Ronnie Scotts,London
Joe Lovano and Chucho Valdés teamed up to find dazzling invention and lyricism in a seamless setAmerican saxophonist Joe Lovano’s roots in his homelands classic jazz go deep, but he’s been taking his masterful technique on longer trips lately – notably into west African music with his Cross Culture and Village Rhythms bands, or now a partnership with Havana piano phenomenon Chucho Valdés,with a vivacious Cuban rhythm section in the engine room.
On the first of two nights at Ronnie Scotts, the quintet played some robust originals, or put inventive Cuban spins on both swing classics and Thelonious Monk quotes with lyricism and wit. Lovano prowled brusquely on tenor sax through a spiky bebop anthem,escorted at a contrastingly languid lope by Yaroldy Abreu Robles’ congas, before Valdés fired up the first of several dazzling piano fusions of diamond-radiant treble runs and drum-sample chords, or double bassist Gastón Joya flew through a seamless improvisation like a wind player’s circular breathing. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com