Wednesday night at The Electric Theatre. This is how a great jazz gig should be - people gathered at small tables, drink in hand, feet tapping and a broad grin on their faces. Because that's what really great jazz makes you do - grin broadly, just with the sheer amazement and joy that someone has so much talent and here they are, playing just 6 feet away from you.
Art Themen was at the Electric Theatre in Guildford last night by invitation of Marianne Windham who runs Guildford jazz. She gathers great musicians to play monthly jazz gigs at The Electric Theatre and at The Cavern in Farncombe and not surprisingly, Art's gig was a sell out. He is the consummate performer, not only wowing people with his amazing sax playing but endearing himself quickly to the crowd with amusing anecdotes and facts about the pieces he plays. He's an old hand at this, it's in his bones and he loves every minute of it. Art first appeared in the early Manchester jazz scene in the late 1950s, moving on to the early London blues scene and fronting the Stan Tracey quartet for 20 years from 1970. He has played with many of the jazz greats, and alongside other music stars such as Mick Jagger and Chuck Berry. But he's just as happy playing with good, local musicians and last night he was clearly very impressed with the Guildford gang.
Gigs such as last nights are all the more remarkable because the back up band are session players - their only rehearsal with Art was a quick run through just before the gig. Yet, they are such incredible musicians that they quickly get the groove of Art and each other, and, taking their lead from the smiley Art they played 2 amazingly tight sets - a little nod from Art, a broad encouraging grin and they're off.
Marianne herself is an amazing musician and last night her double bass skills were put to the test by Art and his love of playing in challenging keys, or suddenly changing the tempo. Her hands moved incredibly swiftly as she changed from blues to jazz and all ranges in between. Art loves to give the floor to his backing players and Marianne was frequently flung into the limelight with very little notice. A look of horror once or twice was quickly followed by a huge grin as everything fell into place, just as Art knew it would.
On the drums we had Martin Pyne - oh my word, Martin, what can I say? If I could bottle up his sheer passion and incredible talent and sell it on the High Street I would make a fortune. Martin can squeeze every emotion, sound, whisper, clash and ripple from his set of drums - effortlessly. In a quiet, unassuming way he brings incredible depth and colour to every tune.
And finally on the keyboards, Cheryl King. A post-graduate from the Guildhall School of Music Cheryl's technical skills and musical knowledge shine through as she confidently covers a range of jazz and blues. "So important to have a proper musical education" Art says to her admiringly. "I never had that" he says. But you would never know and did it really matter? I cannot imagine how he could play any better or more beautifully than he did last night.
Don't miss out on jazz! - follow these links for future Surrey jazz events:
http://www.guildford.gov.uk/electrictheatre
http://guildfordjazz.wordpress.com
http://www.watermilljazz.co.uk
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