Jazz breaking news: John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, Oddarrang and Akinmusire shine at London Jazz Festival 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
“I’ve hit an important year.
“I’ve hit an important year. The Big Seven,” announced John McLaughlin (pictured above), from the Barbican stage on Sunday.But from his silvery mane, natty svelte-like appearance down to his effortlessly searing solos, the guitarist was displaying the kind of eternal youthfulness mastered by his old mentor Miles. Tasteful quotes from the latter’s ‘Jean Pierre’ even crept into a set that was high virtuosity in the service of artistic direction, even allowing for the odd indulgency such as the thunderous drum solo relay between Indian drummer Ranjit Barot and fellow Yorkshire-born keys doubler Gary Husband. But Barot’s percussion tapped into raga as well as jazz-rock with a marked sensitivity to ensemble play that separates him from the more muscle-bound backbeat fusionists. The charismatic leader-clarinettist Arun Ghosh and the Twin Tenors had earlier done a sterling job pumping up an eagerly expectant audience.
Trumpeters took the accolades at first night events with the incomparably classy Terence Blanchard and Ambrose Akinmusire at Jazz on 3 opening night at Ronnie Scott’s and the lesser known but equally killing flamenco-influenced cravat-wearing Raynald Colom, the star of a sturdy contemporary quintet led by Brit-based bassist Michael Janisch and Cuban pianist Aruán Oritz.
In other highlights Oddarrang (pictured above) was the pick of a diverse showcase of bands from scene Finland. To a rammed Clore Ballroom freestage, the very impressive five-piece, who have an album release on Edition label next year, borrowed from old electric blues, Arvo Pärt, Ennio Morricone and post-rock noise for their mesmerising, spiritualised sonic soundscaping.
You never know quite what you’re getting with the opening ceremony Jazz Voice. Among the best surprises were authentic jazz singer Claire Martin’s cheeky version of Thomas Dolby’s ‘Keys To My Ferrari’, the 23-year-old rising star Natalie Duncan’s (pictured above) self penned ‘Devil in Me’, and the resplendently dressed Gwyneth Herbert’s pillow-blues ‘Low Down Lullaby’, a warm up for her Peggy Lee tribute on Thursday. Not forgetting the special guest Boy George, who didn’t sing a jazz note but played to his soulful strengths on the 1962 R&B hit ‘You’ll Lose a Good Thing’.
– Selwyn Harris
– Pictures courtesy and copyright Tim Dickeson