www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/ivo-neame-trio-live- -
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Published on: 3/19/2009
Last Visited: 3/28/2009
Following last month's superb concert by Finn Peters of the F-ire Collective the March slot was allocated to members of the similarly minded Loop Collective in the form of a quartet led by the pianist Ivo Neame.
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Neame's group did not disappoint and we were treated to another evening of excellent music.
The Loop Collective is home to a number of experimental bands but Neame's quartet chose to play things relatively straight.
It was certainly a contrast to Peters' eclecticism but none the worse for that.
The quartet played a programme composed largely of Neame originals plus a smattering of bop standards including two compositions by Thelonious Monk, clearly a major influence on the young Neame.
The quartet were concluding a "mini-tour" which had also taken them to St. Ives (Cornwall) and Cardiff.
Joining Neame in this frighteningly young looking quartet were the prodigiously gifted vibraphonist Jim Hart, Danish bassist Jasper Hoiby and drummer John Scott.
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The Gary Burton/Chick Corea duet is the supreme example but Hart and Neame offer an excellent home grown pairing, here sympathetically supported by Hoiby and Scott.
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"Caught In The Light Of Day" was described by Neame as a "vampires nightmare" and featured a sparkling piano solo from the composer before an abstract vibes led central section and a series of doomy left hand figures imparted a suitably spooky atmosphere to the piece.
Light relief came in a series of false endings, the quartet deliberately deceiving the audience to comic effect.
The old Miles Davis/Sonny Clark warhorse "Sippin At Bell's" closed the first half in energetic fashion.
All the members of the quartet got to feature, lead off by Hart's mercurial vibes and followed by Neame, the pianist again sparring with drummer Scott.
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Hoiby's low register arco bass also featured before Neame and Hart delivered rather more conventional solos.
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"Scarred Landscape" was the only one of tonight's numbers to be taken from Neame's 2007 trio album "Swirls And Eddies", a Loop records release featuring bassist Phil Donkin and drummer George Hart.
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A good example of Neame's restlessly inventive writing style it incorporated strong grooves, adventurous harmonies and a contrasting middle section for solo piano.
Neame is due to record again later this year utilising tonight's line up but with drummer James Maddren replacing Scott.
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This solid gold classic provided the opportunity for each member of the quartet to solo in turn. (Neame, Hart, Hoiby,Scott).
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Scott soloed at length before Neame and Hart traded phrases in an exhilarating final section.
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Neame was more thoughtful, but no less skilled, essentially a middle of the keyboard man he's an imaginative but not flamboyant soloist.
His tricky themes suggest that he is also maturing as a writer, his tunes have plenty of interesting things going on.
However as an interlocutor between tunes he could do with projecting himself a little more.
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"Words And Music" is an imaginative examination of a programme of standards plus two Hart originals by a quartet featuring Neame on piano, bassist Mick Coady and drummer Tristan Maillot.
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