Gypsy jazz, American swing intertwine delectably
REVIEW Pianist Hyman, guitarist Debarre flavor the Django Reinhardt festival
October 29, 2007
BY JOHN LITWEILER
Chicago Sun Times
The swing revival came to Symphony Center on Friday night in an American and a European version. The Europeans played Gypsy jazz, based on electrifying guitarist Django Reinhardt's 1930s Hot Club of France Quintet. Compared to the festival sextet's virtuoso razzle-dazzle, American pianist Dick Hyman swung simply and with the greatest of ease. Lots of fine flavors in this concert, but not quite complete nourishment.
The Hot Club heirs, little known in America, played mostly in threes and fours. Remarkably, guitarist Angelo Debarre sounded just like Django, with Django's fast, wide, note-bending vibrato, Django's lyricism and Django's sense of formal contrast. Debarre was full of speeding, swooping lines, and if he somehow missed the feeling of inevitability in Django's solos, that surely testifies to the master's subtlety. Though the other guitar soloist, young Kruno, was undermiked, his phrasing was more vivid and his sense of musical line was more flowing. Both were marvels, and the highlight was a Gypsy song, sung by Kruno, to furious two-guitar strumming.
High-caffeine violinist Florin Niculescu sawed away in double-time, wildly flinging scales and arpeggios around. Ludovic Beier conveyed a flavor of old European movies with clever but wheezy accordion solos. Energetic rhythm guitarist Tchavolo Hassan and ex-Chicago basssist Brian Torff completed the group.
Hyman's piano solos in the fast "Swing Is Here" and "Ornithology" were especially inventive, with a light touch, an old Johnny Guarnieri flavor and a delightful sense of space in his lines. He's a swing-revival eclectic who channeled Count Basie in an unusually slow "Dickie's Dream," but his disappointing other solos were loaded with up-down runs.
Hyman's four younger Friends were eclectics from the 1980s swing revival. Guitarist Howard Alden also offered pleasing relaxation and played a clever "Panama" duet with Ken Peplowski on clarinet. Peplowski, who soloed more than his mates, nervously reflected early-jazz reedmen from Benny Goodman to Kansas City, even in two tenor sax solos. Bassist Jay Leonhart killed time by singing, and Ed Metz Jr., a good drummer, stayed in the background.
This quintet's set was abbreviated. Though they returned to play a finale, Django's standard "Minor Swing," with the Gypsy-jazz six, leader Hyman's heart seemed to be elsewhere this evening.
John Litweiler is a Chicago jazz critic and author.
October 29, 2007
BY JOHN LITWEILER
Chicago Sun Times
The swing revival came to Symphony Center on Friday night in an American and a European version. The Europeans played Gypsy jazz, based on electrifying guitarist Django Reinhardt's 1930s Hot Club of France Quintet. Compared to the festival sextet's virtuoso razzle-dazzle, American pianist Dick Hyman swung simply and with the greatest of ease. Lots of fine flavors in this concert, but not quite complete nourishment.
The Hot Club heirs, little known in America, played mostly in threes and fours. Remarkably, guitarist Angelo Debarre sounded just like Django, with Django's fast, wide, note-bending vibrato, Django's lyricism and Django's sense of formal contrast. Debarre was full of speeding, swooping lines, and if he somehow missed the feeling of inevitability in Django's solos, that surely testifies to the master's subtlety. Though the other guitar soloist, young Kruno, was undermiked, his phrasing was more vivid and his sense of musical line was more flowing. Both were marvels, and the highlight was a Gypsy song, sung by Kruno, to furious two-guitar strumming.
High-caffeine violinist Florin Niculescu sawed away in double-time, wildly flinging scales and arpeggios around. Ludovic Beier conveyed a flavor of old European movies with clever but wheezy accordion solos. Energetic rhythm guitarist Tchavolo Hassan and ex-Chicago basssist Brian Torff completed the group.
Hyman's piano solos in the fast "Swing Is Here" and "Ornithology" were especially inventive, with a light touch, an old Johnny Guarnieri flavor and a delightful sense of space in his lines. He's a swing-revival eclectic who channeled Count Basie in an unusually slow "Dickie's Dream," but his disappointing other solos were loaded with up-down runs.
Hyman's four younger Friends were eclectics from the 1980s swing revival. Guitarist Howard Alden also offered pleasing relaxation and played a clever "Panama" duet with Ken Peplowski on clarinet. Peplowski, who soloed more than his mates, nervously reflected early-jazz reedmen from Benny Goodman to Kansas City, even in two tenor sax solos. Bassist Jay Leonhart killed time by singing, and Ed Metz Jr., a good drummer, stayed in the background.
This quintet's set was abbreviated. Though they returned to play a finale, Django's standard "Minor Swing," with the Gypsy-jazz six, leader Hyman's heart seemed to be elsewhere this evening.
John Litweiler is a Chicago jazz critic and author.
Labels: Gypsy, Gypsy Swing, Music
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