Music / Jazz
Review: Perico Sambeat Trio, Zion
Zion Community Arts, Wednesday May 13
Promoter Ian Storror has been putting South Bristol on the jazz map for decades, with his tenure at The Albert Inn seeing many international jazz stars grace an unfeasibly small stage for an ‘intimate’ Bedminster audience. These days his events are usually at Southville’s Hen and Chicken comedy club space but to catch touring US sax star Perico Sambeat he brought us out to Zion at Bedminster Down, a comfortably sized former church that made an excellent venue for an evening of equally comfortable jazz.
Flanked by Stephen Keogh’s drums and bass-player Arnie Somogyi the saxophonist warmed up with some light-touch swing, the well-balanced sound establishing the dynamics between the players. Without a harmonic instrument like piano or guitar there could be a ‘plate spinning’ tension but it was clear the three knew exactly how to keep things together, Somogyi’s bass in particular catching subtleties of rhythm to keep the tune in mind. Playing without a hi-hat cymbal and making spare use of kick drum Keogh’s drumming took more chances, an approach that came to the fore in faster bop pieces and, especially, the freer form of Charlie Haden’s In The Moment.
But whether soloing or gently buoying the tunes behind bass and drums it was Perico Sambeat’s effortless fluency and intelligent playing that focused attention. Stretched out on a ballad like My One and Only Love or bursting through the sharper edges of Thelonious Monk’s Played Twice his tone never faltered. Even the superfast exchanges with Somogyi’s bass on Good Bait, a Tad Dameron tune, stayed smoothly warm and it seemed nothing could make him break sweat.
By the second set this was classic post-bop ‘modern’ jazz, recalling Cannonball Adderley’s 60s style but with a more contemporary clarity no doubt honed during Sambeat’s spells with pianist Brad Mehldau. It was warmly appreciated by an audience glad to have the flag of international jazz still proudly waving over South Bristol.
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