On a rainy night in Soho – it was a dash along Dean Street afterwards to avoid being drenched in simply seconds – nevertheless and considering it was also a Monday the Pizza was pretty full.
Word has obviously seeped out about the sheer distinctiveness of guitarist composer Karim Saber. We heard tunes from both Transmission and the upcoming Sundance. Saber also was impressive with pianist Lukas DeRungs on Wake. I hadn’t seen the Londoner before live but have heard a white label of the upcoming album, one of the reasons for turning up given its skill and sheer creativity. I wanted to know: could this be replicated live?
Luckily my seat was in the front row behind the drummer and I gained a good impact from the quintet partly because of this proximity.
Tunes vary between being very visceral often dominated by the drummer Jack Thomas to thoughtfully balladic where the John McLaughlin-like Saber who alternated between sitting and standing throughout the evening displays his tenderness.
Harbouring the ravages of flu he told me during the break you wouldn’t have known he wasn’t fully fit given the latent energy at his disposal that often ricocheted off the low basement room ceiling as volume levels ramped up and the guitarist cut loose. The Winstone-esque vocalist Aitzi Cofre Real from the album who is on a few tracks of Sundance wasn’t present but Saber says there are plans for her to appear with the band again.
Tunes included on one of the first outings of the Sundance material a range of emotions conveyed. Saber said it was exciting to see new faces in the crowd – he obviously already has lots of punters in for second helpings.
‘Hush’ led off by pianist Alex Wilson was a treat and finishing the first set with the feel good ‘Sister Song’ from the new album was a good idea.
“I’ve been loving you a long time
Down all the years, down all the days
And I’ve cried for all your troubles
Smiled at your funny little ways”
– Shane MacGowan, ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’
The second set began with a vibrant drum solo and the inclusion of ‘3 Warwick Street’ from Transmission again resonated. “Thanks for sticking around,” Karim said humbly to the gathered throng later. It was worth it for the dings and forlorn ripples of rhythm bubbling up from the drummer’s tiny right hand cymbal piquant and unusual that proved quite the surprise later.
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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