Kenny Garrett blows up a storm at Ronnie Scott’s
Peter Jones
Monday, February 13, 2023
The celebrated US altoist brought his high-intensity blend of jazz, African music and funk to Frith Street for another uplifting London appearance
Revered alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and his quintet kicked off this wonderfully entertaining Ronnie Scott’s performance with a 20-minute version of ‘Haynes Here’ from the 2012 Seeds from the Underground album. On that recording were percussionist Rudy Bird and drummer Ronald Bruner - and here they were in person, joined by Cuban singer and gourd player Melvis Santa, who added wordless vocals. Garrett brought the number to a screaming climax, after which bassist Corcoran Holt introduced a measure of calm to the proceedings with a thoughtful arco bass interlude.
There were four tunes from Garrett’s Sounds from the Ancestors, his most recent album, which focuses on latin and African musical themes. ‘It’s Time to Come Home’ made the point - a quieter, serpentine tune in 6/8 (as was ‘Haynes Here’), Santa both singing and speaking in what one assumed was Yoruba, as she, Bird and Bruner held a sort of percussion conversation.
They trawled genres both expected and unexpected: ‘When the Days Were Different’ was a rock number that could have been the theme tune to a 1980s TV cop show, gradually morphing into a good-time party clapalong.
The title track to Sounds from the Ancestors - yet another tune in 6/8 - was bookended by sweet Chopinesque solo piano from Keith Brown. By this time, no one was expecting swing, so of course that was what came next - and how. ‘Chasing the Wind’ roared off the grid at a blistering tempo. It was now that the true star of the evening let rip: Ronald Bruner played as if engaged in a drum battle to the death with Buddy Rich. It wasn’t just technique, although his technique is astonishing - it was sheer explosive speed and power.
They ended their exhilarating set with the funky Caribbean-style ‘Happy People’, Kenny Garrett now morphing into a rabble-rousing MC, urging the audience to clap and sing along as he rapped his way through several false endings, and the band members left the stage one by one. Book ‘em for your New Year party now!