Jaipur Kawa Brass Band vs. Tongues of Fire |
Surely the people that come to St Bartholomew's to worship at the altar of far-out music must outnumber those who pay much attention to Jesus, or so I think as a swell of snare rattle and warm brass from outside the door heralds the arrival of Tongues of Fire. The nine-piece jazz band processes down the aisle past the full-capacity crowd, with two drummers, trombone, horn, four saxes including the beatific-looking band leader on baritone (how seldom does its rich, fat grunt get to take centre stage in our lives), and a guy looking rather out of place with a kitchen fork and metal guiro, whose true function becomes apparent only when he reaches his station and picks up the double bass. They play several pieces in succession, linked by solo improvisations, so that those with the urge to applaud are long frustrated, and they fill the space with their mighty sonic soup, although sadly the high reflective walls render the whole effect quite muddy, making the music seem at times more sluggish than it probably is. The highlight of their set is the kit-drummer's solo, which he manages to make both rhythmically tight and comical at the same time - no mean feat, this drummer can tell you. Clearly they are a talented lot, with some beautiful harmony going on, though this wasn't the place to see them at their best. David Hart, 13/06/2005 |