Live

PETER WHITE:

You know you have to be pretty special if you are the recent winner of the National Smooth Jazz Awards 'Best Guitar' for the third time. So who is this special one? Move over Jose Mourinho allow me to introduce Peter White.

Exuding boyish charm, like some mischievous public school boy, PW wastes no time in joshing with the audience and band alike. With his all round bonhomie and effortless geniality the mood has been set for some highly polished and entertaining smooth (as a baby’s bottom) Jazz.

Grover Washington’s 'Mr Magic' cleverly morphing into Junior Walker’s 'What Does It Take To Win Your Love' showed exactly how dextrous this outfit could be. The sound system was crisp and clear allowing PW’s concise bluesy funky licks to shine. The interplay between the musicians was second to none.

Alto sax fiend Jaarad Arosemena proved an able sparring partner with his darting runs and taut fragmented funkiness. It's encouraging to see that both players understand that pauses are as important as notes in shaping a line, and their restraint contrasts with the busy overplaying that can afflict the world of smooth Jazz.

Next up was the Isley Brothers 'whose that lady', it's exactly at this point Peter really enters the stratosphere and rips the hell out of his nylon electro-acoustic. On comes the fx pedals and out comes some classic rock!! How you segue 'lady' into 'Oye Como Va' is beyond me but this band are capable of throwing any thing into the mix including the James Bond theme!
Words Emrys Baird