Six-stringer Silvan Joray lands in the UK for the launch of Updraft
Tom Spargo
Monday, December 11, 2023
The Swiss-born NYC-based guitarist made a strong impression on his first ever UK gig, as he took to the stage at Dalston’s Vortex Jazz Club and performed originals from his new album
Born and raised in Switzerland and currently based in New York, Silvan Joray has become one of the most exciting young jazz guitarists on the international jazz scene. Performing his first ever gig in the UK alongside double bassist Nadav Erlich and drummer Jordi Pallarès, Joray showcased material from his second album, Updraft, released recently on Ubuntu Music.
Joray’s unique style encompasses both the blues-inflected swing of American jazz with the sophisticated compositions and open harmonies of European jazz. From the first until the last tune, he displayed an impressive lightness of touch and precision as an improviser – yet he always retained that exciting element of spontaneity. He moved effortlessly between spidery chromatic single-note lines and dense orchestral-sounding chords, occasionally punctuated with moments of technical flair in the form of finger-tapping and microtonal bends.
The evening was dominated by original compositions. The trio opened with ‘Kokodrillo’ and ‘Kaeppeleview’, two medium tempo tunes with expansive melodies and restless rhythms. ‘Kurtish’ was dedicated to fellow jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, while ‘Something Ahead’ packed a punch with a driving repeated bassline and a heavy drumbeat. Pallarès was fantastic throughout, a highly expressive and emotionally engaged drummer whose decorative rhythms really brought out the best in Joray’s varied compositions. Erlich was likewise exceptional, the understated backbone of the trio and a tasteful improviser when in the spotlight.
A number of tracks from Joray’s debut album Cluster (2020) were also featured. These included the dark and moody ballad ‘Blutmond’, the lyrical ‘See You in June’, and the eccentrically playful ‘In High Heels on a Mountain Road’. The evening featured only a single standard, a reinterpretation of Cole Porter’s ‘At Long Last Love’ which the band reserved for the encore. Propelled by a gentle Latin beat, Joray transformed one of Porter’s more sickly-sweet compositions into a seriously groovy tune.
Joray is undoubtably a serious emerging talent. Although not yet as well-known in the UK as in the US or continental Europe, Joray is certainly one to watch out for in the coming years.
