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The JAZZ CULTURE THE ENGLAND ISSUE, Part I John Watson, piano, Miles Danso, bass, Louie Palmer, drums at The Palm Court, The Langham Hotel, London REVIEW JOHN WATSON TRIO by L. Hamanaka Caught the John Watson Trio over the pond with Miles Danso, bass, Louie Palmer (who studied at Berkelee), drums at The Langham, [at 1C Portland Place, London W1B, 1JA, (207)636- The Jazz Culture, VI:25 1 1000] is an elegant hotel with high ceilings and huge windows. Like many of the larger hotels, the Langham has several food and beverage outlets, a bar like a cigar bar, the Palm Court, which is where the John Watson Trio holds forth weekends and carries on the long tradition of jazz piano trios. The Palm Court has a large selection of champagne, wines and cocktails, and an excellent continental menu with lots of side dishes, such as crusted prawns, a wide variety of vegetable sides and artful desserts. The restaurant won the Best Afternoon Tea Award in 2010 and rates 161 out of 10,000 venues in London. The ceiling of the Palm Court is about four stories high and there is a nightclub feel, projected by 25-foot Chinese red chandeliers with red velvet curtains, pillars in the room and a grand piano where the John Watson Trio plays. Mr. Watson also produces shows, besides being musical director at the Langham. Once a month, he is doing a jazz dinner show at the Haven Bar & Grill, www.haven- bistro.co.uk, featuring established artists on the London jazz scene each month. This month, the guest singer with his trio is Shireen Frances. In addition to leading his own trio at freelance gigs, he has worked with such well-known British singers as Leee John, Nina Ferro and Mica Paris. Mr. Watson shares that this performance at the Langham was his second gig of the day, showing that he is a sought-after freelancer. The John Watson Trio plays both freelance and private gigs around England. Having studied music at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Mr. Watson came to London at about 18. This evening, John Watson is playing “Yardbird Suite,” by Bird. At about 175=quarter note, it’s a spirited swinging version with precise bop phrasing, his scalar lines making a break for freedom, and an unaffected lyric voice. Mr. Watson plays jazz from the blues up, swing, standards and bebop and intersperses pop requests from the tony crowd. “Basin Street Blues” follows, at about 96=quarter note, the pianist anticipating the downbeat with breaks in a slow swing, first 2 The Jazz Culture, VI:25 poignantly and then chording with Reviews Renato D'Aiello 1‐6 repeated blue note rolls, a three- Jazz at Foyle's Bookstgore 12‐16 note lick. The bass plays a double- Paul Pace at Ronnie Scott's triplet figure, accenting the A Life in Jazz 7‐12 downbeat with nice articulation. Jazz in the UK Synopsis The pianist reprises the theme Jazz Heritage 16‐17, 21‐27 with some soulful licks, the Elmo Hope by B. Hope drummer playing brushes Comments by Musicians throughout. How To Direct a Jazz Improv by H. Danko 18‐20 Whitney Houston’s “Saving London Photojournal 27 All My Love for You,” (a track on Let's Link 28 John Watson’s “Live at the Proofread by C. MacNamee Langham”) is next in 12/8 medley [email protected] with pretty arpeggiated downward [email protected] runs. Another request, “Hey Jude,” is followed by another Beatles song, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” (no it can’t, but it helps). “I’ll Remember April” follows, about 184=quarter note, up tempo, light swing with a whole-tone interlude in the break, he plays accenting the upbeat going up the keyboard in rapid fire and descending to a swinging line, meanwhile, a young couple jumps up and starts doing the Lindy, showing off turns, and like all good swing dancers, they feel they are performing when they dance. When there is applause, the dancers bow. The bass plays a series of octaves, then the trio trades 4’s, drummer still playing brushes, on reprise stating the theme, modulating up and ending in a crescendo. “In Your Own Sweet Way” is played at about 132=quarter note, as a waltz, the pianist diving into lines in a straight-ahead sound, showing inventive melodicism, with a lyric touch and classically informed fluency on piano. The bass solo has a lilting sound, as he subdivides the beat in units of 2’s and 3’s; the pianist restates the theme delicately in a chordal reprise, outlining the The Jazz Culture, VI:25 3 melody as it ascends the keyboard. “All of Me,” with a chordal intro like “Killer Joe” with a repeated bass line, swings with blue notes and has a bright sound a little reminiscent of Earl Hines, John Watson, piano, Miles