I've said before that I like a burst of edgier jazz to complement the solid straight-ahead groove locally. As with the Mouton brothers a couple of years ago, Riley challenged us. Another evidence of his skills: the audience was peppered with student musicians raptly listening to the band. Plus, Sharp Nine was close to full again, on a night with much competition. For some reason in my mind I hear Fats Waller singing "The Joint Is Jumping"...
Having written that there were too many choices last night, I think I made the right choice seeing the Stephen Riley Quartet at Sharp Nine. In the opening duet with pianist Ernest Turner--showing their nine years of on-&-off playing together--Riley set the pattern for the evening, exploring "Body & Soul" in his own unique way, the improvisation somehow segueing into "Stars Fell On Alabama." He had us right there & kept us through the two sets, including another improve segue from "Somebody Loves You" to staccato Monk.
I've said before that I like a burst of edgier jazz to complement the solid straight-ahead groove locally. As with the Mouton brothers a couple of years ago, Riley challenged us. Another evidence of his skills: the audience was peppered with student musicians raptly listening to the band. Plus, Sharp Nine was close to full again, on a night with much competition. For some reason in my mind I hear Fats Waller singing "The Joint Is Jumping"...
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorPeter Burke has liked jazz since he was in high school. Having lived & worked in exotic places with & without local jazz scenes, he has also led a Guide To Local Jazz class in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Duke. Archives
April 2024
Categories |