Live
The Late Late Show at Ronnie Scotts 22/02/10 + Weekly Mondays to Thursdays
The late late show at Ronnie Scotts is the new jazz happening in the heart of soho - From Mondays to Thurs from 11pm (after the main act). The joint takes on a different guise highlighting the best home grown talent with special sets and a jam session afterwards led by the irrepressable Michael Mwenso.
Tonight's featured artist was drummer Troy Miller and his quartet featuring US tenor man Jean Toussaint (who was once in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers,) Troy's explosive yet masterful skin bashing left us all in no doubt that he is a remarkable talent, fresh as a daisy. It's as if he trying to redefine the role of so many traditional jazz drummers through the use of polyrhythms and cute use of metric modulation (transitioning between mathematically related tempos and/or time signatures). Its definately a case of his band are playing with him and not vice versa, this youngster calls the shots!
The glorious entitlted 'Jiffy Mousse Returns' sees Troy swing hard and Jean Touissant's evocatively soulful soprano sax adds a much weighted sense of gravitas to this wonderful composition from TM's new album '40 Days' Guitarist Femi Temowo also got his chance to shine , 'The Pigrim' (or was it 'the promise?') with his cool studied approach he reminded me of a young Jim Hall, highly crafted and absorbing to watch. Here was a band clearly relishing their moment and playing music they loved.
After the set came the jam session led by the suave and smooth tongued Michael Mwenzo a ratpack rover rolled into one! This emerging master of showbiz is the perfect frontman to run things. Not only has he the gift of the gab but he has the effusive talent to back it up. His wonderful scat singing was exceptional- watch out Cleveland Watkiss this guys after your crown!
Treading the boards was lots of youngsters, trombone and tenor players wheeled on for their moment of glory all cutting the mustard admirably. Ms Shirley Tettah tentatively displaying her cool jazz chops on guitar is one to watch for the future, she's a songwriter too with exceptional talent.
It's great to see Ronnie's becoming a musicians' hangout too, long may the sessions run. Do go down there and chill in this relaxing and friendly enviroment.
Words Emrys Baird
