GLASGOW JAZZ FESTIVAL PREVIEW __
l _ " ' t . T Making 3 e , l f
his mark ‘ notes
Young French pianist 3 Michel Petrucciani has become one ofthe finest exponents ofthe ‘ instrument, working in the .1 jazz idiom. Trevor
Johnséofield S Johnston discovers why.
In the course ofa i conversation with guitarist John Scofield last
On the cover of his eminently
year. we got around to ; desirable 1988 Blue Note album talking about the ' Michel Plays Petrucciani. you'll find saxophonist Joe Loyano. the young French pianist Clad in
Who hitd l0"th his tuxedo and perched on a podium of '
electrifying acoustic jazz group shortly before. Loyano had been around.
classical statuary. The effect is twofold. both callingattention to the i . crippling bone disease that has left ' Michaei Petmcciani
as both sideman and
leader. for some time. but the Zx'y’car'om ‘1 tin)“ mismaan Q Charles Lleytt his Playing 50 ~ titled Music. and its current worthy
his star suddenly seemed figure. Yet at the Slime time affirming l impressed his host that he took to the SUCCCSSOL phmmmnd~ (both
in the aseendant alongside that the player has come to terms ,5 mad again for the first time in years. I continuing highhwhhion with the
“1.021,”?! guitarist. ‘ with his disabilities and needs no _ thus launching Petrucciani‘s cstccmwhiuc N019 label) here is a
knxentf)‘:’::lr:$:iltw special treatment from anyone. .7 internationalcareer at the highest ' highly melodic writing style with a
twenty years since we thank yo,” very mUCh° Anyway' ‘1 ~ level and Pavmg the “'“Y for ; smart car for splashes of
went t'o'Berklee as Cursor-V 115mm to any OfM‘ChCI‘S high'PtOttle eeltaht’titttt’hs “Vet the : instrumental colour. Still. what
teenagers in I970. Joe ? performanceS 500“ confirms that NCXt few years With the likes 0t ~ above all distinguishes Petrucciani
“any has his mm mm, whatever one‘s initial sympathetic guitarists Jim Hall and John L from his peers is an improving
His father was a tenor ! impressions. the man‘s playing more Abercrombie. and even master ; mimncr‘ efforflcgg in its flair for
play” m the Gene 5 than Speaks for “Sc”- teedsmtth Wayne Sht’ttet- v flowing ornamentation. vet doesn‘t
Ammons Stylc.‘ and JW l A Child Prettth Who abandoned There's it fUtther Miles DilVlS . batter you over the head'with the
T"??? it" (’f'll'st”r-‘"ift"”‘ the classical repertoire to join the connection too. with the quintet the I usual muscular virtuosity.
mass i family jazz band. Michel was swiftly i man from Montpelier is bringing to Refinement. thoughtfui'und
hat-c him'm [ha imhd‘ 3 Pet 0“ the Platform at the tender age i Glasgow Si'hth maestro Adam . bittersweet. that‘s the keynote for a
bccuuschcis wwrwilc ofeleven on a French tour by Holzman actually left a prestigious : playerWh().sm.crcmnc 21H thC
that he canadd something ; Amenett" trumpetetCttttk retry‘ : 5'0! In the MllCSlthe-UP 10 Ptteh 1h obstacles tostand asoneoftodav‘s
to every tune.‘ V and by the time he‘d reached with Petrucciani's recent move {clam-Ch unhcmidcd keyboard] Being Pitrt UtaUCh Rt - eighteen the decision had already ! towards a more fusion—orientated masters: '
high—prom“. band is I , been made t0 Seek his fortune SOUUd With 2t feathery. itCCeSSthle Mic/tel l’t’trur‘ciaiiiplaits Illt’
StateStde' Staying in Ctttttomta With : Littth t‘eel- AS PreSeWed 0" litSt 'l‘ramii'ay on Sun 7. 7.30pm.
