James Allsopp Quartet turn standards inside out at The Vortex

And James Allsopp appeared rather downcast about the whole affair, suggesting that this might portend a rather subdued and dispirited contribution from his drummer. But the result was quite the contrary, as the quartet scaled the heights of the show during the second number of the second set; a burning, blazing, emotionally engaging rendition of Coltrane’s ‘Mr Day’, during which Tim Giles contributed with gusto, more powerfully than is typically the case when a jazz drummer plays standards. ‘Mr Day’ was such a standout because it was the light to the shade of many of the other tunes performed throughout the evening.

Allsopp’s intention in assembling this quartet was to play, relatively straight, tunes associated with the great composers of jazz, including but not limited to Ellington, Parker, and Coltrane. Thus, ‘On the Street Where You Live’, ‘A Nightingale sang in Berkley Square’, ‘The Man I love’, ‘The Best Thing for You’, and an adaptation of Charlie Parker’s ‘Confirmation’ were all performed. It is sometimes said that the great instrumentalists know the lyrics and express their meaning when performing standards and certainly some of Allsopp’s phrasing recalled singers, both household names and those more obscure. Appropriately then, the mood he established for much of the evening was one of tender lyricism, giving rise to some achingly soulful moments.  

Particularly notable were the sparks generated in the interplay between Kit Downes on piano and Allsopp, and then Downs and Giles. Downes caressed the keys of the piano but extracted ample volume for a nearly-full Vortex, through a remarkable lightness of touch that facilitated fleet fingered explorations in response to Allsopp’s heartfelt thematic statements and harmonic ideas. Riaan Vosloo on double bass was a little more self-effacing in his contributions than the other three, although with perhaps more than a hint of the influence of Charlie Haden in his playing, of making every note count, each serving the foundations of the music impeccably.    

The London jazz scene is particularly well-endowed with outstandingly talented young saxophonists, with George Crowley’s triumphant album launch gig at the same venue still fresh in the memory, which also featured another, Tom Challenger, and now this memorable performance from James Allsop to mention just three of several. Allsopp moves seamlessly through several contexts, from the big stage (as a soloist in the Ellington in Anticipation project) all the way through to informal jam sessions.

Apart from ‘Mr Day’, Tim Giles also shone on a rendition of ‘Giant Steps’. For the final number, a performance of ‘Airegin’ by Sonny Rollins, the quartet reverted to the more powerfully expressive mode of ‘Mr Day’, if not quite scaling the same heights of expressiveness. The end was signalled by a raised eyebrow from Allsop; a sign of modest surprise perhaps at what he and his quartet had accomplished.  

-– Graham Boyd