Gilad Atzmon - Pizza Express Music Room, Maidstone - 28/09/01

Yesterday we returned for Gilad Atzmon and his Orient House Ensemble, last seen here in a wonderful debut in March. I have to say this is my sort of modern jazz (although I love many other sorts too). Along with Tony Coe and Peter King, he seems to invest the music with such passion and commitment, that he carries all before him. He mostly played the music included in his fine latest CD ('Nostalgica'), which, as the title implies, is of the standard repertoire, but played in his own very individual style. As before, he includes some (broadly) middle-eastern modes, but they are perfectly integrated into the main material. One of our regular attendees is a lady who has an open mind for what is good and often novel, so, although I thought this gig might have been a little too much for her, she was evidently thoroughly delighted with the entire show. Gilad Atzmon has a dry, slightly oblique wit and made one or two rather laboured jokes that usually hit the political point, though some managed to miss the point. Anyway, the music continued unabated, in fact intensified, with occasional musical horse-laughs thrown in for good measure. Throughout, I must say, Oli Hayhurst on bass, Frank Harrison on piano and, especially good, Asif Sirkis on drums were as fine a backing group as one would wish for. It is always good to see a group retain its personnel over a goodish period, I think. I was well satisfied anyway, but the brilliant encore culminated in making it another fine, red-letter day.

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