John Crawford launches latin-tinged new album ‘Room for Dancing’ at 606

Born to Spanish and English parents, John Crawford is a technically accomplished pianist whose music is deeply indebted to the sounds and rhythms of Latin America. For the launch of his latest album, Room For Dancing, at the 606 Jazz Club, Crawford was joined by his superb quintet featuring Alec Dankworth on double bass, Tristan Banks on drums, Guillermo Hill on guitar, and Andres Ticino on percussion.

The band opened with ‘Blurred’, a track from their 2016 album Times and Tides which featured swirling melodic counterpoint between Hill’s guitar and Crawford’s piano. ‘Maîte’s Dance’ and ‘Elena’s Dance’ followed, the two opening tracks on Room for Dancing. Written specifically Crawford’s two young daughters, these heartfelt original compositions started the evening on a uniquely personal and introspective note. They allowed Crawford to display his technical range as a pianist, starting with light lyrical phrasing and breezy syncopated accompaniment before exploding into up-tempo improvisation. He was particularly impressive on ‘Club del Campesino’, a spicy Son Cubano style number which gave each bandmember space to improvise over a driving Latin pulse. The set also featured a rearrangement of the traditional Bulgarian folk tune ‘Polegnala e Todora’, which was performed in an challenging 11/4 time signature and gave drummer Banks and percussionist Ticino scope to impress rhythmically.

The evening was punctuated by the inclusion of special guests. Cellist Shirley Smart joined for ‘Bow and Codine’, a composition which Crawford had written specifically in reference to the soothing timbre of her playing. Smart also contributed gentle melodies on a stripped-down cover of Adriana Vasques’ composition ‘Blossom’. Singer Eleonora Claps took the limelight on covers of two anguished love songs, Billy Joel’s ‘And So It Goes’ and Louis Cole’s ‘Things’. Linley Weir also joined the band for a powerful vocal rendition of Lewis Taylor’s ‘Track’. Modern pop was a clear influence in each of these covers, yet the band never lost sight of the old school Latin vibe from earlier in the set. The result was a thoroughly engaging mix of genres, all in homage to Crawford’s family and life-long musical influences. Without doubt Crawford’s strongest album to date – launched in style.