Joel Ross brings his Good Vibes to the Jazz Café

Chicago-born Brooklyn-based vibraphonist Joel Ross is the current heir to a rich tradition of Blue Note vibes players, an instrument pioneered by Milt Jackson, reimagined by Bobby Hutcherson, and modernised by Stefon Harris. Performing live at the Jazz Cafe in Camden as part of his European tour, Ross was joined by fellow Good Vibes bandmembers Jeremy Corren on Fender Rhodes, Kanoa Mendenhall on double bass, and Jeremy Dutton on drums.

The setlist was mostly comprised mostly of previously unreleased original material as well as compositions from his three Blue Note albums. Aesthetically, these were wide ranging, from straight ahead bebop and modal post-bop to bluesy gospel and frenetic avant-garde explorations. Thelonious Monk’s ‘Evidence’ and Ambrose Akinmusire’s ‘As We Fight’ also featured, the angular melodic contours of both pieces perfect for the sharp attack and bright timbre of Joel’s vibraphone. The set was performed as one continuous whole with seamless segues between each of the tunes.

Throughout, Dutton provided the complex, cerebral rhythmic base for the rest of the band, playing with the stuttered, shifting, restless freedom most associated with drummers such as Tony Williams and Elvin Jones. Corren’s relentless harmonic inventiveness and intensity of phrasing was exceptional, as were Mendenhall’s rock-solid funky walking lines.

On his most recent album, The Parable of the Poet, Ross masterfully explored the subtle intricacies of composition and accompaniment. These elements were certainly evident in this live context, although Ross made sure to also showcase the full force of his improvisational power and mind-boggling technical speed. A never ceasing spring of flowing bebop and pentatonic lines, it was Ross’ fluidity that was the highlight of the night. The swirling, speckled lights from the disco ball above illuminated the flurry of Ross mallets and enhanced the mesmerising, hypnotic nature of his improvisations. Good vibes indeed.