Straight out of the hustle and bustle of New York City, drummer Matt
Wilson and his stellar quartet lit up the first of two nights at the Rex with
its stellar display of jazz that bordered around straight ahead swing, fleets
of modernism, and explosive inside/outside fits of jazz freedom.
Even after emerging from a tragic experience involving the death of
his beloved wife, Matt Wilson’s performance echoed joy and happiness, even
evident through his energetic performances and his million-dollar smile.
The evening got to a soulful, swinging start with the quartet’s take
on Gene Ammon’s “The One Before This”.
Matt Wilson showed that he is a true force of rhythm behind the drums,
employing a hearty Art Blakey-influenced backbeat that grooves hard and keeps
the audience wanting more. The
performance was even highlighted by a soaring sax solo by Jeff Lederer, even
reaching into the upper high registers of his instrument and pouring his all
into the performance.
On Butch Warren’s “Barack Obama”, things cooled off as the piece was
a more introspective and reflective look at America’s first black
president. After all is said and done,
the quartet rips into free jazz with Dewey Redman’s “Bubbles”, employing
effective stop and go dynamics and atonal bebop. First Jeff Lederer goes for the altissimo upper
registers and fleets of fancy on the saxophone, cornetist Kirk Knuffke takes on
the role of a mellowed and restrained Don Cherry, and bassist Dan Fortin takes
on a very moving and probing bass solo employing echoes of Charlie Haden before
the performance is brought together by Matt Wilson’s spoken word poetry.
Matt also happens to be an inventive composer
through his two pieces of the set, “Crop Rotation” and “Arts and Crafts”. These pieces brought the elements of early
Ornette Coleman into the forefront with its clever stop and go techniques, and
its complex, opened up rhythms. The
two other covers in the set, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “Blue Pepper
(Far East of the Blues)” opened with a percussive display by Matt Wilson before
breaking into Middle Eastern scalar blues funk. The ballad “Don’t Blame Me” was a very
romantic and lush reading that brought the band together in unison and provided
a sense of rest and relaxation for all of the intensity that insured throughout
their performed set.
Matt Wilson’s Quartet brought the excitement, energy, action and
high life of New York City into the city of Toronto in a big way to start its
northern tour. It is a band that knows
how to employ swing, freedom, and modernism in a way that is fun and accessible
to the audience without the need of watering down the music. Be sure to catch this band or pick up their
latest CD when you have a chance. It is
worth a good listen.
OFFICIAL MATT WILSON WEB SITE:
(From Left: Kirk Knuffke, Dan Fortin, Jeff Lederer and Matt Wilson)
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