Review: Jay Azzolina

Jay Azzolina
(Pizza Express Dean Street, June 3rd 2011. Review by Frank Griffith)

BACKGROUND TO THIS REVIEW (Ed)

Superb New York guitarist Jay Azzolina blew into Soho for a two-night engagement, accompanied by the internationally recognised rhythm battery of Laurence Cottle on bass, and pianist/drummer, Gary Husband. The sets consisted of an equally balanced mixture of Azzolina originals, 1960s rock classics and jazz standards, such as Dave Brubeck’s In Your Own Sweet Way.

Azzolina is the consummate performer: while his chosen instrument is the guitar, his personal and unique voice would be equally distinctive on anything that he should have decided to hold and resonate with. His tone, his attack and melodic delivery are on the highest level. His language embraces the contemporary side of jazz but he manifestly respects and owns the entire, seventy-year history of the electric guitar.

Never falling victim to flashy virtuosity, he makes every note he plays count- each one is a rich and shiny pearl of sound enriching to the ear.

Highlights included twoo waltzes: the opener Vera Cocha, brisk and funky, and Her First Waltz (dedicated to his now 21 one year old daughter) which sported a slowish but lush melody, with a harmonic sequence to match. This fully brought out by Gary Husband’s piano accompaniment in the opening sections, after which he tiptoed across the stage with the lightness of a cat burglar to finish the tune off on drums. Does Gary Husband get a single fee for this, or the double one he deserves?

Jay’s takes (based loosely on John Scofield’s recent recordings) of The House Of The Rising Sun and Satisfaction provided some familiar sounding material with an updated and much more improvised edge to it. Particularly noteworthy on House was Cottle’s bass solo which was not short on technical finesse but also equally riveting in his clearly elocuted melodic fluidity. Fans of this world-class Welshman will always take delight in his sense of humour that permeates his distinctive soloing.

There was also a completely unscheduled guest appearance by a clarinet-playing member of the audience which included renditions of Summertime and Charlie Parker’s Scrapple for the Apple. The trio acquitted themselves to this with the highest degree of professionality and musicality- resulting in giving these two jazz chestnuts a renewed and refreshing sparkle.

Special plaudits go to the renowned guitarist/composer and longtime friend of Jay’s, Dr Richard Niles, who not only organised this engagement, supplied an amplifier but compered the evening. All in a day’s work to support his old mucker and classmate from Berklee School of Music in Boston.

Now that we have had a brief taster of this great artist, let us please have him back soon. He (and we) were only just getting warmed up.

Dr Richard Niles' interview with Jay Azzolina for LondonJazz

London Jazz Festival Review (14) Gary Burton Quartet

Gary Burton Quartet
(Queen Elizabeth Hall, part of London Jazz Festival, November 17th 2010)

There used to be jokes (a very inaccurate description- the last thing they ever were was funny) describing what heaven and hell and hell might be, making the best, or the worst, use of the talents and skills of European peoples. As in: "heaven is where the trains are run by the Germans, the cooks are French, the lovers are Italian etc. Hell, topically, might be where all the banks are run by the Irish.

Festival-induced tiredness brought out a completely sideways thought during last night's set by Gary Burton's new quartet with Julien Lage on guitar, Scott Colley on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums.

That thought was that heaven could well be a band led by Gary Burton, and in which the bass player is Scott Colley. Last night's quartet had a perfect collective etiquette, ethos or spirit which comes from deep in Burton's personality, experience and way of working. He switches constantly and seamlessly and effortlessly from lead voice to supporting voice. That becomes the way, the path, the life, and the norm for all the players in the ensemble.

There was a wonderful moment just a few bars before the end of My Funny Valentine. Burton laid his mallets carefully down on the vibraphone, with the supreme calmness of a poker champ putting down yet another royal flush on the green baize. He stood back with a benign expression, and just left the others to wrap up the tune, or -pursuing the unsuitable metaphor - to collect his winnings for him.

The balance and the good-natured democracy of this band were slightly sabotaged at the beginning of the set, not from the bandstand itself, but from a speaker suspended high above it. A constant and insistent close-up of drummer Antonio Sanchez's ride cymbal skewed the mix. But once that was sorted, the listener could enjoy the subtle, supportive interplay of this group which has got together only recently, and is evidently enjoying its work.

Julien Lage is a fine guitarist, but he often marks his transitions into the solo spot with a smile which I found distracting. Drummer Antonio Sanchez was flawless throughout, but the listener's attention can't be everywhere.

Back to Scott Colley. With feeling. I had heard him on many records, but this was my first live encounter. He quite simply seems to have it all. The technique and the control and the self-knowledge to take the listener by surprise the whole time. His improbably fast walking fours are powerful, but he also shows masterly timing in knowing when to stop them and move to another texture, ones, twos, whatever. His own composition in seven moving to eight was a great vehicle for the improvisers. His subtle delineation of time in the slower numbers was masterly. His sound is gorgeous. His intonation is faultless. He gets busy in cadences and then marks the downbeat of a new feel by backing away from it.

Wow.

Details of the new Gary Burton Quartet