Danso, always maintaining the intensity bass & Louie Palmer, drums and confidence of a driving personality who has a grip on life. The drummer, who has been using brushes most of the time, switches to sticks and provides tasty support. The bass is relaxed in a stride feel while the pianist cascades down in a melodic run. The bassist stays close to the melody in his solo, with a nice fat tone in the middle register and plays with soul. Pianist plays triplet figure chords, exchanging 4’s with the drummer, then reprises the theme passionately. Playing “Besame Mucho” as a tango, Mr. Watson shows the ability, like Tommy Flanagan, to accent the upbeat in the left hand. His flowing lines are leaning forward, and he swings and hears the melody as if he were a horn player, although fluidity is easier on the piano. He used to be a trumpet player until an accident hurt his embouchure. Many pianists hear the quarter note and eighth note as vertical and play that way, but Mr. Watson is beyond the choppy effect of the vertical sense of rhythm. Mr. Watson then plays “Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise,” at about 200=quarter note, clipping along with infallible rhythm assurance, fluent and with a natural gift for accenting a surprising note in the line like a drummer. The trio moves through songs with simpatico, like a smooth music machine, having the luxury of a steady gig that has lasted a number of years. “Georgia,” as a ballad about 72=quarter note--the first 16 bars the piano plays alone; the next 16 bars are accompanied by the 4 The Jazz Culture, VI:25 bass with dramatic intensity, adding chords and then doubling the time, with pretty scalar lines. Then the trio goes back to the original tempo, with a romantic depiction of homesickness, playing the song with triplets and blue note obbligatos. In the finale there is excellent articulation, where the musicians seem to know the A fan approaches John Watson lyric and give the song the at The Palm Court dignity of repressed longing. A quick samba, entitled “Half a Minute,” brings tropical seas and shorelines to mind, brightening the atmosphere with a Brazilian rhythmic palette, with the piano solo using Latin rhythms in a happy, festive mood. The bass solo uses arpeggios and then fourths and fifths, ascending in a dancelike lilt in the upper register, opening up the melody, starting with a three-note motif that accents the upbeats. Seasoning the musical offering is a funky Reggae version of Sting’s “An Englishman in New York,” the flavor reminiscent of the Caribbean, played with sunny optimism, the song of immigrants who’ve travelled thousands of miles across the seas to work and send money back home; the bass plays a syncopated solo with rhythmic intensity. The pianist testifies with a blues- oriented solo and chords that ascend the keyboard with a down- home earthiness. Playing “Lover Man” in a misty high-voiced melody, skipping octaves with pretty notes, Mr. Watson is a pianist who knows how to place a melody in a jewel-like chordal setting so it can be heard to best advantage. The Jazz Culture, VI:25 5 The “Pink Panther” theme follows, melody played by Mr. Watson in single notes, in a mysterious comic creeping quality, then stating the theme chordally and exploring the jazziness of descending notes to expand and uplift the theme in a syncopated groove. Triplets accenting the last note add surprise. Bass solo twangs insinuatingly with sprinkle of chords high in upper register. The drummer plays brushes to underscore the mystery. Mr. Watson tends to play ballads as if he were singing them, dramatically, surrounding the important notes of the melody with chords with rhythmic variety. With this dramatic setting, he delivers a song with great sincerity. A very fine talent deserving wider recognition, Mr. Watson will achieve his artistic acme and prominence and help British jazz to flower while maintaining the traditions of swing and bop in the 21st century. See John Watson at: Website; www.johnpianoman.co.uk, My space: www.myspace.com/ johnawatson YouTube: www.youtube.com/johnpianoman, Twitter: http://twitter.com/ johnpianoman, Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/John­Watson/78494720527 READERS: Please note that in the November issue, The Jazz Culture will start accepting ADS that start at $25. Therefore, if you have an event, cd, venue, program, book that you want to advertise, please send an email to: info@ thejazzculture.com for a rate sheet. The deadline is October 30, 2012. Errata: Please note the following corrections from last week's issue: 1. Connie's last name is MacNamee, not McNamee.

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