Noteiand the label now thcn'rm'md (’05 Saxophone he“) } year‘s ehleytthle IOhEPlitFeh 31mm."
follow Scofield's recent Mean! To Be (a worthy
incandescent successor to
the classic Time On My ’ Hands) with the i ' s ' saxophonist‘s impressive . . debut recording for them. 1 . d ' l Landmarks. which i : features another notable l guitarist. John Ahfirtjmmlftco , , . : True enough, the close-cropped “ h"° "WWW “‘m‘li" ' saxman from the West Country is a
territory. the album is no . . . mm whash 0mm tairly familiar srght tor Scots iazz 5
bottom you'll ever need, the leader describes In (Jo-Motion as ‘a mixture of high energy stuff that really hits home in a small club, but with some of the sotter pieces too that I really like’.
Andy has recently returned from
' Barcelona's very own testival of music ‘lnclassilicable’ and has just
; completed a score for superhep jazz
i dudes, erm, Torvill and Dean tora
' forthcoming BBC programme. He has
° ' ~ ~ l lbum with the In
: Smth mu 3,. music. _ audiences. Yet hrs torthcoming E I atteadltet‘o'ded 3" a ,
i but carvesouradistinctive Glasgow Jazz Festival appearance 3 . c°‘M°"°" 3"” WWW“? '" t“? .
1 voice of its own in nine ‘ should be doubly worth turning out tor I I “tum” 3"" !5 “teat” let'smt‘g Y’t't'W self-compnscd “mag The ' as h brings his new electric hand, i I and performing in yet another different ~ opportunity to hearthe undenhe name In co-Moflon, to the I context. ‘There’sa '0! 0i '8" [UNIS inthe ; “.“mph‘mtst's "w" band ' salubrious setting of the Tramway. E E "1 CO'MOtton thus“? he adds,
“W must We" a white .V‘ct. Following in the hacks onhe original l I searching tor the words to pin down the butthc powerfm alchemy ' Sheppard five-piece his much- i ‘ band‘s mercurial sound. ‘ll'S a bit like “’h't‘htuetsthe SCt’t'C'd . ’ . - l ~‘- ‘4’ " the bi band in awa becausethe Quartet. featuring a new acclaimed Sott On The lnsrde big band ; 3 . 9 . o Y , ,hvmm section ofij I project, and even ah improvising um, i o . Andi Sheppard g written stuff is tight and polished but Johnston and Bill Stewart partnership with tiery pianist Keith 9 to get 0" thh It- twented a “10W . 3 there are 8” these spaces (07W! (who also occupy that role ' Tippeii, this newest musicai enterprise i drummer, an electric bass, emphasrs ; players to do things each night that on Lovano‘s record). is is further evidence (as it we needed ii) i on the electronic keyboards, so you : they've never done before. It's still mere than simple ihai or a” ihe current crop or UK i have to go out there and find players 5 what I would term jazz but it moves “’mpcns‘mm' “W saxophone talents, Andy Sheppard 3 who’ve got their concept togetherto do i through these weird unsingable head A'mm’c” remains certainly the most versatile . that.’ Indeed, with developing arrangements into tree blowing and
), -.) -, , _ and probably the most approachable, ' trumpeter claudepeppa sharing the l eventually gets into this kind of in:infill;“853;:ill?" ‘lt‘s no reflection on the musicians I l trontline duties With Sheppard s sax. ] rock/groove thing. Something like that 3, with supportfrom ' i worked with in the past,’ explains and 5W“ Btcttatdso" S educated hut . anyway - . - (TfFVO'JOttnStttnl ()rpliy Robinson and ’ Andy, ‘but you can’t give an acoustic downhome bass (he used to play gurtar Andy Sheppard. s In Co-Motion play the Anaiav. hand electric instruments and ten them with Simply Red) providing all the Tramway on Fri 5, 7.30pm.
L __.
20 The List 28June — ll July 1991