Junior Mance - Pizza Express Music Room, Maidstone - 20/11/00

Talking of jazz - just for an instance of things to celebrate - the gig was simply a top-class, joyous, occasion. For starters, it was evident from the first note that the musicians were playing with and for each other. They were enjoying themselves more and more as the evening progressed. It goes without saying that the musicianship was of a very high order. Junior Mance played as well as one could wish, especially the blues and more boppish material, in a wonderfully tasteful way. I mean that the programme was so beautifully integrated and fulfilling, combining slightly less familiar standards, and different takes on better known works. His obvious delight at his reception encouraged him to encourage the other two to their best endeavours. Andy Cleyndert on bass knows his stuff, and this time exceeded previous soloing efforts. Given the fact that he regularly accompanies many of the best UK and US ‘stars’, I’m sure his reliability is high amongst the factors that recommend him. He was damn fine on Monday. Steve Brown on drums is one of the best anywhere and, if anything, getting better. Again, it is his immaculate tastefulness that impresses. Yes, yes, quite objectively and wholly subjectively, it was a red-letter occasion!

Return to Mike & Jacky's Jazz Pages