The pinnacle for me was the In Cahoots set. Fred Baker was particularly good for finger watching. 3-piece brass section (quite a few musicians I didn't recognise), solo-heavy, and better tunes than I recall from the Phil Miller albums I've heard. If only there were a way to get to see InCa play again...
Hatfield set: minus Richard Sinclair, they naturally played the Hatfield jam numbers. With cathartic playfulness, they were nudging the old tunes into overdrive. Joyous stuff.
Speaking of catharsis, Mark Hewins brought the evening's sentiment to a climax with a performance of a farewell song written for Elton by Pip, to Alex Maguire's music (he was on the ivories). Although the song was written and played out of his vocal range (and he's not a vocalist), the tears and the onstage purging were undeniably moving, and seemed a fitting way to say goodbye, just before the last bit of free blowin denouement.
Aggiunge Aymeric Leroy:
"The frontline for the InCa gig was SimonPicard on sax, Simon Finch on trumpet and Gail Brand on trombone. Picard and Finch will also be on the upcoming Japanese dates. The "Hatfield" set consisted of "Seven Sisters" (instrumental version) and "The Yes-No Interlude" with the reprise of "Take Your Pick" at the end. Fred Baker concluded that set with a solo guitar version of Elton's tune "Baker's Treat"."