Sometimes there's just no beating the wisdom of experience – and in the world of jazz that statement bears even more potency. Proof comes this week in the form of two previously unbroadcast performances from last year's London Jazz Festival, featuring a duo from stalwarts of the British improvising scene – saxophonist Trevor Watts with pianist Veryan Weston, as well France's greatest living bass player – Henri Texier with his trio.
Henri Texier
Only a few months ago we broadcast Texier's brilliant octet performance from the festival, but on that same evening the bassist performed a stripped-back set with longstanding bandmates Louis Moutin on drums and his son Sébastien on reeds. The trio first assert themselves with a hard-swinging rendition of Cole Porter's classic, 'What is This Thing Called Love?', before stretching out to more folksy and avant-garde territory on compositions by both father and son. The open and bare setting really allows Henri's wonderful warm bass sound to take precedence.
Trevor Watts and Veryan Weston
Trevor Watts' and Veryan Weston's performance shares the same open feel but they take a much freer-running attack. As Trevor explains, their spontaneous approach relies entirely on having faith in each other's playing – and with such a strong performing relationship they certainly make that look easy. Highlights include a tribute to Lol Coxhill which builds from spiky pointillist fragments, with Watts exploring the extended techniques and registers of his sax, through to more repetitive circular patterns built in intensity by Weston's cascading patterns.
Also on the programme I have a rare opportunity to speak on-mic with Peggy Sutton – my producer of seven years – as I welcome her to 'the other side of the glass' to discuss a recent expedition to 12 Points Festival in Dublin. And we continue our coverage for BBC Radio 3's Baroque Spring by talking to Soweto Kinch, who explains an usual marriage between Baroque and Hip Hop that has inspired his latest album, The Legend of Mike Smith.
Join me for all of this on Monday 18 March from 11pm, or listen online for seven days after broadcast.
Jez
If you have comments about the show, or requests for music you’d like to hear, do get in touch at [email protected] or on Twitter at @BBCJazzon3.
