The value of Bridge Music's Thursday jazz series at Glasgow Art Club was underlined yet again here.
Few present would have been familiar with Matyas Gayer and while, at just 20, the Hungarian pianist is a still-developing talent, it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility to find him creating, before too long, the kind of international interest that has attached itself to Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan, who just happens to be appearing in Dunfermline tomorrow.
Like Hamasyan, Gayer has a liking for taking well-known tunes on mystery tours. The two sets his thoughtful, communicative trio played largely comprised jazz standards and items from the Great American Songbook but rarely at the tempo expected or in a predictable setting. His opening interpretation of Cheek To Cheek set the tone, a suggestion of cheek as in mischief infiltrating Gayer's quicksilver phrasing, and his ability to structure improvisations logically and gracefully became quickly apparent.
Thelonious Monk's Ask Me Now, taken very slowly, and Bill Evans's Time Remembered, emphasising the composer's romantic leanings, both featured solo piano introductions of considerable skill and might have been better placed further apart in the programme, rather than back to back, as a certain routine as regards soloing order crept in later.
But while bassist Norbert Farkas may have been a touch overexposed at times with so much soloing space, the backbone he provided alongside drummer Marton Juhasz's restraint proved particularly effective as Gayer relocated the Gershwins' 'S Wonderful to a lazy Brazilian afternoon ambience, in an understated style reminiscent of Eliane Elias, and imbued Branislaw Kaper's flag-waving Invitation with dancing exuberance.
HHH
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