Tuesday 8 November 2011

Geoff Simkins Quartet at Hastings Jazz Club

Enjoyable gig last night. Geoff Simkins was playing with pianist Nikki Iles, bassist Simon Woolf and drummer Martin France on the first night of a short tour. They're all great improvisers in their own right but the focus last night was on ensemble playing.

Highlights for me were the the head of Konitz' Subconscious Lee with Nikki playing an improvised counterpoint to Geoff's theme, a sensitive rendition of the waltz Elsa written by Earl Zinders and recorded by Bill Evans, Kenny's Wheeler's interesting changes on Kind Folk and Steve Swallow's mesmerising Falling Grace. On these numbers the quartet sounded like themselves - a distinctive and beautiful sound.



Further dates by the Geoff Simkins Quartet:

November
Fri 18 8.00pm Sheffield Jazz
Wed 23 8.00pm The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Wed 30 8.00pm 606 Club, London

December
Fri 2         8.00pm The Spice of Life, London

May 2012
Posted by John Harris at 21:56
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