A tea-time rehearsal was the first sighting the five musicians behind this celebration of Adderley brothers Cannonball and Nat’s soul jazz had of the ink-barely-dry arrangements that saxophonist Martin Kershaw had put together. And while these players will all have worked with one another before on the Scottish jazz scene, this was the first time they’d appeared in this aggregation.
Had the festival decided on “supergroup” instead of “band”, they’d have been vindicated, not only because this is a band of bandleaders
but also because they produced a focused and energetic performance that made the modest surroundings of Drouthy Neebors’ basement feel like a big-time jazz club.
Joining Kershaw in the front line, trumpeter Colin Steele was in his element playing the Adderleys’ music and related compositions by Duke Pearson, Paul Chambers et al. Steele thrives on the funky blues and gospel qualities involved, leading off Chambers’s Ease It with muted phrases in perfect sync with bassist Brian Shiels – here in his mightiest, grooving heartbeat guise – and improvising wah wah magic on Nat Adderley’s One for Daddy-O.
Kershaw’s firm alto tone and classy, cogent solo construction constituted as big an asset as his crisp arrangements, giving the music at once a strong in-the-tradition feeling and a sense of adventurous renewal. With pianist Steve Hamilton drawing on considerable resources as an inspiring accompanist and concisely imaginative soloist, and drummer Alyn Cosker adding subtlety, precision and bounce, the Adderleys have just acquired premier league champions.
Star rating: ****
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