There wasn’t an awful lot of audience chat directed at the first house of this appearance by this stellar avant garde American outfit. There didn’t need to be.
But it was bassist Nick Dunston – who has worked with the likes of Steve Dakiz Davis – left to shoot his head above the parapet to ask a little sheepishly directed at the sound crew: “Is there another quarter inch cable?”
The band kept us waiting what seemed an eternity to get in. They had been delayed at the airport. But ultimately there was no evident sense of anti-climax.
If anything that delay hanging around increased the anticipation. It was a technical set up – the sound I’d describe in general terms as microtonal punk jazz post serialism. Two guitarists but not at all a competition between veteran Liberty Ellman and Mary Halvorson – consistently a critics’ favourite and understandably so acting as a foil to Smith on bullish drums, vibes and electronics – there was a winning sense of unease in the harmonic experimentalism and leveraging of the beat often dotted with jagged accents and daring cross currents. Dunston as bass anchor and very impressive he was throughout used electronics extensively and also contributed arco bass.
Halvorson was quite Derek Bailey-ish in patches, appropriate especially here when a nearby street was named Bailey Place in honour of the English improviser.
At times there was a lot of anarchy when the ensemble really let rip: great microtonal Dave Fiuczynski-like squalls woke any dozing Vortex-ites from their beknackered slumbers. Halvorson administered the deftly spiky medicinal smelling salts.
“Thanks for coming out: appreciate it,” was all the sharply tailored leader Smith said apart from introducing the other musicians. “We barely made it here but that’s a long story,” he added a tad cryptically.
The only tune name checked all evening was ‘Town Down’ from Clone Row. I wish I had turned up for the second house instead was my only regret even though this opener was invigorating and a tonic – because I had an inkling by the end that the band was only starting to get in the zone.
More from Marlbank
- Preview: Blair/Huber to surface at SJQ on the evening of Easter Monday down in Dalston
- John Beasley with the SWR Big Band, Invisible Piano, O-tone music ****
- Shalosh, What We Are Made Of, ACT ***
- The Bad Plus, Chris Potter, Craig Taborn, Barbican, City of London ****
- Alexander Claffy, Alive in Philadelphia, Vol. 1 (At Chris’ Jazz Cafe), Cellar Music ****
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