Guitar guru Guthrie Govan tears it up with Shez Raja at Pizza Express Jazz Club

Bassist Shez Raja has collaborated with an impressive list of musicians in recent years. However, a guest appearance from guitar maestro Guthrie Govan for this gig at Pizza Express Jazz Club was a uniquely eye-catching prospect – even by Raja’s standards.

The first set featured a selection of tracks from Tales from the Punjab (2021) and Journey to Shambhala (2019) which showcased Raja’s classic Indo-funk sound. Up-tempo drum grooves, slap-bass lines, and wonky syncopated melodies took centre stage – all infused with the exotic harmonies of Punjabi folk tunes and the melodic structures of raga.

The second set intensified a hundredfold with the addition of Govan. There is perhaps no other guitarist on the planet who can wander so freely and so competently through such an eclectic array of genres. Govan’s playing combines the blues-rock phrasing of Jimi Hendrix and the metal shredding of Steve Vai with the harmonic complexity of Joe Pass and the direct melodicism of John Scofield. All the eagerly anticipated pyrotechnics were on display: deep string bends, finger tapping, dive bombs, and a dazzling myriad of overdrive and wah pedals. Truly mesmerising.

Raja’s bandmates were never overshadowed by Govan – a true testament to the high quality on display all round. The rhythm section was completed by drummer Sophie Alloway and Chris Jerome, and their collective ability to lock into tight grooves was impeccable. Tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, with his characteristically massive sound and razor-sharp phrasing, was in excellent form. Trumpeter Jay Phelps was also sublime, and he struck a very sophisticated balance between subtle muted melodies and dazzlingly fast bebop flurries.

For anyone who missed this particular gig, Raja and Govan will be performing again at the 606 Club on the 7^th and 8^th March. I can’t recommend this lineup highly enough.