First gig of the year – and somehow a month’s gap since James Gardiner-Bateman and Josh Arcoleo at the Bear before Christmas (didn’t get round to writing about that, but very enjoyable, and packed house as now seems usual).
This wasn’t a bad way to start 2012′s live music. Nothing too intense – both bands seemed a little disconcerted by the absence of a proper PA down at the LeftBank, but the sound was fine where we sat. Maybe they like to play louder, but quite glad they didn’t. After an unadvertised set of songs from Rae, which also seemed a little tentative, there were short sets from the two co-touring jazz outfits. Redivider (their name mixes upper and lower case more but I can’t be bothered) were freer, as expected, World Service Project funkier and more arranged. Both very listenable.
Most striking, though, was when they came together for a couple of numbers at the end – a superband as World Service’s leader Dave Morecroft put it, tongue in cheek. Not far off, actually. Suddenly there were four horns in the front line, two saxes and two trombones, and a whole new sound, rich and satisfying. Both bands have their horns playing against each other a fair portion of the time, and the four did likewise, interweaving and swapping phrases with enthusiasm. When Redivider’s drummer/leader Matt Jacobson took over the kit the whole thing was even more energised.
It was a reminder how much of the routine stuff of jazz touring is confined to four and five piece bands – usually a couple of horns at most – and how much we miss that way in terms of musical possibilities. All down to economics, of course. But if the tantalising taste of Sunday’s short-lived seven-piece was repeated on other nights of this short tour perhaps the two bands will find a way to build on this collaboration of like minds? It would be nice to think so.
(links to both bands in the previous post)
Related articles
- Coming up – World Service Project/ReDiviDeR (bristoljazzlog.wordpress.com)
